Friday marks the debut of the new playoff format, where all private schools competing in Classes 3A through A are separated from the regions they competed in during regular seasons to compete in their own tournament, separate from public, city and charter schools. With nine teams on bye for Round 1, there are seven games, and the favorites in four of those are projected to win by less than double-digits. Three of those will be previewed below, with the fourth being Greater Atlanta Christian as a nine-point favorite at Mount Paran Christian.
Holy Innocents’ Golden Bears at Aquinas Fighting Irish
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aquinas Stadium, Augusta
Records, seedings: Holy Innocents’ is 5-5 and No. 19, Aquinas is 6-4 and No. 14.
Last meeting: Teams have never met
Maxwell’s projection: Aquinas by 2
Notes: The Bears closed the regular season with wins over 5-2A’s Washington (23-14) and KIPP (34-6), to finish 2-3 in league play, which including a 20-6 win over Therrell on Sept. 20, followed by a three-game skid and losses to Lovett (28-6), Hapeville Charter (21-7) and Carver-Atlanta (50-0). They’re in the playoffs a seventh consecutive year, seeking their first playoff win since reaching the 4A quarterfinals in 2022. The Irish are on a three-game win streak after beating 4-3A’s Richmond Academy (34-0), Howard (43-39) and Cross Creek (48-23). Aquinas was 2-0 against ranked teams this season, beating A-DII’s No. 6 Bryan County 42-20 and region opponent and No. 10 Harlem 12-7. Their region losses were to Westside-Augusta (21-16), Baldwin (19-7) and West Laurens (48-38). The Irish are in the playoffs for the 14th year in a row, all under James Leonard, who won the program its only championship, Class A, in 2013, in his first season. They advanced last year, finishing 9-3 in A-DII.
Darlington Tigers at King’s Ridge Christian Tigers
When, where: 2 p.m. Friday, King’s Ridge Stadium, Alpharetta
Records, seedings: Darlington is 5-5 and No. 18, King’s Ridge Christian is 7-3 and No. 15.
Last meeting: Darlington won 21-14 in 2021.
Maxwell’s projection: Darlington by 7
Notes: In this battle of Tigers, Darlington has dominated the all-time series 6-0. The two played from 2012-2015, and in 2020 and 2021, all as non-region contests. Their final meeting, played when this year’s seniors were freshman, was the closest in the series, and the only that wasn’t a double-digit Darlington win. Darlington enters on a two-game skid, losing to Temple 51-7 and Bremen 54-14 in 6-A D1. It is in the playoffs for the 18th year in a row, with second-year coach Wayne Groves seeking his first playoff win at Darlington. The last came in 2022, when they went 11-1 and reached the second round. King’s Ridge Christian beat B.E.S.T. Academy 42-12 in its regular season finale, a non-region contest, after losing its 5-A DI finale, 38-21 to Mount Vernon, part of a two-game skid that included Wesleyan (35-17). Fellowship Christian was the other region loss, 45-7. They started 4-0, matching the best start in program history in 2010. The program, which debuted in 2008, is in the playoffs for the third time, the others coming in 2020 and 2021, and is seeking its first playoff win.
Savannah Country Day Hornets at Mount Vernon Mustangs
When, where: 2 p.m. Friday, Saunders Field, Savannah
Records, seedings: Savannah Country Day is 5-5 and No. 17, Mount Vernon is 5-4 and No. 16.
Last meeting: Mount Vernon won 41-28 in the first round of the 2018 A playoffs.
Maxwell’s projection: Savannah Day Country by 7
Notes: Their playoff meeting in 2018 is the only other time these two have played. The Hornets suffered two three-game losing streaks, starting 0-3 in non-region and 3-A DI play. Their region losses were 38-7 to Savannah Christian, 28-21 to Swainsboro and 33-21 to No. 1 Toombs County. They closed with a pair of wins over Jacksonville, Fla., Episcopal (33-10) and Vidalia (31-14). They’re in the playoffs for the second year in a row with a first-year coach, Roc Batten. Their last playoff win was 2021, when they reached the second round of A Private. The Mustangs lost their season finale, a non-region game, to Landmark Christian, 34-30, but won their 5-A DI finale 38-21 over King’s Ridge Christian. Their region losses were to No. 5 Fellowship Christian (56-28) and No. 9 Wesleyan (42-23). Under first-year coach Terrence Edwards, the Mustangs are in the playoffs a ninth-straight year, and went 8-4 last year, advancing to the second round of the A-DI playoffs.
Sources: Georgia High School Football Historians Association, GHSF Daily
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