Here is a look at the quarterfinal matchups tonight (courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily):
PRIVATE
Upper Left Bracket
No. 9 Calvary Day (10-2) at No. 1 Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (11-0)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Commitment Field, McDonough
Last meeting: Eagle's Landing Christian won 14-7 in the 2014 Class A private-school semifinals.
Things to know: Calvary Day beat Wesleyan 17-10 last week after trailing 10-0 at halftime. Calvary forced six turnovers (including two first-half interceptions in the end zone) and survived three of its own. Jalen Leary, a 1,000-yard rusher, ran for 108 yards and scored the winning touchdown, a 10-yard run, with 11:38 left. Wesleyan was left to play the final quarter without star QB Banks Ramsey, who was injured in the third. Calvary is in its second consecutive quarterfinal and made the semifinals most recently in 2014. Calvary Day has beaten one No. 1-ranked team in history. That was ELCA in the 2013 semifinals. Calvary Day was ranked No. 8 then, as now. ELCA won its 33rd straight game in the second round, a 54-0 victory that represented the most-lopsided defeat in Savannah Christian's history. Josh Mays rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries. Keaton Mitchell rushed for 208 yards on five carries. ELCA is averaging a touchdown for every 6.84 offensive plays.
Lower Left Bracket
No. 13 Darlington (8-4) at No. 5 Prince Avenue Christian (10-1)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brad Akins Field, Bogart
Last meeting: Prince Avenue Christian won 42-21 in the first round of the 2012 Class A private-school playoffs.
Things to know: Darlington is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 and is seeking its first semifinal since 2009. Darlington routed sixth-ranked Aquinas 33-14 in the second round. Tijai Whatley rushed for 249 yards on 29 carries. He has 1,460 yards rushing and more than 2,000 all-purpose yards for the season. Prince Avenue has made seven straight quarterfinals and two straight semifinals but has never won a state title. Sam Wessinger rushed for 141 yards in a 33-7 victory over Whitefield Academy last week. Christian Parrish had 91 receiving yards and 121 punt-return yards. Grant Roland was 15-of-22 passing for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Prince Avenue had five sacks and allowed only one first down after Whitefield's opening drive.
Upper Right Bracket
No. 10 Savannah Christian (10-2) at No. 2 Athens Academy (11-0)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Slaughter Field, Athens
Last meeting: Athens Academy won 37-21 in the first round of the 2016 Class A private-school playoffs.
Things to know: Savannah Country Day is a quarterfinalist and a 10-game winner for the first time since 2005. Its last semifinal was 1980. SCD's 20-17 victory over No. 9 Mount Pisgah Country was SCD's first since 2009 over a ranked team, breaking an 0-12 slump against the Top 10. Adam Byck rushed for 327 yards on 41 carries. He has rushed for 2,054 yards on the season. DE Andre Miller had four sacks, three QB pressures and two forced fumbles. Hawkins Pindar kicked a 54-yard field goal. Athens Academy is quarterfinalist for the first time since 2012 and last made the semifinals in 2007. The Spartans mauled First Presbyterian 56-7 last week. Athens Academy has been mainly a running team featuring 1,000-yard rusher Payton Bowles and sophomore Lan'Kenneth White, who ran for 165 yards in a region-clinching victory over Prince Avenue Christian this month.
Lower Right Bracket
No. 6 Stratford Academy (10-1) at No. 3 Mount Paran Christian (10-1)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Catherine Steele Sewell Stadium, Kennesaw
Last meeting: Mount Paran Christian won 45-14 in the first round of the 2014 Class A private-school playoffs.
Things to know: Stratford Academy, an eight-time state champion in the GISA, is in the quarterfinals for the second time in four GHSA seasons. This is Mount Paran's fifth consecutive quarterfinal. Its only semifinal came in 2014, when the Eagles won a state title. Mount Paran defeated Mount Vernon Presbyterian 53-12 in the second round after leading 32-6 at halftime. Chandler Webber rushed for a team-leading 93 yards, which gives him 886 on the season. He's one of five Mount Paran players, including quarterbacks Niko Vangarelli and Kyle Terry, with at least 490 yards and five touchdowns. All average at least 7.9 yards per carry. DE Konnor Henkle has eight sacks. Stratford Academy beat Fellowship Christian 36-22 in the second round. Trey Giles' 36-yard interception return gave Stratford a 27-7 lead early in the third quarter. Sophomore RB Deondre Duehart rushed for 206 yards and scored on runs of 49 and 65 yards. He has 1,032 yards rushing unofficially out of a wing-T offense, with two other backs well over 600 yards.
