The high school football playoffs resume tonight with 14 semifinals and the long-awaited Gainesville-Hughes game. Gainesville-Hughes is the quarterfinal the GHSA postponed last week while sorting out the matter of 38 suspended Gainesville players. The semifinals won't be upstaged by one famous quarterfinal, though. The semifinal winners are going to the Benz, the Falcons’ home field.
Dominating good teams such as Rabun County and making deep playoff runs were parts of the plan when Brandon Haywood became Pepperell's coach in 2024. He just didn't know it would be so soon. So last week’s 34-0 victory in the quarterfinals and the resulting advancement to the semifinals – the Dragons' first final four since 1998 – almost caught him by surprise.
Kell was already one of the Georgia's best teams, and Brayden Rouse one of the nation's best players. Now, there's just no hiding those facts. Kell beat No. 2 Cartersville 48-21 in the Class 4A quarterfinals Friday. Rouse, a top-100 national senior recruit committed to Tennessee, made a team-leading 12 tackles, intercepted a pass, caught four passes for 78 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Pace Academy senior Kiyah Burrell is GHSF Daily’s flag football player of the week. Burrell has been an all-around athlete, playing quarterback, running back, receiver, blocker, rusher, linebacker and cornerback this season for Pace Academy, which will take a 12-6 record into the Division 4 playoffs that begin Thursday.
Friday’s question: There have been three winning streaks to reach 25 games this decade. All ended this season. Which schools held those winning streaks, and which schools ended them? (Answer Monday)
Answer to Thursday’s question: The semifinal head coaches who are 70 years old or older are Marist's Alan Chadwick (74) and Fellowship Christian's John Thompson (70).
