Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

High school football state playoffs: Central-Phenix City to visit Prattville in Alabama's second round; Georgia's first round starts Friday

While Alabama high schools roll into the second round of their state playoffs, Georgia schools will just be getting started next week.

Central-Phenix City, fresh off a 32-17 win over Stanhope Elmore on Friday, will travel to Prattville for a second-round game. Prattville routed Dothan 50-13 in its playoff opener. Friday’s game will kickoff at 8 p.m.

Prattville has both of the previous two meetings between the teams, but the last one came in the 1989 playoffs.

In GHSA first-round games, broken down by classification:

Class AAAA

Harris County, the No. 4 seed from Region 1, will travel to face Region 4 champion Griffin, which finished the regular season 10-0.

Class AAA

Carver, the Region 2 champion, will open the playoffs Friday against Burke County, which earned Region 3’s fourth seed with a 42-35 win over West Laurens on Friday.

The No. 2 Tigers are in the same half of the bracket as No. 1 Gainesville. If both of those teams win their first three games, they would meet in the semifinals in early December.

LaGrange beat Troup for the second spot from Region 2. The Grangers will host Liberty County, the third seed from Region 3, Saturday at Callaway Stadium at 6 p.m.

Troup will be in Sandersville for a rematch against Washington County. WaCo beat Troup 48-6 earlier this season.

Northside, the No. 4 seed from Region 2, will travel to play Region 3 champion Baldwin.

Class A

Brookstone shook off an 0-2 start in Region 4 to claim the third seed. The Cougars will travel to play Miller County, which lost the Region 1 championship game on Friday to Clinch County.

Marion County, the No. 4 seed from Region 4, will play at Clinch County.

Chattahoochee County, the second seed from Region 4, will host Seminole County, the third seed from Region 1.

Class AA

Callaway, which went unbeaten in Region 5 play to earn its second straight title, will host Riverside Military, the fourth seed from Region 8.

Manchester had a chance to earn the second seed from Region 5 that would have meant a home game in the first round, but the Blue Devils lost to Lamar County on Friday. Manchester will take the No. 3 seed and travel to East Jackson.

Kevin Price, 706-571-8590