Blessed Trinity at St. Pius
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, George B. Maloof Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Blessed Trinity (14-1 in 2017) is No. 1 in Class AAAA; St. Pius (8-6 in 2017) is No. 6 in AAAA.
Last meeting: Blessed Trinity won 35-21 in 2017.
Things to know: The series between these Catholic schools is tied 5-5. Blessed Trinity has won the last five. Blessed Trinity returns 16 starters and several Division I recruits from a team that won its first state championship last season. Notable among the returnees are RB/LB Steele Chambers (committed to Ohio State), LB/TE J.D. Bertrand (Georgia) and DL/FB J.R. Bivens (Middle Tennessee). Chambers and Elijah Green, a junior, each ran for more than 1,300 yards last season, and QB Jake Smith passed for 2,130. St. Pius made a remarkable turnaround last season. After a 2-9 finish in 2016, and an 0-5 start to 2017, the Lions responded with eight straight victories and a region title on their way to the state semifinals. QB Connor Egan and RBs Michael Benefield and Jason Jones return from an offense that rushed for a school-record 4,452 yards last season. The defense will be led by linebacker DeMarcus Mitchell (Region 8-AAAA defensive player of the year) and safety Zach Ranson (committed to Wake Forest).
Bremen vs. Rabun County
When, where: 6 p.m. Saturday, Paulson Stadium, Statesboro
Records, rankings: Bremen (9-2 in 2017) is No. 9 in Class AA; Rabun County (14-1 in 2017) is No. 3 in AA.
Last meeting: Rabun County won 49-14 in the first round of the 2015 Class AA playoffs.
Things to know: This matchup is part of the three-game Erk Russell Classic at Georgia Southern. Bremen coach Davis Russell is a grandson of Erk Russell, the former Georgia Southern head coach, and a son of Jay Russell, who was Rabun County's head coach in 1992 and 1993. Jay Russell was a mentor to current Rabun County coach Lee Shaw, a Rabun alumnus. Rabun coordinators Jaybo Shaw and Rob Stockton played at Georgia Southern, and Rabun freshman QB Gunner Stockton will make his first varsity start on the field where his father, Rob, played. Stockton will be replacing all-state QB Bailey Fisher. Rabun County, coming off its first state finals appearance, returns six first-team all-region players. WR/DB Austin Jones is a preseason all-state pick. Bremen was reclassified down to Class AA in the offseason. Bremen is seeking its first victory over a ranked team in the same classification since beating No. 5 Marion County in the 2011 Class A playoffs. Running back Tyran Dobbs, who rushed for 1,315 yards last season, is one of four first-team all-Region 6-AAA players who are back for Bremen.
Brookwood vs. North Gwinnett
When, where: 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Brookwood (11-3 in 2017) is unranked in Class AAAAAAA; North Gwinnett (14-1 in 2017) is No. 4 in AAAAAAA.
Last meeting: Brookwood won 37-23 in 2016.
Things to know: North Gwinnett lost about half its starters from its state-championship team but returns some star-studded players. Tyler Goodson (committed to Iowa) had 1,385 yards rushing and 356 receiving with 23 touchdowns last season. Josh Downs (four-star 2020 recruit) had 1,181 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Warren Burrell (Tennessee) and Quinton Newsome (Nebraska) are major Division I recruits in the secondary. Brookwood last year won its first region title, reached its first semifinal and achieved its first 10-win season since its state championship of 2014. Fourteen Brookwood players made first- or second-team all-region. All 14 graduated, along with six other starters. Coaches feel best about the offensive line, though only the center, Aidan Perkins, is a returning starter. Brookwood's victory over North Gwinnett in the 2016 Corky Kell Classic at the Georgia Dome broke a six-game losing streak against the Bulldogs.
Buford vs. Tucker
When, where: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Georgia State Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Buford (11-2 in 2017) is No. 2 in Class AAAAA; Tucker (12-2 in 2017) is No. 3 in AAAAAA.
Last meeting: Buford won 7-0 in 1955.
