Today’s interviewee is GHSA executive director Robin Hines, who will be overseeing the football championship games for the sixth season. Hines will be most visible at Center Parc Stadium after each championship game, when he awards the trophies to the eight football champions and three flag football winners.

1. What are you most looking forward to this season? “I’m looking forward to some communities that haven’t been there before, or not in a long time, and their players getting that experience of playing for a state championship. It’s probably the most excited I’ve been for that. We’ve heard more contact from people in the communities than I can remember. For example, Schley County, expressing how grateful they are for being there for the first time. It reminds you how important it is. I’m also really excited for the weather forecast.” [There’s a chance of rain each day, but highs should be in the 60s and 70s.]

2. Are there any particular teams or games you’re looking forward to seeing? “I’m excited for all of them. You’ve seen what the predictions are. There should be a lot of great games. I’m interested in seeing a team like Mill Creek, having been on the cusp of a state championship and how well they’ve played, and now they have a chance to get that first state championship. I’m excited to see Bowdon and Cedartown because of the seasons they’ve had [each making the finals for the first time in more than 10 years]. I’m impressed by the accomplishment of Warner Robins after a slow start [1-4 to open the season] and seeing them get better and being here for the sixth time in a row. That’s incredible. I’m excited to see Swainsboro. They average about three or four passes a game. I’m really proud of coach Scott Roberts and the job he’s done because we worked together many years ago when I was at Jackson County, and he was an assistant coach there. Prince Avenue is a fun team to watch. I saw them in the semifinals against St. Francis. It’s going to be a lot of great teams, great coaches and great football.”

3. Any advice for fans attending the games this week? “They need to be reminded that GSU and Center Parc Stadium have a clear-bag policy. If they come to the gate with a bag or a purse, they’re going to have to go back to the car to put it up. So be prepared for that. Do all you can ahead of time, like purchase tickets and parking. Look at your team’s materials. You can go in any gate, but they’re designated for home and visitors to save you a walk.”

4. The three-day event will kick off with three flag football games. What’s your impression of that young GHSA sport? “Everybody from those communities need to show up and watch these girls play. We’ve seen the level of competition and the strategies of these coaches grow and grow. They’re falling right in line with Georgia being the best 11-man football in the country. These girls can play, and they compete hard. It’s incredible to see it evolve over the years. In the first year we sanctioned it [in 2020], there was some disparity in a lot of areas in the state, but we’ve now seen parity come along as the sport has grown [to 223 teams this season from 188 in 2021 and 91 in 2020]. It’s our fastest-growing sport. We had 47 JV squads this year. We’re seeing communities put it in the middle schools and in the rec departments. I’d like to see more schools in south Georgia have teams. That’s what we need to work on next.”

[In October, Hines said he was negotiating with the Atlanta Falcons to return the finals to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the site of the 2017 and 2018 finals. Hines had no comment on that issue.]

Today’s interviewee is St. Anne-Pacelli coach Dwight Jones, whose team defeated Stratford Academy 10-0 in the GIAA Class 4A championship game last week in Macon. The state title was the first for St. Anne-Pacelli, which started football in 1960, and the first for Jones, who began coaching in 1979. St. Anne-Pacelli left the GHSA for the GIAA this academic year. Jones came to St. Anne-Pacelli in in 2019. He previously had been a head coach at Harris County, Jones County, McIntosh, Northside of Columbus and Hardaway in Georgia and Russell County and Auburn in Alabama.

1. What has this championship meant for your school and community, and what's it mean for you, as a first-time champion? “I just think it’s another breath of fresh air. We’ve had a great fall and winter months. The kids are excited. The coaches are excited. The faculty is excited. I had a great group of players and a great coaching staff. You have to be blessed and injury-free and have the luck of the draw, as we say. I’ve played in semifinals and lost to the team that won it. I’ve lost in the second round to the team that won it. It takes a special group, and this one was truly special.”

2. Talk about the championship game and the semifinal, an overtime victory over your archrival, Brookstone. What was most memorable about them? “Brookstone, that’s our biggest rivalry. They’re probably 10 miles from our school. It was down to a third-and-26 play in overtime. Cam Ellis, our quarterback, makes a great scramble run and gets it down to the 1. We take it in on the next play. That was a fantastic win. [The final score was 20-17.] To be able to come off that and get the momentum back and play a good football game against Stratford and win the state championship was a great effort by our kids.”

3. What would you want people to know about your team? “I met with the seniors before summer practice started, on July 4, and I asked each of them to write down seven goals for the season. I said to make sure they were realistic. Everyone listed winning a state championship. We had one, Jaquez Johnson, write it seven times – state championship, state championship, state championship all the way down. We had a great group of seniors. These kids genuinely loved and cared about each other. The biggest thing they wanted was for Pacelli High School to win. They didn’t care who got the credit as long as Pacelli got the credit. That says a lot nowadays when so there’s so much me, me, me. They pulled for each other. Little things became big things from keeping the weight room clean and the toilets flushed. They did it the right way.”

4. What were your initial feelings about your school joining the GIAA, and what are they now? “I think it’s still high school football. It’s good football. We play some of the same teams in Macon that have really good football programs. We played Brookstone again, and they’re a good program. We didn’t play Trinity Christian and ELCA, but a lot of people don’t want to play them. They went from 1A to 2A and 4A. Friday night, I thought it was a good high school football game played between two good high school teams, and we got after it for 48 minutes. And you couldn’t have found a better venue than what we had when we played Brookstone. You can take me to Lowndes or wherever. I’ve played in 6A semifinals in Alabama. There was no place to sit that night. It was standing room only. Both student bodies were involved. It was a fantastic atmosphere. I know what it’s like to play in great atmospheres, and that’s what it was, man.”

