On Friday, the Class AA tournament field will shrink from 16 to eight teams and the quarterfinalists will be known. For GHSF Daily's Class AA Round 2 capsules, go here. For my predictions, which were made before the playoffs began, go here. For the official GHSA Class AA bracket, go here.
Below are some games of note in AA For the second round.
Callaway Cavaliers at Hapeville Charter Hornets
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Banneker High Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Callaway is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 5 and ranked No. 4; Hapeville Charter is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 6 and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Watch the game: Online at NFHS Network.
Maxwell's projection: Hapeville Charter by 8
Winner plays: Washington County/Brooks County
Notes: For the second year in a row, it feels like no one has a tougher road to a state championship than the Hornets. Last year, it was losing every coin toss that decided home-field advantage after the second round, including when weather forced the GHSA to move the championship game from Mercedes Benz-Stadium to the home field of one of the finalists. This season, anyone in the Hornets' quadrant has a claim to the championship game's toughest road, as it's log-jammed with three top five teams and four ranked teams total. In the Cavs, they'll face a team that's advanced in the playoffs seven consecutive seasons, reaching at least the quarterfinals three times in that span — all under coach Pete Wiggins, who is in his 14th season at Callaway. The Hornets have the best defense in AA, pitching six shutouts and giving up an average of just 4.3 points a game. On Friday, they'll face perhaps their greatest challenge of the season in Tank Bigsby, a class of '20 four-star prospect rated by recruiting services as one of the best running backs in the country. He holds an offer from just about every major college program in the country — including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State among others — and he will be the best player on the field. He had more than 100 rushing yards — including a 75-yard touchdown run — by the end of the first quarter of last week's Round 1 game. How well Bigsby does against the Hornets defense will be what decides this matchup.
Washington County Golden Hawks at Brooks County Trojans
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Veterans Stadium, Quitman
Records, rankings: Washington County is 9-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 3 and No. 10; Brooks County is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from Region 1 and No. 5.
Last meeting: Washington County 27-7 in the first round of the 1996 Class AA playoffs.
Maxwell's projection: Brooks County by 4
Winner plays: Callaway/Hapeville Charter
Notes: No one of the field had been born the first and only time these two teams met but, remarkably, current Trojans coach Maurice Freeman was the Trojans' coach then, as part of his first stint with the program from 1994-97. Freeman returned in 2008 and has been there ever since, and now he's trying to guide the Trojans past the second round for the eight time since he's been back. His teams have advanced in the playoffs every year since his return. The Trojans come in with a red-hot defense that now has two straight lopsided shutouts — 49-0 over Berrien in the season finale and 47-0 in the first round against Screven County. Seniors Darryl Gallon (51 tackles, 15 for loss including nine sacks), B.J. Smallwood (61 tackles), Travaurus Bivins (58) and Jacquez Jackson (five interceptions) anchor that defense. Dual-threat quarterbacks Na'Tavion Burrus (78 of 119 passing for 966 yards, 13 touchdowns to two interceptions) and Jacolby Brown (10 rushing touchdowns) guide the offense. Washington County is led by running back Dyquan Bloodshaw, who could break the 2,000-yard rushing mark with a big game on Friday. He has 1,805 rushing yards after his 279-yard, three touchdown performance against Vidalia in the first round.
Bremen Blue Devils at Rockmart Yellow Jackets
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Rock, Rockmart
Records, rankings: Bremen is 9-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 5 and No. 7; Rockmart is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 7 and No. 2.
Last meeting: Bremen won 17-14 in 2015.
Maxwell's projection: Rockmart by 19
Winner plays: Jefferson County/Dodge County
Notes: The Yellow Jackets are the only remaining undefeated team in AA and they haven't been challenged since Week 1, when they toughed out a 20-14 win over Cedartown, which was the No. 10 team in AAAA at the time. Since then, no team has scored more than 13 points on them and they've scored an average of 51 points in that span. That includes a 33-0 win over No. 3 Heard County on Sept. 7. Last week in Round 1, they beat South Atlanta 55-0. They're led on offense by senior running backs Zabrion Whatley (769 yards, 16 touchdowns) and Markus Smith (689, 11), with senior quarterback Dylan Bailey completing 53 of 82 passes for 1,149 yards and 15 touchdowns to four interceptions. The Blue Devils may be the Jackets' toughest challenge yet. They come battle tested, out of a tough Region 5 (No. 3 Heard County, No. 4 Callaway) and played tough non-region opponents, giving No. 8 Rabun County its only loss (13-10) and — like the Jackets — beating Cedartown (13-9). Though Rockmart easily beat Heard County, Bremen lost to them by a score of 20-7 in the regular season finale. The Blue Devils rebounded to soundly beat a 9-1 Union County team, 40-10 in the first round. The Blue Devils look to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2011; it would be the Jackets' first trip to the quarters since 1988.
Douglass Astros at Heard County Braves
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Staples Stadium, Franklin
Records, rankings: Douglass is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 6 and unranked; Heard County is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from Region 5 and No. 3.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Maxwell's projection: Heard County by 14
Winner plays: Thomasville/Dublin
Notes: It's been an up-and-down year for the Braves as they've fought to find their identity in their first year in the post-Emory Jones era. They began the season ranked No. 2 but after falling to 1-2 and losing to Hapeville Charter and Rockmart by a combined 66-3 in consecutive games, they fell out of the rankings. They haven't lost since, ripping off seven wins to climb back to No. 3 in the rankings, including beating Callaway (13-10) and Bremen (20-7) to win 5-AA for the second year in a row, third in the last four and five in the last seven. They put up a season-high 63 points in their Round 1 win over Monticello, which is the most they've scored since 1990, when they beat Brookstone 67-0 in their regular season finale. Aaron Beasley is the team's leading rusher with over 1,000 yards. The Braves an Astros have a common opponent in Hapeville Charter, and the Astros didn't fare much better against the Hornets, losing 24-0 while Heard County lost to them 33-3. The Astros' 10 wins are their most since 2004, when they also reached the second round. They are led by running back Juan Powell, who has more than 1,500 rushing yards and who, this season, broke Jamal Lewis' all-time rushing record at Douglass.
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