Things to know: Though the schools are less than 30 miles apart, Buford and Tucker haven't played each other in football since 1955, when they were small-town country schools in the same Class C region. Today, they are two of just four Georgia schools with more than 200 victories this century. Buford has won 246 games, Tucker 204. Tucker returns only four offensive and two defensive starters from its 2017 state semifinal team. The Tigers graduated five major Division I signees, three that were four-star recruits. Preseason all-state DE Derrick McLendon, a Florida State pledge, is the only senior major recruit on this team. But Tucker has missed winning 10 games only three times this century, most recently in 2015. Buford has six major D-I players already committed, a high total even for the Wolves. Four are offensive linemen - Harry Miller (Ohio State), Reece McIntyre and Carter Colquitt (both Ole Miss) and Riley Simonds (Florida). Derrian Brown is the highest-rated senior RB prospect in the state.
Burke County vs. Benedictine
When, where: 9 p.m. Saturday, Paulson Stadium, Statesboro
Records, rankings: Burke County (12-1 in 2017) is No. 8 in Class AAAA; Benedictine (12-1 in 2017) is No. 5 in AAA.
Last meeting: Burke County won 21-14 in 2007.
Things to know: Burke County reached the quarterfinals for the fifth time in eight seasons last year but lost eight of nine first-team all-region performers to graduation, including offensive player of the year William Knight and overall player of the year Damari Kelly. Both were quarterbacks. The Bears' only returning all-region player is versatile defensive back/athlete Chad Crumbley, who could end up playing quarterback or running back this season. Benedictine is playing in Class AAA this season after a six-year run in AA during which it went 73-9 with two state championships and four region titles. The Cadets ran for more than 300 yards per game last season but lost leading rushers Travis Blackshear (1,444 yards) and Terrick Smalls (821) to graduation, as well as QB Nick Iannone (1,707 yards passing). The defense brings back six of the top seven tacklers from a unit that allowed just 11.8 points per game. These eastern Georgia schools have met four times (2004-2007), with Burke County winning them all by a combined score of 98-17.
Colquitt County vs. McEachern
When, where: 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Colquitt County (11-4 in 2017) is No. 2 in Class AAAAAAA; McEachern (10-4 in 2017) is No. 7 in AAAAAAA.
Last meeting: Colquitt County won 57-20 in the 2014 Class AAAAAA semifinals.
Things to know: Both teams were semifinalists in the highest classification last season. Colquitt County, the eventual state runner-up, reached at least the semifinals in eight of the past nine seasons. For McEachern, it was the third trip to the semis in five seasons. Colquitt County will have a new starting quarterback, junior Jaycee Harden. He will be replacing Steven Krajewski, who passed for 2,395 yards and had a hand in 36 touchdowns last season. Harden will get help in the backfield from Ty Leggett and Daijun Edwards, who both rushed for more than 1,000 yards last year. Kicker/punter Ryan Fitzgerald was named the preseason all-state place-kicker this season. McEachern rotated three players at quarterback last season, but the job will belong to sophomore Carlos Delrio-Wilson this year after the graduation of Malik Evans. Delrio-Wilson, who already has offers from Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan and N.C. State, was the Indians' primary option during their playoff run. RB Paris Brown has posted consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards rushing.
Lovett at Greater Atlanta Christian
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Norcross
Records, rankings: Lovett (7-5 in 2017) is No. 7 in Class AAA; Greater Atlanta Christian (12-2 in 2017) is No. 3 in AAA.
Last meeting: Greater Atlanta Christian won 38-21 in the second round of the 2017 Class AAA playoffs.
Things to know: Greater Atlanta Christian has won the last five games in this series, including two victories over Lovett last season, after Lovett had won the previous six. This will be the fourth straight meeting in which both teams were ranked, and the seventh straight when at least one was ranked. Lovett returns its two best all-around players from 2017, K.J. Wallace and Nick Jackson. Wallace is a defensive back, receiver and return man with more than 1,000 all-purpose yards. He is committed to Notre Dame. Jackson is a linebacker and tight end with 25 offers. Another top player is two-way lineman and long snapper Will Seiler, who is committed to Penn. GAC graduated its leading rusher, receiver and tackler but brings back quarterbacks Josh Rose (1,355 yards passing) and Jackson Hardy (676 passing). The Spartans' lines of scrimmage are outstanding. The cornerstones are brothers Chris and Myles Hinton are five-star recruits and preseason all-state players.