Today’s interviewee is Swainsboro coach Scott Roberts, whose team defeated Irwin County 22-21 in the Class A Division I semifinals last week on Landen Scott’s 32-yard field goal on the final play. It was Scott’s first successful field goal. He’d attempted one previously. It was earlier in the game, and Irwin County blocked it. Roberts didn’t hesitate to call Scott’s number again with the game on the line. The victory ended a five-year streak of making the finals for Irwin, which coincidentally is Roberts’ alma mater.

1. How did you pull it out last week? “There’s no doubt that it could’ve gone either way. Irwin County is a great program. We had a 19-7 lead at the half, and I kept telling our players they were going to give us their best shot, and we didn’t handle it well. It was just two teams fighting and playing like crazy. We just made one more play in the end.”

2. What happened on the final play? “It was fourth-and-10 from the 13 [with Irwin County leading 21-19]. We knew if we went for it, we were going to have to throw the ball in the end zone. [Swainsboro hadn’t completed a pass in the game.] So we let the clock run down to two seconds and called time out and discussed it. I said go with the field goal. I thought it gave us the best chance to win. It was the decision that I could live with if it didn’t work out. It wasn’t just the kicker I was thinking about. The holder, Jakari Nobles, is one of our captains, and he wanted to kick it. Carson Palmer is our snapper. Just knowing that whole operation is some of our better players that we trust the most. On the field goal that was blocked, Landen was just slow getting to the ball. We knew he had plenty of leg. He just needed to speed up the process. We brought that to his attention, he sped up, and he got it off. He stroked it right down the middle.” Asked about the reaction of the players and fans, Roberts added, “I’ve just seen it on film because I never made if off the sideline. Somebody jumped on me. But I know it was really loud. We had a big crowd that made that two-hour drive, and it was a big factor in the game for us.”

3. Demello Jones had a big game for you, rushing for 169 yards and scoring three touchdowns [giving him 27 on the season]. What makes him an outstanding player? "Demello is just a freak athlete. He can play any skill position we’ve got. He’s been working at quarterback, wide receiver, playing cornerback on defense. His biggest asset is he’s so unselfish. If he’s a wide receiver not getting the ball, he blocks. The whole team is like that. It’s the most unselfish group I’ve been around in my whole life. They don’t care who gets the credit. They just want to win.” [Georgia reportedly offered Jones as a wide receiver last month. Jones, a junior, and sophomore Qin Brown are 1,000-yard rushers this season.]

4. Swainsboro might be the least-passing team in the finals. You’re averaging just four attempts per game. How are you making that work? “We were throwing the ball a good bit and getting beat in the second round. I watched what teams like Dublin and Fitzgerald were doing, making it to the finals and winning championships, rotating quarterbacks and running the football and playing great defense. That’s been our formula. Running the ball and playing good defense usually travels good in cold weather and on the road, and that’s what you expect in the playoffs. We can throw, and kids can make plays [Swainsboro passed for more than 100 yards each of the first three rounds after never doing it in the regular season], but it fits our whole complementary football. If we can keep the chains moving and let the clock run, that’s what we want to do.”

Today’s interviewee is Carrollton coach Joey King, whose team defeated No. 2 Colquitt County 35-27 last week to reach Saturday's Class 7A championship game against Mill Creek. King led Cartersville to state titles in 2015 and 2016 and took the Carrollton job in 2021 after two years on college coaching staffs.

1. What was the difference in the Colquitt County game? “Both teams that played in that game definitely deserved to be there. The game was very physical, and both teams fought extremely hard. I thought our guys played hard and made plays when they needed to. We had a goal-line stand in the first quarter and then went on a 99-yard scoring drive after that defensive stop. I think that was a defining moment on both sides of the ball.” [With no score, Colquitt County had a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line with 4:37 left in the first quarter. After an incomplete pass, Carrollton’s Brodie Bradburn and Zykie Helton each made tackles at the 1-yard line, and Helton and Mules Butler made a third stop at the 1. Carrollton went 99 yards on nine plays, one a 33-yard run by Bryce Hicks on fourth-and-1 from the Carrollton 20.]

2. You have a freshman quarterback, Julian Lewis, who has major Division I offers and thrown for more than 3,000 yards. What's the skill set that allows him to be this successful? “Julian has been great for us all year. From a skill-set perspective, he has great accuracy and anticipation. His feet are good in the pocket, and he can throw with different arm angles. He's also a very cerebral quarterback and understands what we are trying to do offensively. He's still a freshman but is growing into a leadership role on this team. We are excited to see his development continue in all of those phases.”

3. Hicks is having a great postseason, too. [He rushed for 205 yards against Colquitt.] What's his skill set? “Bryce is a great player. He works hard and understands the game well. Bryce is the type of player that can play any position. He's explosive, has great vision, catches the ball really well and loves the game. Many people don't know how strong he is. He may be considered small to some, but he's a very strong player.” [Hicks, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound junior running back, has 663 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns in four playoff games.]

4. Carrollton is in the highest classification for the first time, something you probably didn't anticipate when you took the job. When you found out about reclassification, what would you have thought if someone had told you that your team would be in the finals this year? And when and how did it dawn on you that, 'Hey, we've got a shot here’? “If someone would have told me before the season that we would be in the finals in 7A, I would have told them that they must be a Trojan! Everyone outside of this program counted us out when we moved up. We weren't even mentioned in the top 15 before the season started. Buford beat us in the 6A semifinals last year 21-6 and moved up a classification to be the preseason No. 1, and we weren't even thought of. We had a lot of young guys that played on that team that took that personal. We do a pretty good job of tuning out the outside noise, but we used that as a little fuel to the fire this year. I'm not the type of coach that ever ‘feels’ like we've got a shot. We work hard week in and week out and try to be the best team that we can be each week. Our players love each other, and the chemistry of this bunch is what makes them special.”

