Cedar Grove’s EJ Colson (11) takes the shotgun snap from center Uriah Scott (71) during the Saints 30-0 win over No. 2 ranked Calvary Day. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A Top 10 battle in the Class 3A high school football state playoffs semifinals is set for Friday at 7:30 pm at “Buck” Godfrey Stadium as the No. 1 ranked Cedar Grove Saints host the No. 9 ranked Oconee County Warriors.
Cedar Grove (10-2) and Oconee County (9-4) meet for the second time in the state playoffs with the Saints winning that 2015 meeting 28-14.
The Saints moved into the semifinal round for the seventh time in the past eight seasons with a 30-0 shutout of No. 2 ranked Calvary Day last Friday at Godfrey Stadium.
Demarcus Smith led a Saints’ rushing attack that came up just two yards shy of 200 on the night as he ran the ball nine times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Boden Walker finished with eight carries for 50 yards and Jakari Ponder added five carries for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore quarterback EJ Colson hit on 19 of 22 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown while adding one score on a one-yard keeper. Barry Jackson led the receiving corps with seven receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown (20 yards). Miami Jones added five catches for 50 yards.
Cedar Grove’s Quinterio Lawson (2) brings down the Calvary Day quarterback for a loss in the Saints win last Friday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Saints defense recorded its first shutout of the season holding the Cavaliers (11-1) to just 137 yards of total offense on the night including three big stands deep in their own territory. Cedar Grove stopped Calvary on fourth down three times and blocked a field goal (Jakyre Horton).
Cedar Grove totaled 10 tackles for a loss including five sacks on the night. Quinterio Lawson had two sacks and two tackles for a loss to lead the charge while Everett Roussaw added three tackles for a loss.
Oconee County upended Carver (Columbus) 14-6 to advance to the semifinals as a No. 3 seed. CJ Jones had an early touchdown run and Whit Weeks touchdown catch from Mac Ricks and then a game-saving interception late in the game propelled the Warriors into the semifinals.
Ricks leads the Warrior offense which relies mostly on its ground game and the feet of Jones (12 touchdowns).
Senior linebackers Samson Stearns (71 tackles) and Whit Weeks (70 tackles) lead the Warriors on defense. Weeks has 12 tackles for a loss on the season.
The two teams share one common opponent on the season in Hebron Christian. Oconee loss a tough 35-28 battle in region play to Hebron while Cedar Grove knocked off Hebron 70-33 in the season round of the state playoffs.
DCSD FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
CLASS 3A SEMIFINALS
GODFREY STADIUM
Oconee Co. (9-4) vs. Cedar Grove (10-2), 7:30 pm