While the state championships are the most anticipated round of the Georgia high school football playoffs, the second round often seems to bring the most excitement as upsets make headlines in every classification.
This season was no different. Several top-5 teams had their 2022 campaigns cut short against massive underdogs, and most of those stunners were fueled by relentless defenses. Following is a breakdown of the biggest upsets in Round 2 of the Georgia high school football playoffs.
Wayne County vs. Perry
No. 3-ranked Perry entered the second round as one of the most complete teams in their classification. Quarterback Armar Gordon Jr. picked up where he left off last year with over 200 yards passing per game and nearly 30 scores through the air this season. The Panthers had allowed only 54 points in their last 10 games, and the defense held firm against a borderline top-10 Wayne County squad.
However, Perry’s high-powered offense was quickly and repeatedly shut down on Friday. The Yellow Jackets forced two key interceptions and held firm on a fourth-down pass attempt with 30 seconds left in the game to seal the stunning victory, 14-7. Those seven points are the least Perry has scored since a 2020 quarterfinal loss to Marist.
Savannah Christian vs. Peach County
The Trojans have been a Georgia high school quarterfinals mainstay, reaching that round of the playoffs in each of the past six years. That streak came to an end as they were on the losing end of one of the more thorough upsets of the weekend against Savannah Christian.
The Raiders had been turning heads with an offense that churned out 44.6 points per game; overlooked, though, was their stifling defense, which held firm against Peach County after allowing an opening-drive score.
Raiders QB Paulus Zittrauer’s four completions and running back Zo Small’s 100 rushing yards on 26 carries were sufficient. A team that almost knocked off Calvary Day earlier this season, Savannah Christian left Peach County with an impressive 23-7 victory.
Dooly County vs. Charlton County
Neither team was known for its offensive prowess against better competition, so defense took center stage naturally. After a 4-2 start to the season, Dooly County dropped three games in a row, all by 15 or more points. They righted the ship with a gutsy one-point win over Jenkins County in the first round, but would need to contain Charlton running back Jaylen Lilley in order to pull off one of a biggest second-round upsets of the Georgia high school football playoffs. They did just that.
Neither squad posted a point in the first half. Charlton County drew first blood with a pick-six in the third quarter. A crucial fourth-quarter interception by the Bobcats set the offense up inside the redzone, where they capitalized to tie the game. In overtime, both teams scored, but a missed extra point by the Indians gave Dooly County another one-point victory. After the three consecutive mid-season losses, the Bobcats have allowed only 16.6 points per game.
Mt. Pisgah Christian vs. Darlington
The Patriots are no strangers to pulling off upsets. They shocked the state with a Corky Kell victory over then-No. 5 Fellowship Christian before upending 10th-ranked Whitefield Academy in the last week of the regular season. Their second-round opponent in the Georgia high school football playoffs was a Darlington squad that had won 19 straight regular-season games, but had faced only one ranked opponent (No. 10 Heard County in 2021).
The upset-minded Patriots struck again. After trailing 10-0 midway through the second quarter, the Pisgah defense did not allow another point for 12 minutes, enabling their offense to jump ahead to a 20-13 lead. Even when the defense slightly floundered, allowing the game-tying score with three minutes left, the offense rapidly responded, extending the cushion back to six. A critical fourth-down stop with one minute left near midfield sealed another defensive-minded upset for the Patriots.
Walton vs. Buford
Of the upsets in the 2022 Georgia high school football playoffs so far, the most talked-about is Walton’s win at Buford. While there were moments of defensive brilliance, the Raiders also used a consistent offensive attack to wear down the previously top-ranked Wolves. Walton was perfect on fourth down, used massive amounts of time on each possession, and surprised Buford with an onside kick that helped the Raiders build a two-score lead in the fourth quarter.
Walton could not contain running back Justice Haynes, but the defense prevailed in locking down Buford’s passing attack, holding QB Dylan Wittke to less than 170 yards and a 43% completion rate.
A number of other notable outcomes involved stellar defense. Woodward Academy ended Lee County’s streak of five straight quarterfinals appearances with a 23-7 win, Mill Creek routed North Cobb behind a voracious front seven, Marist shut down Northside-Warner Robins’s clutch fourth-quarter offense, and Thomson intercepted two passes in an upset rout of Cook.
The key to an upset is complementary football facilitated by a strong defensive performance. All these teams expressed that ideal with near-flawless execution. Who will be the next highly ranked team to meet its demise in the quarterfinals?
