GHSA flips coin to decide (some) home teams for semifinals

ajc.com

Credit: Todd Holcomb

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Credit: Todd Holcomb

Same-seeded teams that meet in the semifinals will play at the site of the team placed higher on the bracket, the GHSA announced Tuesday.

Per GHSA bylaw 4.39, executive director Robin Hines conducted a “universal” coin toss on Tuesday to determine which part of the bracket would be “home” if the two competing teams are equal seeds and both school meet the GHSA seating requirements for hosting a semifinal contest.

The universal coin toss came up "heads," meaning that the higher of the two teams on the official GHSA playoff bracket will be the designated home team.

For example, if No. 1 seeds Brookwood and Archer win Friday, their semifinal will be played at Brookwood, the team listed first below.

This is  for games between equal seeds only. In all other cases, the higher-seeded team will host as usual.

For many years until this season, same-seeded teams would conduct their own coin tosses between school officials, usually the head coaches, often after long Saturday morning drives to meet in the middle.

Class AAAAAAA

R1 #2 Tift County at R7 #1 Brookwood

R1 #3 Colquitt County at R8 #1 Archer

R7 #2 Parkview at R3 #2 McEachern

At Large Marietta at R6 #1 North Gwinnett

Class AAAAAA

R1 #2 Coffee at R7 #1 Alpharetta

R6 #2 Allatoona at R4 #1 Tucker

R5 #1 Mays at R1 #1 Lee County

R6 #1 Harrison at R2 #1 Glynn Academy

Class AAAAA

R7 #1 Rome at R3 #1 Starr’s Mill

R8 #1 Buford at R4 #1 Stockbridge

R7 #2 Carrollton R1 #1 Warner Robins

R4 #2 Jones County R6 #1 Carver-Atlanta

Class AAAA

R7 #1 Marist at R3 #1 Burke County

R8 #1 St. Pius X at R4 #1 Woodward Academy

R7 #2 Blessed Trinity at R3 #2 Thomson

R8 #2 Jefferson at R2 #1 Mary Persons

Class AAA

R7 #1 Greater Atlanta Christian at R3 #1 Jenkins

R5 #3 Westminster at R4 #1 Peach County

R4 #3 Pike County at R5 #1 Cedar Grove

R6 #1 Calhoun at R2 #1 Liberty County

Class AA

R5 #2 Callaway at R1 #2 Brooks County

R8 #1 Rabun County at R4 #1 Screven County

R5 #1 Heard County at R1 #1 Thomasville

R6 #1 Hapeville Charter at R2 #1 Benedictine

Class A-Public

#8 Mt. Zion at #1 Manchester

#5 Clinch County at #4 Mitchell County

#7 Macon County at #2 Irwin County

#11 Charlton County at #3 Emanuel County Institute

Class A-Private

#9 Calvary Day at #1 Eagle’s Landing Christian

#13 Darlington at #5 Prince Avenue Christian

#10 Savannah Country Day at #2 Athens Academy

#6 Stratford at #3 Mount Paran Christian