Today’s interviewee is Fulton County Schools athletic director Steven Craft. The interview was conducted by Hannah Goodin and Jon Nelson of GPB Sports on the “Football Fridays in Georgia” podcast. Three Fulton County teams are in the semifinals tonight. Milton is playing Mill Creek and Hughes is playing Rome in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. today that GPB Sports is televising from Atlanta’s Lakewood Stadium. The third Fulton semifinalist, Roswell, is playing Gainesville at McEachern’s Cantrell Stadium. All three Fulton schools had to move their games to neutral sites because their stadiums didn’t meet GHSA minimums for seating. Craft, also a GHSA board of trustees member, discusses the logistics of setting up those games and the GHSA rules that precipitated them. The full interview can be heard here. This excerpt is edited by permission to read easier and fit GHSF Daily’s Four Questions format.

1. Three Fulton teams are in the semifinals. What does that say about football in your area? “It just says we have amazing kids, amazing coaches, amazing community support and tremendous district support because it takes all of us in there. But, you know, at the end of the day, this is about our kids, this is about our coaches, our communities, and everything that they pour into this. When you advance this deep into the playoffs, you have talent but also luck. But it comes down to that commitment that all of the stakeholders have in place in order to make this happen. So as a district athletic director, this is one of the proudest accomplishments to have three teams in the state semis. And we had five in the quarterfinals [including Westlake and Creekside]. So it means an amazing accomplishment for our district and our schools and most importantly our kids.”

2. Once you knew which of your teams were going to the semifinals, how immediate were the conversations getting all of these things in motion? How busy was your weekend? “The phone calls started as soon as I was driving home from Langston's game. [Hughes beat Woodward Academy 56-28 in the 6A quarterfinals.] That was the second game I went to Friday night. [Craft also attended the Creekside-Warner Robins game about six miles away] And I knew I had three teams that qualified. So I started reaching out right then. I was reaching out with Gainesville's athletic director. I was getting a number for Rome's athletic director, and I was reaching out to the head coach at Mill Creek because I had his contact number. So I started that conversation Friday night and probably worked till about 1:30, 2 that night and then started working the phones again probably 7:30 Saturday morning because we had three teams designated as the home teams. At one point I had three venues and lost one of those venues. ... Just so you all know, when the home team stadium does not meet the capacity, then it is the responsibility of the home school to secure a facility that does meet it unless the opponent agrees to waive the seating requirement.”

3. How did things transpire from there? “In this case, all three [visiting] schools asked to have a stadium that meets the stadium requirements, and that is their right from the White Book [the GHSA bylaws]. I was fortunate [that] McEachern was more than happy to host a game for us, so we put Roswell and Gainesville there. I had already secured with APS [Atlanta Public Schools] to have the Langston-Rome game at Lakewood. We weren't able to use their other facility [Henderson Stadium, formerly known as Grady Stadium, in Midtown], which is where I was kind of hoping to put the Mill Creek-Milton game. So at that point I started the conversations with the Mill Creek administration. OK, here's the options we can do. Here's some choices. Would you like for me to look at this, this and this? Are there any circumstances you would consider playing this game in Milton? And they said no. I asked them about the Forsyth [County] high schools. Their stadiums are much larger than ours. Do you want me to reach out to those schools? And they said no. So at that point, the venue that I had available was to do a doubleheader at Lakewood. So I started working on it, started having conversations with my counterpart, Jasper Jewell, who is the athletic director for APS, and Corey Collier, who was his coordinator, and started having conversations like, hey, is a doubleheader doable? And we started working through the logistics. I reached back out to Mill Creek and said, hey, here's what I can do. Here are the options. Are you interested in this [the doubleheader]? And they said no, we're not interested in that. I called a few other places that [ultimately] weren't interested in hosting us. And so I'm like, OK, here's where we are. We're going to do a doubleheader. And we finalized everything and signed the contracts Sunday. And I just kept working most of the day Sunday on the logistics.”

4. When it comes to Lakewood, how is it going to work specifically? Do you have to completely clear the stadium out and then re-ticket everyone? “We’ve got two games set up, and that is a little unique for us in Fulton County Schools but not unique for APS. They routinely have doubleheaders, and they had a doubleheader in the second round. So we've got one game set up for 5 [p.m.], Milton versus Mill Creek. And then we will start the next game ... 30 minutes after the first. So hopefully we stay on schedule. Normally with an event like this, you would have to clear the stadium. But the reality is Lakewood Stadium holds close to 12,000 people, so we're going to have a lot of space for the fans. We are not going to have to clear the stadium. All the tickets are done electronically. So Milton and Mill Creek will be buying from their link. The Langston and Rome fans will be buying from their link. So you don't have to worry about the separation of money and making sure the schools are getting what they're entitled to do. If some of the fans from Mill Creek and from Milton want to watch the second game, they're going to be welcome. ... We should have plenty of space for everybody to be there on Friday.”

Today’s interviewee is Deerfield-Windsor coach Jake McCrae, whose team defeated Brookwood School 26-21 on a final-play, multi-lateral touchdown pass in the GIAA semifinals last week. Deerfield-Windsor will play John Milledge Academy tonight at Mercer University for the GIAA Class 3A championship.

1. What happened on the final play? “I still don’t know what happened. They took the lead 21-20 at the end of the third quarter, and the fourth quarter was just back and forth, a punt fest. They went for it on a fourth-and-2, and we stopped them [at the Deerfield-Windsor 40-yard line with 14.4 seconds left]. They called time out to get their defense ready. I told my kids we’re calling the play we worked on, the home-run play. It’s the Boise State play, the one they used to beat Oklahoma [in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl]. I’m just trying to get across the [Brookwood] 33-yard line to give my kid a chance to kick it 50 yards. So many things had to happen right on that play. One is that the receiver catches it. Two is that he flips it. It hit the ground, and our receiver picked it up. He gets tackled and throws it behind his head. Now we’ve got two kids on the ground trying to get the ball, and if they get it, the game’s over because they’re on the ground. So our quarterback rips if from them before they get it. He’s a freshman. He’s got two guys draped on him, pulling him down, and he’s smart enough to throw it backward to our No. 1 running back, who one-handed catches it, turns and goes down the sideline and gets three blocks, probably illegal blocks. The crowd rushed the field, and I had eight parents run me over before I knew we were in the end zone. Flags were on the field and conversations are happening. It was not until the referee puts his hands up in the air for a touchdown that I exhaled.” [See the play here.]

