Road Not Kind to Colquitt, Lowndes, and Lee County
For several south Georgia programs hoping to find their way back to a state title, they’ll have to put those dreams on hold for at least one more season after the second round of the Georgia High School Football Playoffs.
This past Friday night brought an end to the season for Lowndes, Colquitt, and Lee County, who each had a tough road- literally and figuratively- after failing to capture their region’s top seed.
Colquitt County lost to the number one nationally- ranked Grayson Rams 31-10 after having to make a second straight trip to to the North Atlanta area after finishing as the #3 seed in Region 1-6A.
For #2 seed Lowndes, they fell to Region 7-6A champion North Gwinnett 29-17 in Suwannee, while Lee County, the #3 seed from Region 2-5A, lost at Langston Hughes.
Needless to say, the travel probably didn’t help.
On the other side of that argument, Valdosta won their second round matchup at the friendly confines of Bazemore Hyder Stadium, 49-26 over Brookwood.
The Wildcats will remain at home for the third week in a row as they host the #4 seed Walton Raiders, who are THE surprise team in the Georgia High School Class 6A playoffs.
Class 5A
In Class 5A, Lee County, who overcame first round opponent Sprayberry last week on the road, were not able to find that same fortune in Fairburn as the Trojans lost to undefeated Hughes 49-31 in the Georgia High School Football Playoffs.
Houston County was another 2-5A team who had to hit the road for their second round matchup with Rome, and in the end it was a tough loss for a HoCo team that rightfully had their sights set on a bigger finish.
Rome won 38-28 in a game that marked yet another challenging early round playoff game for the Wolves and head Coach Jon Reid.
Last year it was Thomas County Central who Reid and the Wolves faced in the second round at Barron Stadium. TCC won that game 35-7. Two years ago, Langston Hughes was the opponent in round two. Rome won that game 42-14.
“We keep getting big matchups in the second round,” Reid had told me earlier this week as he discussed the looming matchup against Houston County.
He said even though Houston County was the visiting team, Reid and his staff knew this would be a tough matchup.
“We really thought of Houston County as a region champion.” Reid said. “They are good in all parts of the game, and at every position group.”
Reid said the game plan was built around the Bears strengths and what he and his team could to counter those strengths.
Offensively, we wanted to be balanced and we did not do that as well as we wanted,” Reid said as he conceded, “their inside line backers are really good and kept us limited in running the football.”
“We thought from a defensive standpoint we needed to create turnovers, which we did,” Reid said.
Houston County head coach Jeremy Edwards admitted the turnovers were a problem.
“An absolute gut punch,” Bears head coach Jeremy Edwards said about the loss. “It was a great game, but turnovers were the difference,” Edwards said.
Rome will move on to play Jackson County, who won the game heard ‘round the state in these 2025 Georgia High School Football Playoffs.
The Milton Eagles, who were looking for their third straight state championship, came up short at Jackson County 24-19.
Milton, who did not win their region for the first time in 8 years, were put in an unfamiliar position of traveling in the first and second rounds of the playoffs. Despite winning last week’s first round matchup at Shiloh, this trip to Jackson County did not end as well.
“ Got dealt a tough hand this year but such is life,” Eagles head coach Ben Reaves said on Saturday. “We’ll be better in 2026. We’ve got 15 of 22 starters returning including our QB.” Reaves said before adding his parting shot:
“He’s going to be a problem (for opponents ),” Reaves said of Derrick Baker, who added that he only played in the first half against Jackson County.
Baker injured his right hand against Buford in the season opener and the injury has lingered all season, forcing Baker to miss playing time this season.
Gainesville Win Over Brunswick Marred By Brawl
Gainesville played what was arguably their best game of the season and beat Brunswick 42-0 in their second round matchup, but the game will be remembered for a brawl that forced game officials to stop play with two minutes remaining in the third quarter, and bring the contest to a premature end.
Gainesville won the game and will advance to the quarterfinals, but they could go into the matchup against Hughes without several key players who could possibly be facing suspensions.
That will be determined after the GHSA reviews game film from NFHS.
Gainesville Athletic Director Adam Lindsey said he is waiting on the GHSA to tell him if the Red Elephants will be facing any punishment. He said he expects to hear from them on Monday.
Roswell and Thomas County Central won their games with ease, and will move on to the quarterfinals.