Marietta at Rome
When, where: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Barron Stadium, Rome
Records, rankings: Marietta (8-5 in 2017 before forfeits; see note below) is No. 6 in Class AAAAAAA; Rome (15-0 in 2017) is No. 1 in AAAAA.
Last meeting: Marietta won 17-0 in 1993.
Things to know: Marietta's trip to the quarterfinals last season was the program's best postseason run since Dexter Wood's final Blue Devils team reached the semifinals in 1994. However, Marietta was recently forced to forfeit its eight victories for using ineligible players, and the team officially finished 0-13. The Blue Devils appear loaded for another long playoff run with a lineup that includes AJC Super 11 senior WR Ramel Keyton (committed to Tennessee), junior QB Harrison Bailey (No. 4-ranked pro-style QB in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings), junior athlete Arik Gilbert (No. 6 junior nationally) and four-star juniors DE B.J. Ojulari, WR Jermaine Burton and OT Jake Wray. Rome has won two consecutive Class AAAAA championships and enters the game with a 27-game winning streak. The Wolves averaged 50.5 points per game in 2017, and two of the biggest pieces of the offense are back. QB Knox Kadum (about 10 mid-major offers) passed for 2,046 yards last year and has more than 700 yards rushing each of the past two seasons. RB Jamious Griffin (committed to N.C. State) rushed for 1,276 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Norcross vs. Mays
When, where: 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Norcross (5-6 in 2017) is unranked in Class AAAAAAA; Mays (11-2 in 2017) is No. 5 in AAAAAA.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Things to know: Mays will be the first Atlanta city team to play in the Corky Kell Classic. That's significant because the Kell Classic has been played most commonly in downtown Atlanta, originally at the Georgia Dome and now the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, eight miles east of Mays' campus. Mays actually played at the Benz last season and beat South Paulding 42-0 in a regular-season game. Mays has averaged 11 victories the past four seasons, its best run in history. Mays graduated 11 all-region performers but is encouraged by a stellar junior class that includes 1,000-yard rusher Tyree Nelson. Senior QB JahQuez Evans, who is committed to South Florida, passed for 994 yards and rushed for 322 in just six games last season. Norcross has one of Gwinnett County's better quarterbacks, Louis Williams, who threw for 1,728 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. The Blue Devils' strength is expected to be a fast, pressuring front seven. Mays will be the first Atlanta city school that Norcross has played. Mays had not played a Gwinnett County school until the past two seasons, when the Raiders won twice against Peachtree Ridge.
Tift County at Warner Robins
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins
Records, rankings: Tift County (11-2 in 2017) is No. 8 in Class AAAAAAA; Warner Robins (14-1 in 2017) is No. 3 in AAAAA.
Last meeting: Warner Robins won 34-0 in 2009.
Things to know: Tift County and Warner Robins both posted their best season in years in 2017. Tift County's run to the quarterfinals was its best since 2006. Warner Robins, a year after finishing 3-8, made it to the state finals for the first time since its 2004 state championship season. Tift County's first order of business will be finding a replacement for quarterback Griffin Collier, who passed for 2,941 yards and 32 touchdowns last season before moving on to the University of West Georgia. Patrick Felton, a transfer from Crisp County, is among four candidates vying for the position. LB K.D. McDaniel (committed to Kentucky) and DL/OL Austin Williams (a reported 20 offers) will anchor a defense that returns seven starters. Warner Robins is all set at quarterback with the return of Dylan Fromm (Mercer), the consensus offensive player of the year in Class AAAAA last season after passing for a school-record 3,505 yards and 35 touchdowns. His top returning target is his brother Tyler Fromm (Auburn), who had 43 receptions for 529 yards and five TDs. The defense must replace seven starters.
RELATED: Full high school football schedule
RELATED: Preseason contenders for the high school player of the year
RELATED: High school football teams with most wins since 2000
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.
Cox Media Group