2. What has been the reaction to that play and to the victory in your school community? “By the time we’re on bus riding home, MaxPreps had Tweeted the play. Our kids were excited about that. Our community is excited about it, but they’re also excited about these kids. Our starting quarterback goes down in week 10, and everybody wrote us off, ‘We can’t win without him.’ I didn’t necessarily disagree with them because he’s that good, and this freshman kid comes in, and these kids keep proving everybody wrong.”

3. What went into the decision for Deerfield-Windsor to return to GISA (GIAA)? Was it the same as the other schools, or was there something specific to Deerfield's situation? “When I got here [from Florida in 2020], they told me they were jumping to the GHSA. I didn’t know the difference. This was my first year in Georgia. They still play with 11, right? We took our lumps and learned what it meant real quick. We had a tough schedule. We kept a couple of teams on it this season but played a more competitive schedule. The reasoning for it was really that everybody jumped together. It wasn’t a domino effect. It was predetermined by all the athletic directors. We’re all going. If we had stayed, there wouldn’t be anybody left for us to play.” [Deerfield’s enrollment used for the GHSA’s 2020 reclassification was 188 students, making it the fourth-smallest football-playing school in the association. Competing now against schools with similar numbers, Deerfield-Windsor has improved its record to 10-2 from 3-7.]

4. Some might describe last week's final play a miracle, and some might say you need another one this week against John Milledge, a team on a 49-game winning streak. What is the challenge that you face in that game? “I’ve seen enough to know that we’ve got to go above and beyond to put a dent in them. Their coach is excellent. They’re disciplined, athletic and big. One of the coaches I talked to said, ‘Just so you know, they’re faster than they look on field.’ But we’re going to show up. We’re getting on the bus and heading there. I told my kids what I’ve told them since I got here. Play low, run with the football, stay onsides, hold onto the ball and then look up at the end of the game and see what the score is. That’s been our blueprint. Play as hard as we can with who can and next-man-up mentality as best we can. This senior class has grasped it well, and it’s going to be fun, that’s for sure. This opportunity is something they’ll never forget, especially in the way we got here.”

Today’s interviewee is Bowdon coach Richard Fendley, whose team rallied from a 19-0 deficit to beat Early County in the Class A Division II quarterfinals last week. Fendley became Bowdon’s coach in 2018, when the program had only 28 players. After a 1-9 finish, Bowdon has gone 37-11 and won three consecutive region titles, and it currently has 64 players on its varsity roster.

1. Down 19-0, what got your team back in the game, and how does that game compare to other exciting games you've been involved in? “As a coach, I have never had a team come back after trailing 19-0. I have had teams fight back to make it respectable but not come back and win. I would say two things helped our players come back from that big of a hole. First, mental toughness. Our kids have created a culture of being mentally tough. It is how they work out in the offseason, how hard they run in the summer and how they fight each Friday night. That kind of toughness is not a switch you turn on. It is something you breed into your culture. Second, is family. Being a small school, our players and coaches are very close. Our players trust the coaches, and the coaches trust the players. You have to have a genuine love for your team to play that hard for each other to overcome being down 19 points.”

2. What has been the reaction of your fans, school and community to that game and the season Bowdon is having? And how was the bus ride home? “Our fans at Bowdon are incredible. We have a true 12th man. They expect to win, and over the past few weeks I have been hearing from the older fans that it feels like the old dominant Bowdon teams out there on Friday nights. That's a good thing because back in the 1990s and early 2000s Bowdon played a lot of semifinal and state championship games. Our student section has been second to none. They have shown up loud and proud all year. When your student body is involved, that is a really special thing in high school or college football. Our bus ride home was long. I think three hours, but it was loud the first 45 minutes with the kids pumped about the way they won, and the last part they slept.”

3. For those who've not seen Bowdon play, what do you feel that you your team does that gives you a chance to win every Friday night? In particular, what do Robert McNeal and T.J. Harvison bring to the table? “Well, for those that haven’t seen Bowdon, there are several factors that make this team feel like they can win every Friday night. First, the players believe and trust that the coaches will put them in the best position to win. They will look you in the face and tell you they know their coaches can game plan. Second, is the toughness of our offensive line and defensive line. We have kids up front on both sides that will battle all night. Those kinds of blue-collar players are very important for success. Lastly are our two Division I players, QB Robert McNeal and RB T.J. Harvison. They are both great practice players and also high-IQ football players. That means they understand the game of football as well as understanding football situations. Both players are leaders. It is very important to a winning culture that your best players are some of your hardest workers on and off the field.”

4. What has the creation of Division II meant to schools like yours? “The creation of Class A D2 has both its pros and cons. One con is small regions, which cause more travel to find games. One positive is the fact that some of the bigger Class A schools that might double your enrollment are up a class, and it levels the playing field in the overall picture of playing for a state title. I think for Bowdon personally it has been good. We had to pick up some tough non-region games that prepared us for our playoff run.”

Today’s interviewee is Dutchtown coach Niketa Battle, whose team defeated Mays 40-34 in overtime in the Class 5A quarterfinals last week. The victory, won with the aid of a goal-line stand from the 1-yard line in overtime, put Dutchtown in the semifinals for the first time in the Henry County school’s 19-season history. Battle, whom Dutchtown hired this year, was facing his former team, which he led for six seasons.

