High school football: Closer look at Friday's games
CARVER VS. DREW
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium.
What: GHSA Class AAAAA, first round
Records: Carver 9-1. Drew 7-3.
Last week: Carver beat Hardaway 35-6. Drew beat Woodland-Stockbridge 34-28.
Series: First meeting.
You need to know: Carver is the No. 1 seed from Region 1. Drew is the No. 4 seed from Region 4. Carver has won seven straight since a loss at Creekside on Sept. 4. Carver has been to the playoffs nine straight years. In that stretch, last year was the only time the Tigers didn't advance at least into the quarterfinals. Drew is located in Riverdale. This is the seventh season in program history for Drew. Drew has never advanced past the first round of the playoffs. The Titans lost to Glynn Academy in overtime last year and to Burke County in 2011.
NORTHSIDE VS. STARR'S MILL
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kinnett Stadium.
What: GHSA Class AAAAA, first round
Records: Northside 6-3. Starr's Mill 9-1.
Last week: Northside beat LaGrange 35-23. Starr's Mill beat Dutchtown 45-7.
Series: First meeting.
You need to know: Northside is the No. 2 seed from Region 1. Starr's Mill is the No. 3 seed from Region 4. Northside has won 5-of-6. The only loss in that stretch came to Carver. Starr's Mill's only loss came two weeks ago, 21-7 to Northgate. Starr's Mill is located in Fayetteville. Northside was back in the playoffs last year after a five-year drought. The Patriots lost to Northside-Warner Robins. Northside is 1-3 in the postseason in its 13 years as a program. The Patriots beat Monroe in 2005 then lost to Peach County. They also lost to Baldwin in the first round in 2009. Starr's Mill was back in the playoffs last year after a three-year absence. The Panthers lost to Ware County. The Panthers lost in the 2010 Class AAAA state title game to Chattahoochee.
CREEKSIDE AT CALVARY CHRISTIAN
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Len McWilliams Field
What: GICAA Class I-AA state semifinals
Records: Creekside 7-2. Calvary Christian 9-1.
Last week: Calvary Christian beat Creekside 24-6.
Series:
You need to know: These two teams meet for the second straight week. Last week's game was played at Creekside. Calvary Christian is the No. 2 seed, while Creekside is No. 3. Calvary Christian is trying to get back to the state championship game for the second straight season. The Knights lost at Sherwood last year. The other semifinal has Community Christian playing at Covenant.
SPENCER AT WASHINGTON COUNTY
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Sandersville, Ga.
What: GHSA Class AAA state playoffs, first round
Records: Spencer 7-3. Washington County 5-5.
Last week: Spencer beat Jordan 48-9. Washington County beat Westside-Augusta 47-7.
Series: First meeting.
You need to know: Spencer has won six straight, while Washington County has won four straight. Spencer is the No. 3 seed from Region 2. Washington County is the No. 2 seed from Region 3. Spencer is returning to the state playoffs for the first time since 1993. The Greenwave has never won a GHSA state playoff game. In 1993, they beat Shaw in a region playoff game, then lost to Wayne County in the first round of the state playoffs. Prior to 1993, the last state playoff appearance for Spencer came in 1967 in the GIA when it beat Central-Newnan in the semifinals and Risley in the finals. Washington County has advanced to the state championship game the past two seasons, losing to Buford in 2013 and Calhoun last season.
SHAW AT NORTHGATE
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Henry Seldon Field, Newnan
What: GHSA Class AAAAA state playoffs, first round
Records: Shaw 5-5. Northgate 9-1.
Last week: Shaw beat Harris County 45-40. Northgate lost 20-2 to Stockbridge
Series: Northgate leads 2-0, including 45-0 earlier this season. The teams opened the season on Aug. 28 at Kinnett Stadium. Northgate also won 35-22 last season.
You need to know: Shaw won against Harris County to get into a three-way tie for the final two playoff berths from Region 1. Shaw then beat Columbus in a mini-game to earn a berth in the state playoffs. Northgate is coached by former Troup coach Tommy Walburn. Shaw is back in the playoffs after a two-year absence. The Raiders lost in the first round in 2011 and 2012. The last playoff win came in 2008, a first-round win over Peach County before a second-round loss to Baldwin. The Vikings are back in the playoff after a two-year absence. The Vikings won in the first round in 2011, then lost in the second round. They went to the state quarterfinals in 2000, losing to Americus.
COLUMBUS AT STOCKBRIDGE
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Tiger Stadium, Stockbridge, Ga.
What: GHSA Class AAAAA state playoffs, first round
Records: Columbus 7-3. Stockbridge 10-0.
Last week: Columbus was idle. Stockbridge beat Northgate 20-2.
Series: Tied 1-1. Columbus won 14-13 in 1992, and Stockbridge won 38-14 in 1993, both regular-season games.
You need to know: Columbus finished a in three-way tie for third place in the region. Columbus lost the first mini-game tiebreaker to Shaw, but then beat LaGrange to earn a spot in the playoffs. This is the most wins by a Columbus team since 1994, when the Blue Devils went 9-3. This will be Columbus' first state playoff game since that 1994 season. Columbus lost 40-0 to Thomas County Central that season. Columbus has not won a state playoff game since beating Richmond Academy 13-7 in the 1974 state quarterfinals. Stockbridge is ranked No. 1 in the latest GSWA poll. Stockbridge opened the season with a 13-7 victory over Central. Hardaway alum Justen Rivers is the linebackers coach for Stockbridge.
WASHINGTON-WILKES AT MANCHESTER
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Memorial Stadium, Manchester, Ga.
What: GHSA Class AA state playoffs, first round
Records: Washington-Wilkes 4-6. Manchester 7-3.
Last week: Washington-Wilkes lost 43-21 to Union County. Manchester beat Temple 41-13.
Series: Washington-Wilkes leads 1-0. The only meeting came in the state semifinals in 1967 at Callaway Stadium in LaGrange. Washington-Wilkes won 13-7.
You need to know: After starting 0-4, Washington-Wilkes finished the regular season winning four of six games. Evan Hochstetler turned around the Manchester program in his first season as head coach. The Blue Devils went 3-7 last season.
R.E. LEE AT CENTRAL
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Garrett-Harrison Stadium
What: AHSAA Class 7A state playoffs, second round
Records: R.E. Lee 8-3. Central 8-3.
Last week: R.E. Lee beat Murphy 37-21. Central beat Foley 34-14.
Series: Central leads 16-6, including 39-20 on Sept. 10 in Montgomery. Central has won eight straight. Lee's last win came in 1998, 7-6.
You need to know: This season has been quite a turnaround for R.E. Lee, which had not won more than three games in a season since going 5-5 in 2010. R.E. Lee's last trip to the playoffs came in 2009, when the Generals lost 30-6 to Auburn. R.E. Lee is 10-7 in second-round playoff games. Central is 7-10 in second-round playoff games. The Red Devils lost 26-7 to Prattville in the second round (quarterfinals) last season. Central's last win in a second-round game came in 2001, 41-14 over Ben Russell.
-- Kevin Price
This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 11:07 PM with the headline "High school football: Closer look at Friday's games ."