The high school football playoffs in Georgia have arrived. While the later rounds in the higher classifications are often glorified, some of the smaller classifications tend to produce interesting results in the early rounds. That notion was magnified last season when Hapeville Charter upset title favorite Jefferson. Here’s a look at four key first-round matchups with notable storylines and potentially large impacts in Georgia Class 4A football.
Pace Academy vs. Stephenson
The Knights enter this Georgia 4A first-round matchup at 8-2, but a strong start to the season was quelled in region play with two losses and a close win over lowly McDonough. The opposite is true of 6-3 Stephenson, which started off with two losses in its first three games before winning four straight. An uncharacteristic blowout loss to Holy Innocents is the only blemish on their region resume.
The winner of this matchup will have the misfortune of facing top-ranked Cedartown in the second round, but a low-scoring battle in the first round could provide some defensive excitement between two talented teams.
Burke County vs. LaGrange
The Grangers pulled off a nearly impossible season turnaround, upsetting Trinity Christian and Troup County in back-to-back games to clinch a playoff berth. They carry an immense amount of momentum into a first-round matchup with a Burke County squad coming off a 17-16 loss to Wayne County and a 10-point win over Southeast Bulloch.
The Bears have proven more than capable of beating ranked competition, taking down Oconee County and Thomson earlier in the season. Can the Eric Parker-led Bears use their balanced offensive attack to end LaGrange’s miraculous playoff push?
Westminster vs. Lovett
Two private school rivals meet once again in the playoffs. The Wildcats shut out the Lions 14-0 in the first game of the season, but the circumstances are different now. Westminster’s offense has struggled to find a footing, while Lovett has scored 35 points in each of its last three games. They also have home field advantage, which is crucial in the playoffs compared to the regular season.
The winner of this Georgia 4A first-round matchup will likely meet their downfall at the hands of North Oconee, so this game is all about bragging rights between two programs that have met on the football field 34 times before.
Trinity Christian vs. Wayne County
This may be the most exciting first-round playoff game in Georgia 4A, and it certainly will be a defensive matchup. The Yellow Jackets have enjoyed an immediate turnaround this season, going 8-2 after a winless 2021 campaign. However, they have failed to score more than 17 points in three of their four matchups against ranked opponents.
Perhaps fortunately for them, they’ll play the defending A-Private state champions, who lost their offensive luster following the graduation of the Dallas brothers. The Lions’ defense bailed out the offense in low-scoring wins over Whitewater and Starr’s Mill, but couldn’t hold up against either Troup County or LaGrange. Expect the total final score to hover around the 35-point mark.