1. What does making the semifinals mean for Dutchtown? “This is a very large accomplishment for the program. Getting to the quarterfinals and coming up short in previous seasons has been very discouraging for the football program. Just to get over that hump was very rewarding for the kids.” [Dutchtown had been 0-3 in previous quarterfinal games, with two of those losses coming when currant Alabama All-American Will Anderson was a Dutchtown all-state player.]

2. Mays had first-and-goal from the 1-yard line in overtime and you kept them out. What happened on each play of the goal-line stand? “The first play Mays lined up in double wing right and attempted to run stretch with Triston Morgan. We made penetration, and our linebackers Amarion Yarbough and D.J. Johnson stuffed the play in the backfield. Second down they lined up in the same formation to run a quarterback counter to the left with Saulamon Evans, and we did a great job of stringing the play out of bounds for a loss. Third down they ran toss right to outflank the defense with Triston Morgan. We made penetration, and D.J. Johnson stuffed it in the backfield. Fourth down they wanted to run a mesh concept with Jarquarian Wiggles and Clayton Coppage, and our linebackers did an excellent job running with their guys, and the backside cornerback Tishaun Brown did an excellent job of sinking into the throwing lane for the interception. That was big time.”

3. What was it like playing your former team? Did you speak with some of your players after the game? “It was a game. I didn’t know how I would feel until kickoff. Then the competitive coaching fell into place. After the game was over, I did have an opportunity to speak to some former coaches. However, I did not have an opportunity to speak to the former players. I have much respect for the fight in those players. They played a hard-fought game.”

4. You're one of a handful of semifinal teams that were unranked in preseason. When did you feel you had a chance to get this far? “After the Warner Robins game, we knew that was an indication that we could play with the best in 5A competition. If we continued to play like that week to week the success would follow.” [Dutchtown was GHSF Daily’s Team of the Week after the Warner Robins victory Sept. 16. That dropped Warner Robins to 1-3, but the Demons have won eight straight games and joined Dutchtown in the semifinals.]

Today’s interviewee is Oconee County coach Ben Hall, whose team defeated Carver of Columbus 14-6 last week in the Class 3A quarterfinals. Oconee County is the only semifinal team that has won three playoff road games this year. Only 11 teams in history have won four games away from home to reach a championship game. Hall was the offensive coordinator for one of those, Flowery Branch in 2008. His Warriors play at No. 1 Cedar Grove in the semifinals.

1. What made the difference in the Carver game? “Our players believed they could win the game. We played well on defense, and we were able to avoid turnovers and be patient on offense. Our punter, Bo Gaines, flipped the field at key times during the game.” [The Warriors have allowed only six first-half points total and 149, 259 and 123 total yards in their three playoff victories.]

2. You lost your opener to North Oconee, another semifinal team, and then to three other good teams, all by seven points or less. How has the team evolved? “We have developed throughout the season in several key areas. We entered the season with most of our experience on the defensive side of the ball. The defense has played well all season, which has allowed for the offense to develop. Playing really good opponents this season has helped that process.” [Twelve of Oconee County’s 13 opponents made the playoffs, and nine were ranked when the Warriors played them.]

3. What do you believe has helped you have that road success? “Our kids enjoy playing the game together regardless of the location. We have played very good teams on the road this year, our fans travel well, and our kids understand that we have to play well home or away to have a chance to win ball games.”

4. This the second school that you've taken to the semifinals, following Jefferson in 2016, and third if you count Flowery Branch as a coordinator. Are there some coaches or moments in your career that specifically helped shape your beliefs on what makes a winning team? “I have been very fortunate to have played and coached for some very successful coaches over the years, and I have definitely benefited from my experiences with each of them. T. McFerrin taught me that less is sometimes more, and that one of the keys to winning late in the season is avoiding burnout from players and coaches. We want our team to enjoy being here. Understanding that talent varies from season to season, working to create a positive environment is an ingredient that shouldn't be overlooked. As long as the players and coaches don't want it to be over, they will give all they have.”

Today’s interviewee is Mount Pisgah Christian coach Ryan Livesey, whose team defeated No. 6 Darlington 26-20 in the Class A Division I second round. Mount Pisgah, a private school in Johns Creek, won as a 24-point underdog to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. The Patriots are playing at Irwin County on Friday.

1. What did you do well that led to beating Darlington? “The big thing was that our defense played unbelievable. Our defensive coordinator, coach [Elijer] Martinez, has done a tremendous job this season. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup, and with all the moving pieces he’s had to play with, he’s come up with a good game plan each week. Our goal was to make them do something they’re not as comfortable doing. They had a giant line of scrimmage and a great back, and we knew they wanted to run the football, and if we could get them out of that a little bit, we felt it gave us a chance. Offensively, they did a good job in the first half mixing up coverages and giving us looks that we were not prepared for. In the second half, we made some adjustments and took advantage of some things they were doing. We’re not a big-strike offense, but Makael Carter had an unbelievable game. One of the dangers of going man on man is if you can make one man miss, you’ve got a chance. He got away from them several times.” [Carter had eight receptions for 266 yards and three touchdowns.]

2. Your quarterback, Jack Cendoya, has thrown for 3,343 yards and rushed for 743. Carter has 1,410 receiving yards. What makes your QB-WR combo so strong? “We have another wide receiver who’s just under 1,000 yards, Tyler Hunnicutt. Jack, Makael and Tyler have been playing together since elementary school. A lot of these seniors were pressed into action as ninth-graders because of injury. Every year they’ve gotten a little better. Makael has got speed, hands and toughness, and if you focus on him, Tyler has the same combination. Jack, on any given play, he gives us a chance. He's a great runner, but when he’s scrambling, he’s usually looking to throw. If somebody is coming off his man to get him, that usually leaves somebody open, and Jack has done a great job locating those guys.”