PUBLIC
Upper Left Bracket
No. 8 Mt. Zion-Carroll (9-2) at No. 1 Manchester (11-0)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Manchester
Last meeting: Manchester won 25-0 in 1957.
Things to know: Mount Zion is in the quarterfinals for the third time in four seasons but has never reached the semifinals. The Eagles advanced last week with a 20-12 victory over Marion County. Mount Zion preserved a 14-12 lead by stopping a two-point conversion attempt with 2:40 remaining, then added a touchdown in the final minute. Mount Zion's best-known player is versatile ATH C.J. Ackles, a first-team all-state selection last season. Manchester is in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year but has not gone further since its 1997 championship season. Deenizio Gamble rushed for 190 yards and scored on a 43-yard reception in a 58-20 victory over Washington-Wilkes last week. Kelvin Turner rushed for 113 yards. Both had two rushing touchdowns. On the season, Turner has rushed for 1,279 yards, and Gamble has rushed for 1,134. Both average 8.5 yards per carry.
Lower Left Bracket
No. 5 Clinch County (9-2) at No. 4 Mitchell County (10-1)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Centennial Stadium, Camilla
Last meeting: Clinch County won 54-12 in the second round of the 2016 Class A private-school playoffs.
Things to know: Clinch County won its sixth state title in 2015 and reached the semifinals last season. The Panthers beat Dooly County 48-35 last week despite being outgained 488-474. QB Charles McClelland passed for 179 yards and ran for 84 yards. He has passed for 906 yards and rushed for a team-best 1,005 this season. Trezmen Marshall has rushed for 715 yards and 18 TDs. Mitchell County is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1999, when the school was Mitchell-Baker. The Eagles advanced last week with a 22-21 win over Schley County, a victory that was preserved when they stopped a two-point conversion attempt in the closing seconds. Anthony McIntyre's 54-yard touchdown with 1:45 remaining had given Mitchell a 22-15 lead. The Eagles averaged 260 yards rushing during the regular season, led by James Thomas (887 yards) and De'shaun Sherman (608).
Upper Right Bracket
No. 7 Macon County (8-3) at No. 2 Irwin County (10-1)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Indian Field, Ocilla
Records, rankings: Macon County is 8-3, the No. 7 seed and No. 5; Irwin County is 10-1, the No. 2 seed and No. 2.
Last meeting: Irwin County won 36-28 on Sept. 1.
Things to know: Macon County is the defending state champion and playing in the quarterfinals for the third consecutive season. The Bulldogs had a season-low 59 yards passing but a season-best 363 yards rushing in a 41-28 victory over Pelham last week. Aukeeveous McLendon rushed for 188 yards and two TDs and has 1,268 yards for the season. QB Jadarrius Hicks ran for 172 yards and three scores. He has 1,428 yards passing and 828 yards rushing for the season. Irwin County, a state runner-up in 2014 and 2015, reached the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year with a 28-14 victory over Lincoln County last week. QB D.J. Lundy rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns, Javon Stanley had 67 yards on 13 carries, and Eric Anderson scored on a 32-yard run. Lundy ran for 190 yards and four touchdowns in the Indians' victory over Macon County earlier this season.
Lower Right Bracket
No. 11 Charlton County (9-2) at No. 3 Emanuel County Institute (10-1)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Rountree Stadium, Twin City
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Things to know: Charlton County is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014, while ECI is in for the third consecutive year. Both teams have won multiple state titles since 2003. Charlton County QB A.J. Bell passed for 264 yards and rushed for 111 in a 42-14 victory over Commerce last week. He has 2,413 yards passing and a team-leading 654 rushing yards for the season. Raykwon Anderson is the leading receiver (862 yards) and second-leading rusher (485). Seaquon Clark had 11 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown against Commerce. ECI had 509 yards of total offense (349 rushing, 160 passing) in a 55-26 victory over subregion rival Jenkins County last week. Eric Dixon rushed for 126 yards and Ty Carswell had 110. Both are over 1,000 yards for the season (Dixon 1,145, Carswell 1062). Freshman QB Chase Whitehead has passed for 846 yards and 10 touchdowns.
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