Northeast Georgia quarterfinal previews

With the quarterfinals kicking off this weekend, several Northeast Georgia area teams remain in the hunt for a state title.

Here’s a preview of the matchups for Rabun County, Gainesville, North Oconee, and Oconee County.

Rabun County (12-0) at Swainsboro (11-0): Both teams were in the Class 2A semifinals last season, so their success after moving down is no surprise. Each has its own style. Swainsboro averages 334.1 yards rushing and 51.5 passing per game, while Rabun averages 82.8 rushing and 297.5 passing. This is Rabun County’s eighth straight quarterfinal. The Wildcats are 2-5 in those games. Ranked No. 3, Rabun County beat Social Circle 42-0 in the second round. Keegan Stover was 17-of-23 passing for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Lang Windham had 103 yards rushing and a touchdown on 18 carries. Jaden Gibson had 10 receptions for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He needs 161 yards to break the state single-season receiving record set in 2018 by Warner Robins’ Marcayll Jones. Swainsboro, ranked No. 2, rushed for 391 yards and six touchdowns in its 57-13 victory over Screven County. Demello Jones rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown on four carries and had three receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown. This is the first meeting between the two.

Houston County (10-2) at Gainesville (12-0): Tenth-ranked Houston County is the only No. 4 seed still alive in any classification and the only 6A team remaining that was not a region champion. The Bears reached their first quarterfinal since 2019 with a 41-31 victory over North Atlanta. Houston County trailed 31-21 in the fourth quarter but scored three touchdowns to put the game away. Antwann Hill was held to a season-low 73 yards passing but has 3,246 for the year. Ryan Taleb ran for a season-high 273 yards (1,585 for the year) and three TDs. No. 4 Gainesville is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014 after a 42-21 victory over South Paulding. The Red Elephants led 14-7 at halftime and added two touchdowns early in the second half to seize control. Baxter Wright passed for 257 yards and four touchdowns, and Naim Cheeks ran for 206 yards and two scores. Cheeks has rushed for 436 yards in two playoff games and 1,511 for the season. Gainesville held South Paulding’s Jamarion Wilcox, the leading rusher in 6A during the regular season, to less than 100 yards for the first time this season.

Wayne County (10-2) at North Oconee (12-0): Seventh-ranked Wayne County, an 0-9 team in 2021, is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 after beating third-ranked Perry 14-7 last week. Wayne County led 14-0 in the fourth quarter, but the victory wasn’t secure until Perry threw an incomplete pass on fourth down from the 5-yard line with 30 seconds left. Matthew Fuller ran for 145 yards and both of Wayne’s touchdown and stopped a Perry scoring threat with a third-quarter interception. No. 2 North Oconee was a semifinalist in 2021 and is in the quarters for the third time in the school’s 19-year history. In a 35-9 victory over Lovett last week, Dominic Elder ran for three touchdowns, including two in the first half as the Titans built a 28-3 lead. Max Wilson was 10-of-16 passing for 148 yards and threw first-half touchdown passes to Brooks Cole Davidson and Thompson. North Oconee had been 1-7 in second-round games but has won its last two.

Oconee County (8-4) at Carver-Columbus (9-2): Both teams ended up in Class 3A after reaching recent state finals. For Oconee County, that occurred in 2020 after a runner-up finish against Blessed Trinity. Carver was the 2021 Class 4A runner-up to Benedictine. Carver, ranked No. 8, rushed for 301 yards and held Harlem to four first downs in a 40-7 victory last week. Jamari Riley has rushed for more than 1,400 yards for a team that has fewer than 1,000 passing yards on the season. Carver’s defense hasn’t allowed a point in the past three games, including against then-No. 8 Dougherty in the regular season. Oconee County, ranked No. 8, beat Adairsville 45-20 last week. C.J. Jones rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. He’s a three-year starter with 2,841 career rushing yards. Whit Weeks, who is committed to LSU, had two receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown, three tackles for losses and two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown.

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