3. How do you feel about the public-private “reunion” this season, with Class A public and private schools playing for the same championships again? “I was coaching back when public and private were together [before 2012]. It was the same thing. You had majority-public-school regions and majority private-school regions, and then you saw these different teams in the playoffs. It’s great for public- and private-school kids to travel around the state and see different venues and places and environments. I’m excited that everyone is back together. The GHSA gets grief no matter what they do, but the system they’ve set up is probably the most equitable. This is my first time as a coach playing Irwin County. They’re a program that’s consistently at the top in the state. We’re excited to go down there.” [Mount Pisgah’s region comprises four private schools, and the Patriots’ only public-school opponent has been Mount Zion of Carroll County in September.]

4. What’s your impression of Irwin County after watching film? “Athletic is an understatement. They’ve got speed everywhere on the field. They’ve got multiple guys that can take it to house on any given play. It’s one of the things that a number of the private schools will run into because of the public-private [breakup] is they haven’t seen South Georgia speed. There are some fast guys in North Georgia, but not like South Georgia. I have to stress that to my team. We’re going to see speed at every position. They may not have the size that Darlington has, but they will be faster and stronger. Obviously we’re the outsider and the underdog. When you look at it on paper, that’s how it should be, but we wouldn’t be in the final eight if we were not a good football team, too.”

Today’s interviewee is Walton coach Daniel Brunner, whose team defeated No. 1 Buford 42-35 in the Class 7A second round last week. Walton is a victory from reaching the semifinals for the second consecutive season. The Raiders are 52-21 in Brunner’s six seasons.

1. What did you team do that was the difference in the game? What was the game plan, and what were the key moments? “The game plan was simple – do what we do. Play to win! Be aggressive! Be confident! Put the ball down and ball out! There were too many key moments from our first fourth-down stop on their first possession to our fourth-down conversion that resulted in a touchdown late in the game to narrow it down to what allowed us to win the game. Our guys played with outstanding effort and had great preparation throughout the week, which allowed us to win the game. We have great coaches and great players that put a coordinated effort and showed how complimentary football wins games.”

2. You mentioned one key play – fourth-and-six at Buford's 43 midway in the fourth quarter, leading 35-28. Can you talk about the decision to go for it, how that came about, the play call and how it played out? “There was no doubt we were going for it. They had no timeouts left, and we knew we could put ourselves into position to control the back end of the game if we could convert. I trust my guys to find a way, and they did.” [Jeremy Hecklinski hit Ayden Jackson for a 43-yard TD pass and 42-28 lead.]

3. You've played like one of Class 7A's best teams all season – except for once vs. North Cobb. How do you explain that anomaly, and how did that game shape your season? “I did not do a good enough job having us prepared to win that game. Plain and simple. We had way too many mistakes. Mental errors, missed assignments, penalties, drops, etc. We were not ready for that moment, and we are working to make sure we are ready this Friday.”

4. You’ve got to get refocused for another good team. What's the scouting report on Carrollton? “They are 12-0 for a reason. They find ways to win games. They are very well-coached and are very talented. They have a ton of young talent, but they have not played like a young team all year. We will have our hands full but are ready for the challenge.”

Today’s interviewee is Savannah Christian coach Baker Woodward, whose team defeated No. 5 Peach County 23-7 in the Class 3A second round. Savannah Christian finished 5-6 last season in Class A and has been unranked this season despite an 11-1 record. Peach County was the first top-10 opponent outside of Class A that the Raiders have ever beaten. Woodward has been Savannah Christian’s coach for five seasons. His record is 45-15 with two region titles.

1. What did you do well Friday that allowed your team to come out on top? “We knew Peach County had a high-powered offense with a really good running back, so we knew we would have to stop their running game and force them to pass. Coach Robert Walsh, our defensive coordinator, along with our defensive staff [Keith Brooking and Ray Orio] came up with a great plan on defense, and our defense executed very well. One of the key players on defense was Kenry Wall with several tackles, a pass breakup and a key interception. Also, our special teams coordinator, William Bell, had been telling the guys all week that we would have to have a big play on special teams, and that was exactly what happened at the beginning of the second half when Jamari McIvory ran back the kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown. Lastly, we wanted to keep Peach County's offense off the field by controlling the ball on offense. We put the game in our offensive line's hands [Jep Hudspeth, Cole Burnsed, Jackson Mercer, Noah Lewis, Tyson Gross and Akeem Lane] along with running back Zo Smalls. We also had key receptions from David Bucey and Logan Brooking from our senior quarterback Paulus Zittrauer. Our offense racked up around 350 yards and zero turnovers.”

2. You were 5-6 last year in Class A. You’re in the quarterfinals in Class 3A. How did your team go from that to this? “Last year we were a young team with only six seniors, and many of the games we lost were by one score or less. Our opponents were a little more experienced than us, and it showed in the close games. We were very close to being an eight- or nine-win team, but to be honest I believe we lost a little accountability. From a coaching standpoint and a player leadership standpoint, we did not hold our players as accountable as we should’ve, and it showed by not winning the close games that we should have won. This year we have focused on being a family by holding each other accountable. We have used the verse Proverbs 17:17: ‘A friend loves at all times, but a brother is born for adversity.’ Our coaches have always tried their best to hold players accountable, but the really great teams have players holding each other accountable. That is what this Raider Family is doing. We are holding everyone accountable and demanding their absolute best. They are playing for one another, and they want to keep playing for one another. I truly believe this is the biggest reason for our success.”

3. How would you describe your team to those who haven’t seen you play? “I hope when people see our team, they see a team that attacks with purpose. It comes from Colossians 3:23: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not human masters.’ We break it down on ‘attack’ every day, and we want to be deliberate and intentional about what we do. I believe our coaches and players focus on doing everything in their power to do their very best, and that is all we can ask for. Lastly, we hope that attacking with purpose shows not only in the way we play football but also when our boys graduate, that they take that philosophy with them not just for the four years that they are here, not just for the next 40, but for eternity.”