Roswell defeated Clarke Central 50-7 while the Yellow Jackets rocked Villa Rica 55-14 at home. TCC will now host Woodward Academy in a rematch of the 2023 state title game which the Yellow Jackets won 49-28.
Coach Justin Rogers team will host Woodward Academy while
Roswell will be forced to travel for the first time in the playoffs due to the universal coin flip, which determined the bottom team in each bracket would serve as the host team.
Elsewhere
Class 4A
Defending Class 4A State Champion North Oconee has now won 28 games in a row, and took another big step towards defending their state title with a 42-21 win over ML King in the second round last week. They’ll host Marist this week in the quarterfinals.
Class 3A
Cairo took another giant step in a season of many the Syrupmakers have had with yet another big win, this time over Troup County 28-20. David Coleman has led his team back from an 0-2 start to 10 straight victories, that included wins over Cook, Peach County, Westover, Liberty County and now Troup County.
“Our coaches and players did a great job all week preparing for this game,” Coleman told me on Saturday following the game. He also talked about the travel, and how as the region 1-AAA champion, his team have been able to play in Cairo,which is not a very easy place to travel to and play at.
“Cairo is in the corner of the state, so it can be a tough place to come to. I think that can serve as an advantage for us,” Coleman said. “We also have a good crowd atmosphere here in Cairo, so having these first two games at home was good, and winning the region gave us that opportunity.”
Cairo will be able to welcome in another opponent as Jefferson makes the long trek to the southwest corner of the state to face the Syrupmakers on the day after Thanksgiving.
Defending state champion Calhoun eliminated
There will be no repeat champion in Class 3A this year.
The defending class 3A state champion Calhoun Yellow Jackets were eliminated with a 12-0 loss to the Astros of Douglass High School.
Class 2A
A good day for Carver.
Both Carver Atlanta and Carver Columbus won their second round matchups to move on the quarterfinals, and while fans of both teams are talking off an all Carver state finals, that potential matchup remains a long ways off.
Carver Columbus is looking unbeatable through the first two rounds of the state playoffs with consecutive 56-0 wins so far.
Carver Columbus will meet Thomson at the famous Brickyard stadium in the quarterfinals, a stadium that has undoubtedly hosted many playoff matchups over the years.
Carver Atlanta defeated Pierce County 48-28 to advance to the quarterfinals where they will meet Sumter County in Americus next week.
Class A D-I
Worth County Continues to impress
The Rams of Jeff Hammond have survived some big time challenges this year and like the others before, Worth County fended off the latest challenger in Bleckley County 38-35 to advance to the quarterfinals, where they’ll meet Gordon Lee.
Be sure to catch the Worth County Coaches Show at our ITG Next Georgia Facebook and YouTube channel.
Berrien County’s Cinderella season came to an end as the clock struck midnight on coach Jackson Dean and his Rebels 35-0.
Dean definitely “Raised the Bar” and has raised expectations as the team takes this much needed shot in the arm and moves forward towards 2026
Toombs County defeated Thomasville 24-19 and will now face Northeast Macon in the quarterfinals.
Fitzgerald defeated Dublin and will move on to play Heard County in this week’s Georgia High School Football Playoffs
Class A D-II
Bowdon 4-Peat Still Could Happen
The Bowdon Red Devils won their second round game 54-24 last week and will take another step towards a 4-peat state championship this week as they travel to Jenkins County.
Clinch County and Coach Jim Dickerson have fans in Homerville thinking of the good ole days when it seemed Dickerson had the Panthers in the hunt for a state title every season, and it’s pretty close to the truth.
He led Clinch to 5 state championships and are hoping that 2025 will bring number six, but there are still many obstacles in their path.
One of those is their next opponent, Wheeler County.
Speaking of state championships,
Brooks County defeated Johnson County 14-0 on the other side of the bracket, and will now face Lincoln County, who devastated Hawkinsville 56-0.
Bowdon defeated Brooks County for the state title last year
Private Class A-3A
In a rematch of the 2024 state championship game, Hebron Christian will meet Prince Avenue Christian in this week’s quarterfinals of the Georgia High School Playoffs
Both Hebron Christian and Prince Avenue Christian won easily last week to advance to the Elite 8 showdown.
It’s the Georgia High School Football Playoff Quarterfinals
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone
