Three Middle Georgia teams highlight semifinal action in GHSA football playoffs
Here’s a look at the semifinal playoff football games from around Middle Georgia.
Jones County vs. Buford
7:30 p.m. Friday at Jones County
Story of the game: Jones County has found its way into the semifinals under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Chastain. The team’s offense struggled through the first two rounds but got back on track with a 49-14 win over Griffin in the quarterfinals. Buford is coming off of a hard-fought battle against Carrollton. The Wolves prevailed 24-21.
Keys to the game for Jones County: The health of quarterback Hunter Costlow was one of the biggest concerns against Griffin. He went down late in the first quarter and didn’t return until after halftime. The Greyhounds offense was stagnant for the most part with Costlow not on the field. Costlow will need to avoid injuring his shoulder again against Buford. Costlow is one of the key cogs on the offense as he is a great distributor to Jones County’s great outside weapons like Maleek Wooten and Jontavis Robertson. Costlow’s ability to stay in the game could be the deciding factor.
Keys to the game for Buford: The Wolves will need to find a way to slow down Jones County’s offense. The win against Griffin is a perfect example of just how explosive Jones County can be as it scored 42 unanswered in the second half. Buford will need to dictate the pace of this game and avoid letting Jones County get in rhythm with its uptempo offense.
Staff pick: Jones County
Warner vs. Starr’s Mill
7:30 p.m. Friday at Warner Robins
Story of the game: Warner Robins is coming off of a blowout victory over Clarke Central in the quarterfinals. Starr’s Mill got a win over Dutchtown in overtime by going for a two-point conversion. The bold strategy earned it a spot in the semifinals.
Keys to the game for Warner Robins: The Demons have been able to rely on a heavy dose of running the ball on offense and smash-mouth defense to win so far. It has worked so far and there is no reason to change now. This is a team that typically dictates the pace of the game on offense by using multiple players to get its ground game going. On defense, look for the Demons to capitalize on mistakes. It’s an opportunistic unit on that side of the ball.
Keys to the game for Starr’s Mill: The Panthers are a team that relies almost solely on its run game. Warner Robins has done a great job of shutting down the run game all season. The key to this game will be if Starr’s Mill can hit a couple of pass plays early just to keep Warner Robins defense from stacking the box all game.
Staff pick: Warner Robins
Dublin vs. Thomasville
7:30 p.m. Friday at Thomasville
Story of the game: Dublin knocked off powerhouse Hapeville to earn its spot in the final four. Thomasville punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 38-24 win over Rabun County.
Keys to the game for Dublin: The Fighting Irish have outscored their playoff opponents 112-47. A large part of that is due to a power run game that is hard to stop. Running back Jacques Evans has been a monster all season running the football. He has almost 2,000 yards on 194 carries and has found the end zone 34 times.. Expect him to be one of the featured players in this game. On defense, Romello Height has been a playmaker for them all season. Look for him to step up on the road against a tough Thomasville team.
Keys to the game for Thomasville: The Bulldogs are the more balanced of the two teams. They are able to hurt you on the ground and through the air. The key for them will be mixing the run and pass enough to keep Dublin guessing on defense. Another key factor is taking advantage of each possession. Dublin has the ability to drain the clock with its run-heavy offense. The possessions could be limited.
Staff pick: Dublin