And then there were two…the Rabun County Wildcats and Commerce Tigers are still alive in the GHSA State Playoffs, as both travel as underdogs in tough quarterfinal contests.
Another two local teams are also still alive, with Jefferson and Buford still playing ball on Black Friday!
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
#3 Rabun (11-0) at #2 Fitzgerald (11-1) – FRIDAY at 7:30 PM, Fitzgerald
The unbeaten Wildcats, coached by coach Lee Shaw, are back in the quarterfinals for the second straight season and third time in school history. The Cats cruised past BEST Academy in the opening round and Vidalia in the Sweet 16. Last season, Rabun was in this exact situation, traveling to Jefferson County and falling by a field goal as time expired. Bailey Fisher and company will look to get one step closer to the Georgia Dome. Maxpreps has Fitzgerald as a five-point favorite at home, but it’s never smart to bet against a team coached by Shaw.
Fisher has 2,442 passing yards and 27 TDs, adding 889 yds and 21 TD on the ground. Senior Cal Drummond leads the running game with 1,510 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Purple Hurricanes are led by senior running back JD King, who has well over 1,000 yards for the season.
HISTORY: First ever meeting between the two schools.
#6 Commerce (9-2) at #1 Clinch (10-1) – FRIDAY at 7:30 PM, Homerville
The Tigers continue to ride Cole Chancey and Will Thomas, along with Lane Sorrow, closer to a trip to the Georgia Dome. Commerce will need to be firing on all cylinders Friday night to take down Clinch County on the road. The Tigers are 12-point underdogs to the Panthers.
Commerce was knocked out last season in the Semifinals by this same Clinch County team, falling 26-19 in heartbreaking fashion. The year prior (2014), the Tigers won handidly 37-7 in the first round of the state playoffs.
HISTORY: Series tied 1-1 (Commerce lost in 2015, won in 2014; both playoff games)
OTHER LOCAL GAMES:
#1 Buford vs #3 Carrollton
#4 Jefferson at #5 Cairo
