Cedar Grove linebacker Keith Bass (24) brings down the Sandy Creek quarterback for a sack in the Saints’ regular season win. Bass and his teammates take on Bremen on Friday night in the Sweet 16 round of the Class 3A state playoffs. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Cedar Grove and Stephenson defend their home turf in the second round of their respective state playoff Sweet 16 games and Columbia goes on the road as the GHSA Football State Playoffs continue Friday.
The No. 2 ranked Cedar Grove Saints (6-5) play host to Bremen Blue Devils (9-2) at Godfrey Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 pm on Friday.
Cedar Grove held off a tough Hebron Christian Lions team 30-27 after taking a 30-13 lead in the fourth quarter to advance to the Sweet 16 round of the Class 3A state playoffs. The Saints offense runs through junior quarterback EJ Colson (1,915 yards passing, 24 TDs) and junior running back Bo Walker (1,013 yards rushing, 17 TDs). Sophomore wide receiver Devin Carter has 668 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns as a big downfield in an offense averaging 33.3 points per game.
The Saints’ defense has held opponents to under 300 yards of total offense on the season playing a schedule that includes three Class 7A teams in the Sweet 16 playoffs, Monarch of Florida which won its region and is in the second round of the Florida Class 4M state playoffs and Alabama Class 6A Carver-Montgomery. The defense is led by senior outside linebacker Wesley Brown (69 tackles, 5 sacks, 7 TFL, 1 INT), junior middle linebacker Keith Bass (57 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks), junior defensive end Javon Beckford (57 tackles, 8 sacks, 9 TFL, 5 FC, 4 FR) and senior defensive end Chase Kerns (40 tackles, 9 TFL 2 sacks) who combined for 17 sacks and 29 tackles for a loss on the season as well as nine forced fumbles.
This is the second meeting between Bremen and Cedar Grove as the Saints won a 48-7 decision over the fourth seeded Blue Devils in the first round a year ago. Bremen comes in as the No. 2 seed out of Region 6-3A this year and is coming off a 40-17 victory over White County.
Bremen is scoring at a 28.3 points per game clip with its only region loss being a 28-21 game against region champ Adairsville.
Stephenson quarterback Marte Barton rolls out in a scrimmage game. Barton has over 3,000 yards passing in his career. Barton the Jaguars host Luella in the Sweet 16 round of the Class 4A state playoffs on Friday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
CLASS 4A
Hallford Stadium plays host to a Class 4A Sweet 16 matchup as the No. 8 ranked Stephenson Jaguars (9-2) host the Luella Lions (6-5) in a 7:30 pm kick on Friday.
Stephenson won its first region title since 2019 and opened the Class 4A state playoffs with a 62-15 win over Northwest Whitfield behind a 221 yards and four touchdown performance by senior running back Devin Ingram (2,032 yards rushing, 30 TDs) who has 3,383 yards rushing and 48 touchdowns in three years for the Jaguars.
The Stephenson defense is allowing just 97.8 yards per game rushing led by senior linebacker Kaleb Bristow (93 tackles, 6 sacks, 7 TFL, 2 INT) and junior defensive lineman Romando Craddock (55 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 7 TFL).
Luella, the No. 2 seed from Region 5-4A, is coming off a 26-21 win over East Forsyth in the opening round of the playoffs. This is the seventh meeting for the two schools and first in the playoffs. The two played six consecutive years (2006-2011) with the Jaguars winning five of the matchups by 16 or more points and Luella winning 21-14 in 2008.
Columbia’s Cain Jefferson (9) comes over to help Edwin Moore (50) finish off a tackle for a loss against Eagle’s Landing Christian earlier this season. The defensive duo and their Eagle teammates go to North Cobb Christian looking for a big playoff win. (Photo by Mark Brock)
CLASS 2A
The Columbia Eagles (8-3) go on the road to face the North Cobb Christian Eagles (9-2) for the second consecutive season in the Class 2A state playoffs with kickoff set for 7:30 pm on Friday.
North Cobb won their first-round matchup in a hard fought 14-6 victory a year ago.
Columbia is coming off a 53-26 win over Athens Academy in the first round where the Eagles rushed for over 600 yards led by Lamaze Williams (300 yards, 5 TDs) and Jadan Baugh (295 yards, 2 TDs). Both runners have over 1,200 yards rushing on the season and combined for 28 touchdowns.
The defense has allowed just 226.6 yards per game (only 94 passing) and allowed just 13.9 points per game on the season. Senior defensive lineman Edwin Moore (65 tackles, 27 TFL, 9 sacks) and junior defensive end Cain Jefferson (54 tackles, 20 TFL, 11 sacks) have combined for 47 tackles for a loss while sophomore linebacker Charles Harris has 91 total tackles to lead the team.
North Cobb Christian defeated Fanin County 35-27 to advance to the Sweet 16 round of the playoffs. The Eagles won the Region 6 title averaging 25.5 points per game and relies more on its passing attack with 180 yards per game through the air.
DCSD FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 17
GODFREY STADIUM
CLASS 3A
Bremen (9-2) vs. Cedar Grove (6-5), 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
CLASS 4A
Luella (6-5) vs. Stephenson (9-2), 7:30 pm
AWAY
CLASS 2A
Columbia (8-3) at North Cobb Christian (9-2), 7:30 pm