​Round one of the GHSA Playoffs is in the history books and now there are four weeks and sixteen teams remaining in each classification until title time in the Georgia Dome on December 9th and 10th..
​The opening round of thirty-two teams in Class AA through Class AAAAAAA and twenty-four teams in each Class A division (Public and Private) saw few upsets, but there was that offensive showcase in Valdosta from Lowndes and Hillgrove, which produced 153 points and almost 1200 yards of offense. The final score was 92-61 in favor of the home standing Vikings, and was a record-breaking prep football point total in the State of Georgia.

​Colquitt County won its seventh consecutive game in a row after opening the season with four straight losses by beating North Paulding 48-7. Class 1-AAAAAA flexed its muscle in the opening round by sweeping Region 3-AAAAAA. Valdosta topped Lakeside-Evans, 69-14, Northside-Warner Robins rolled past Grovetown 52-0, Lee County shut out Evans 41-0 and Coffee eliminated Region 3-AAAAAA Champion Heritage of Conyers, 56-24.

​Grayson, Roswell, Mill Creek and Norcross all advanced to the second round of play with convincing wins in the State’s largest classification, while Cartersville, Thomson, Crisp County and Benedictine all remained unbeaten in Class AAAA, AAA and AA respectively.

​After lighting up the scoreboard last week, the road gets much tougher for Lowndes, 9-2 on the season, as they literally hit the highway to Norcross to meet the undefeated, 11-0 Blue Devils. Other games of note in the top division find Cherokee at Mill Creek and Brookwood with a return visit to Colquitt County where they were routed by the Packers on September 16th, 52-14.

​In Class AAAAAA, Harrison meets Tucker, Coffee travels to Alexander and Allatoona makes the long trip to Brunswick to meet the Glynn Academy Red Terrors. Class AAAAA’s top games have powerful Carrollton at Thomas County Central in Thomasville, Griffin at surprising Arabia Mountain and Bainbridge making the long ride to Rome in what could be one of the top games in any of the classifications this week.

​Burke County, Region 3-AAAA’s runner-up to Thomson, hits the road to play at number-one ranked Cartersville, and in other games in Class AAAA, its Sandy Creek at Cairo to play the Syrup makers, and Heritage of Catoosa motoring to the mid-state to meet Mary Persons.

​In Class AAA’s top games, its perennial power Lovett at unbeaten Crisp County in Cordele, Jackson at Calhoun and Bremen at Pierce County in Blackshear.

In AA its second-ranked Fitzgerald hosting Rockmart and Region One counterpart Brooks County at Callaway, while top-ranked Benedictine Military plays host to Banks County in Savannah.

​Class A Public and Private have been pared down to sixteen teams and there are some great games on the agenda in each this weekend. Stratford plays at rival Tattnall Square in Macon, Savannah Christian Prep is at unbeaten Calvary Day School and First Presbyterian Day travels to top-ranked Eagles Landing Christian.

​In the Public Class A division, Miller County is at Emanuel County Institute, surprising Greene County is at Pelham and Mitchell County heads to Homerville to play Clinch County, the defending Class A Public Champions.

​This week’s winners will become the elite eight, and advance to the quarterfinal round of play.