Tift County at Brookwood
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brookwood Community Stadium, Snellville
Records, ranki
ngs: Tift County is 11-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AAAAAAA and No. 6; Brookwood is 10-2, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAAAAA and No. 7.
Last meeting: Tift County won 21-14 in the 1997 Class AAAA semifinals.
Things to know: Tift County beat Hillgrove 31-24 in the second round and was not in serious danger after going up 31-14 in the fourth quarter. Mike Jones rushed for 147 yards, giving him 1,163 on the season. Griffin Collier (2,721 yards passing) and Rashod Bateman (1,383 receiving) were held well below their season averages. The victory gave Tift County its first 10-win season and quarterfinal berth since making the semifinals in 2006. Brookwood has 10 wins and its first quarterfinal berth 2010, when the Broncos were state champions. Brookwood beat Milton 28-23 last week. Dante Black rushed for 111 yards (giving him 1,635 on the season) and scored on a 50-yard reception to put Brookwood up 28-16 with1:49 left. Milton scored again but failed to recover an onside kick in the final seconds. WR/RB Matthew Hill, an AJC Super 11 pick who is committed to Auburn, had 153 yards from scrimmage on 10 touches.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Even
Winner plays: Colquitt County/Archer winner
Colquitt County at Archer
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Archer Community Stadium, Lawrenceville
Records, rankings: Colquitt County is 9-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 1-AAAAAAA and No. 8; Archer is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAAAAA and No. 2.
Last meeting: Colquitt County won 28-24 in the 2014 Class AAAAAA championship game.
Things to know: This is the ninth consecutive quarterfinal for Colquitt County. That is a state record in the highest classification. Colquitt's 28-21 victory over Walton last week marked the Packers' 17th road playoff win - and 10th against a region champion on the road - since Rush Propst became head coach in 2008. Steven Krajewski has thrown for a little more than 2,000 yards. Ty Leggett is a 1,000-yard rusher, although Daijun Edwards rushed for 116 yards in the Walton game. Archer is the only undefeated team remaining in Class AAAAAAA. Archer defeated Mill Creek 16-10 last week. Mill Creek was at Archer's 8-yard line in the final seconds, but Archer's Tyler Roach intercepted a deflected pass to secure the win. Carter Peevy completed 18 of 29 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown. He has thrown for 1,872 yards on the season. Archer last made the quarterfinals in 2015 and got as far as the finals in 2014 and lost to Colquitt.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Archer by 6
Winner plays: Tift County/Brookwood winner
Parkview at McEachern
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Walter H. Cantrell Stadium, Powder Springs
Records, rankings: Parkview is 9-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 7-AAAAAAA and unranked; McEachern is 9-3, the No. 2 seed from 3-AAAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: McEachern won 47-29 in the second round of the 2016 Class AAAAAAA playoffs.
Things to know: Parkview blew out Mountain View 48-13 in the second round. Christian Malloy rushed for 296 yards. He has rushed for 1,300 yards despite missing the first four games with an injury. Parkview last made the quarterfinals in 2012 and is seeking its first semifinal since its state-championship 2002 season. McEachern stunned No. 1-ranked Lowndes 36-31 last week after trailing 21-0 late in the first half and 31-14 in the final four minutes. Carlos Del Rio, a freshman who was told he would start just before the game, threw a 31-yard TD pass to Genuine Potts for the game-winner with 54 seconds left. That put McEachern in the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five seasons. McEachern last made the semifinals in 2014. Though neither team is ranked, McEachern was No. 5 and Parkview No. 8 in preseason.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: McEachern by 3
Winner plays: Marietta/North Gwinnett winner
Marietta at North Gwinnett
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Robinson Memorial Stadium, Suwanee
Records, rankings: Marietta is 8-4, the at-large team and unranked; North Gwinnett is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 6-AAAAAAA and No. 5.
Last meeting: North Gwinnett won 44-0 in the first round of the 2007 Class AAAAA playoffs.
Things to know: Marietta is in the quarterfinals for the first time since its semifinal run in 1994, Dexter Wood's last season as Marietta coach. Marietta is the first No. 4 seed (technically an at-large qualifier) to reach the quarterfinals of the highest classification since Colquitt County in 2012. Marietta beat Woodstock 38-28 last week after taking a 24-0 halftime lead. Bailey Harrison, who missed seven games before returning for the first round, was 25-of-40 passing for 358 yards and three touchdowns, all to Ramel Keyton, who had 11 catches for 215 yards. Both are major Division I prospects. Jordan Ford rushed for 116 yards. North Gwinnett is in the quarters for the first time since its 2013 state runner-up team. North Gwinnett beat Grayson 35-28 in the second round, breaking a 28-28 tie with Tyler Goodson's 15-yard run with 1:37 left. Goodson rushed for 146 yards, giving him 869 on the season. John Urzua was 15-of-19 passing for 224 yards. He has 1,957 yards passing on the season. Josh Downs has 54 catches for 922 yards.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: North Gwinnett by 24
Winner plays: Parkview/McEachern winner
