Bainbridge Bearcats (13-0) vs Cartersville Hurricanes (13-0)
Friday, December 4, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Venue
Weinman Stadium
Cartersville, Ga.
Regular Season Stats:
Bainbridge: 33.9 points per game; 10.8 points allowed per game
Cartersville: 44.6 points per game; 7.2 points allowed per game
Playoff Stats:
Bainbridge: 22.3 points per game; 10.3 points allowed per game
Cartersville: 36.0 points per game; 9.3 points allowed per game
The Region 1-AAAA Champion Bainbridge Bearcats are heading into what is likely to be one of the most intriguing matchups of the GHSA Class AAAA State Playoffs on Friday when they travel to Cartersville to face off against the Region 7-AAAA Champion Cartersville Hurricanes.
The Bearcats have been on a roll in 2015, completing a perfect 10-0 regular season after a 6-5 finish and first-round playoff exit a year ago. They have shined defensively; only once this year have they allowed more than 20 points in a contest.
Their playoff road has been an exemplary extension of the first 10 games, as Bainbridge has worked their way through the first three rounds at an average of 12 points per win.
In the team’s previous game, which would prove to be their closest contest of the year, Bainbridge was able to edge out a win over the St. Pius X Golden Lions (Atlanta, Ga.) on the strength of sophomore running back Dameon Pierce. On 23 carries, he ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns, the last of which would put the Bearcats up for good with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
But while the Bearcats have been impressive in their own right, Friday’s opponent is no pushover either. The Hurricanes also come into the contest undefeated, and have recorded three shutout wins on the year.
Cartersville, led by sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, was able to easily take down the Jonesboro Cardinals last Friday to advance to play the Bearcats. Lawrence completed 24 of 36 passing attempts and finished the night with 315 yards and four touchdowns.
The winner of Friday’s game will move on to the GHSA Class AAAA State Championship Game against either the Buford Wolves (Buford, Ga.) or the Woodward Academy Eagles (College Park, Ga.).
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In the Game/Web-Only Content
Game Preview
By James Washington