4. Your next opponent is Sandy Creek. Have you looked at them enough to know what you’re up against? “I didn't have to look at the film long to see that we will be up against a huge challenge in Sandy Creek. They will be by far the best team we have played all season. They are fast and physical on defense running multiple fronts and various coverages. Their offense is very explosive, and as the young kids say, their offense is a problem especially their quarterback. We will have to play our best game in order to advance to the final four.”

Today’s interviewee is Jasper Jewell, the athletic director for Atlanta Public Schools. Seven of 10 APS football-playing schools made the playoffs this season, and four are at home in the second round. That’s the most games that APS has hosted in the second round since the GHSA went to 32-team playoff draws in 1996. Jewell also is on the Georgia High School Association’s executive committee and board of trustees.

1. You’ve got four home playoff games this week. What does this mean for APS football? “This is tremendous for all four of our communities – Carver, North Atlanta, South Atlanta and Mays. This is extremely significant for North Atlanta as it is the first time they have advanced to the second round of the state football playoffs in school history. I was at the Lovejoy-North Atlanta game. That community is on fire right now. Lastly, we all know that with football being a fall sport, having successful football programs will shape and mold the entire culture for the rest of the season. I could not be more proud of those four programs.”

2. Looking at this season as a fan and not just an athletic director, what are some of the story lines about APS football that you've found most interesting? “As I looked around the district this year, one would have expected this to be a year of rebuild with the exception of South Atlanta, which returned 19 starters from a group that advanced to the state quarterfinals last season. Yet our coaches and players embraced the challenge, worked extremely hard in the offseason, and here we are in the second round. We had seven total teams to make the playoffs this year [including Jackson, Douglass and Washington], with an additional two teams with winning records for the first time in several years. Midtown played non-region and finished 6-4 [after canceling its varsity season in 2021]. Therrell finished 6-4 and had a winning record for the first time in 20-plus years. The excitement is insane.”

3. Most APS head coaches are in their third season or less, and most have made quick progress. When hiring coaches, people talk about getting the right “fit.” What is the right fit generally with APS schools? “Getting the right fit in APS means you are much more than a coach by way of X’s and O’s. You are father figures, counselors, mentors, big brothers, you name it. This particular group of coaches truly cares about not only their programs but their communities, which speaks volumes about them and their character. Darren Myles of Carver and Eric Williams of Maynard Jackson are the most-tenured head football coaches in the district, and they truly lead by example. Perhaps one of the most intriguing hires was Marquis Slaton at Mays High. While he is no stranger to the coaching ranks, he takes over a Mays program and in his first season finishes strong to land a No. 2 seed in the playoffs and had an impressive win last week. Simply put, all of the head football coaches that we have hired sprinkled in with a few veterans are doing an amazing job.”

4. This season is the first following a significant reclassification that broke up the public/private split in Class A and applied a stronger multiplier on out-of-zone students. How would you grade the impact that it had this season in football, and are there ways that the GHSA should consider tweaking it for the next reclass? “I think it’s still a bit early to grade the success or failure of reclassification. I do believe there is more balance in each classification; however, no true assessment can be taken until after the 2022-2023 school year. Dr. [Robin] Hines and his group [at the GHSA] have done an amazing job with reclassification, and I am excited to see how the rest of the year plays out. I also appreciate my senior leadership in APS for having the faith and confidence in allowing me to be a part of the reclassification process.”

Today’s interviewee is Robert Toombs Academy coach Jacob Lord, whose team is 6-4 after 0-9 and 2-9 finishes. The Crusaders rank No. 1 among GIAA schools in GHSF Daily’s Improvement Tracker. Robert Toombs is playing Fullington Academy this week in the Class A semifinals.

1. What would you want people to know about Robert Toombs Academy as a school and football program? “Robert Toombs is a private school with grades K3-12th located in Lyons, roughly in the middle of Macon and Savannah just off I-16. The public schools that service our area are Toombs County and Vidalia. We play under the Georgia Independent Athletic Association title. Our school has just under 300 total students. We have a rich history of athletic success in all sports and have won five state championships through the years in football.”

2. What have you and your staff done to get the team from 0-9 two seasons ago to where it is now? “Great assistant coaches and great players make us all look good. The Lord has placed us as leaders of young people in this community to show them Christ before anything else, and I take that seriously. My staff works each day to change this community on an eternal level first, and we are blessed enough to coach some ball along the way. Our staff consists of five coaches, with three here since 2020. The offensive coordinator, Matthew Meeks, is an offensive mind that runs the same thing in our middle school program as we do at the high school level. He does a great job with his offensive system and has produced a quarterback, T.J. Stanley, that has thrown for 1,601 yards and rushed for 561, a receiving corps that has accounted for 21 touchdowns, with senior Jashaun Powell accounting for 1,019 and 14 touchdowns, and a stable of four 500-yard rushers with freshman Justin Powell leading the way with 839. Our o-line is a big factor in the production we have had. We have also added a new strength coach, Glen Birkheimer. He has drastically increased the strength of our kids, as well as their range of motion. Injury prevention is a focus for a team that consists of 25 players. When my staff and I got here, the program had 13 players. That number has grown each year, and that's a testament to the relationship our coaches build with the kids.”

3. What is your approach to coaching, your philosophy? “We tell our kids all the time that winning happens when football is not the focus. We have to foster a deeper relationship with our teammates and love them on a deeper level than just how they can benefit me. And senior Andrew Tuck, a role guy for us and a key defensive player, understands that. He has endured a lot the past couple of years with his mom being diagnosed with a brain cancer and the loss of two grandparents. That kid hasn't missed a single practice or a single summer workout because he loves his teammates. He is our team captain and will be a kid I'll never forget as a coach. Tough! No chance I'm being asked to write this without that kid, because our team is accomplishing what it is because of him, not me. Our program is starting to understand that high levels of success can only be attained when you look at the micro, not the macro. Doing the little things right is how us simple-minded coaches put it. Our kids are tough, and not just football tough but in real life. And when you get a group of kids like that, you got a shot.”

4. What would you want people to know about GIAA? “The GIAA is a very competitive league with high-caliber athletes consisting of 56 11-man football teams. Not just in the game of football but when you look across the spectrum of athletics you have the No. 1 NBA Draft pick, Anthony Edwards; the tight end for the Browns, Harrison Bryant; Alabama national champion and now GIAA assistant coach at Stratford Academy, Giles Amos; multiple Olympic athletes and Major League Baseball players all having come from this league, just to name a few. So yeah, each Friday you play against some good talent. I have been involved in this association for six years now as a coach, and in my short time, I’ve seen a drastic change in the amount of cross-over play with both private and public schools. That's been something I have enjoyed seeing; both associations opening the gateway for play between the two different association members. Also, if you were to take a deep look into the coaches in the GIAA, I'm sure you'll be surprised at the number of former or retired GHSA coaches walking the sidelines on Friday nights at those schools. Heck, I'm playing a couple this Friday night in the playoffs. The coaching in this league is phenomenal, and you'd better know your stuff if you want to give your kids a shot each week.”

Today’s interviewee is Lanier County coach Kurt Williams, whose team defeated Miller County 14-13 last week. That was the Bulldogs’ first playoff victory since starting football in 1997. Lanier County was 1-9 in each of the four seasons before hiring Williams and 0-10 in Williams’ first season, but his teams have since gone 3-7, 3-6, 3-7 and now 6-5. Lanier County is between Lowndes and Clinch counties near the Florida border. Williams grew up nearby in Berrien County.

1. What happened in the game? How did it play out? “Our game with Miller was an old-fashioned defensive struggle, classic playoff game. The team stats were almost identical in every category but turnovers, which was the difference in the game. Our defense forced a turnover every time we needed one. We intercepted a ball [junior Trevon Small] and returned it to the 2-yard line to punch it in [touchdown by Jamir Glenn] to go up 14-7 with five minutes left. Miller responded and drove it down to score with three minutes left and elected to go for two, which we were able to stop a half foot short. They pinned us deep on the ensuing kickoff, and we were unable to convert a first down to run the clock out, so we had to ask our defense to go back out there and win the game for us with Miller in excellent field position. They got down to around our 20-yard line, and a ball got deflected up in the air and we were able to secure another interception [by B.J. Jones, his fifth of the season] to seal the game.”

2. What does the victory mean to the team and the school? “It was huge. We had a goal of getting in the playoffs at the beginning of the year. We have lost some close games over the past couple of years that would have got us close to getting in, so for us to win such a close one to get our first-ever playoff victory in school history just made it even sweeter. Our team, school and community are excited about being in a spot we have never been before. Our school has really tried to emphasize school spirit this year for all sports, and I'm hoping this just gives our school body another reason to support one another.”

3. When you got the job, there was no tradition. Why did you take it on, and what are the things that you and your staff did that have made the most difference? “I always wanted to be a head coach. I knew as a young coach that I would more than likely have to take a job at a school that hadn't had much success and build it up. My wife and I really prayed about the situation here in Lakeland. I knew before even interviewing and meeting the great people I work with now that God wanted me to be here. I had talked to a few coaches that thought it could be an underrated job because there were athletes here as well. They had a good group coming up from the feeder program, and if given enough time could be a really good group. Those kids are now currently freshmen and sophomores, and several are currently starting for us this year.

“The biggest thing that my staff and I have done is consistency. Our first year we didn't win a game on the varsity or middle-school level, but we believed in what we were doing. I've been blessed to hire some great coaches that, for the majority of the staff, have been with me since year one or two. We're still practicing, lifting and doing a lot of the same stuff we were doing when we were everybody's stat game five years ago. I'm so thankful for a great place to give us time to build a program in a day and age when people want immediate success.”

4. What is Lanier County like, both the school and the county? “Our school is a great place to work. We have a great administration and teachers that support our kids in the classroom and on the field. Mrs. Reada Hamm, our principal, and coach Scott Ray, our athletic director who hired me, have given me the best support a coach can ask for.

“Lanier County is a very small county in rural south Georgia where agriculture leads the way in our economy. Everybody knows everybody here, but one thing is for sure, when there is a ball game going on regardless of the sport, our county is going to show up and support our kids to the fullest. We have each other's back. My family and I love this community. They have taken us in since day one and it has become our home.”

Today’s interviewee is North Atlanta coach Jamie Aull, whose team defeated Lovejoy 30-17 last week in the Class 6A playoffs. It was North Atlanta’s first playoff victory in its 32-season history. The team’s eighth victory is a school record. Aull, in his third season, also has been a head coach at Our Lady of Mercy and Mount Zion of Jonesboro.

1. How did you win the game? What was the difference? “Our staff put together a great plan, and our players did a tremendous job during the week being locked in and preparing. Our kids then came out and executed in the first half and built a lead. Lovejoy made some adjustments at half that allowed them to get some momentum, but our kids kept believing and playing, and we made enough plays in the second half to hold on and win.” [North Atlanta took a 23-0 lead in the second quarter. Lorenza Lennon passed for 153 yards and rushed for 84. Jamie O’Kelley had 10 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown.]

2. What does the victory mean to your program, school, team and players? “It was a huge win for our kids, school and community. Obviously this is new territory for us to be practicing this late in November, but the message remains the same. Do whatever it takes to have film and practice next Monday.”

3. This victory shines a light on your team. What would you want people to know about it? “We have a hard-working group of players that are going to play hard for 48 minutes regardless of opponent or circumstance. As a coach, you can’t ask for anything more.”

4. Your teams have steadily gotten better with each season you’ve been there. What have you and your staff done that’s made the most difference? “We have worked hard to continue to establish a culture built on hard work. Buy-in to our offseason strength-and-conditioning program has been the key to this shift. It began in 2018 when I came in as offensive coordinator, and we have tried to build on it each year.”