However, Griffin doesn’t just measure its wins on the scoreboard. It also wants to look good in the process. Consider Griffin as high school’s version of Muhammad Ali, television executives’ answer to prayers. Glamour and Glitz are their middle names.
Griffin wins and looks really good doing it. Even a day or two later on film, their wins look fresh and sparkle — something rare for 98.9 percent of high school programs.
To top it off, unanimous No. 1-state ranked Griffin couldn’t have put itself in a better position heading into the opening round of the Class AAAA playoffs.
By clinching the Region 4-AAAA championship two weeks ago the Bears not only tied a school record for consecutive playoff appearances (9), but they more importantly made their road to the state title a lot easier.
Griffin (10-0) opens the playoffs at home against Region 1-AAAA fourth-place Harris County (5-5), a team that has never won a state payoff game. The winner of that game takes on the Evans (8-2)/Ware County (5-5) winner in the second round.
It is not until the third round the Bears even have a chance of meeting a ranked team. If Griffin advances that far it’ll play the winner of No. 4 Apalachee (10-0)/Starr’s Mill (6-4) -No. 8 Marist (8-2)/Sprayberry (7-3) in the state quarterfinals.
The most probable semifinal-round opponents are No. 3 Sandy Creek (9-1), No. 9-ranked Dalton (7-3) and No. 10 Thomas County Central (9-1). That leaves No. 2 Southwest DeKalb (9-1), No. 4 Hiram (10-0), No. 6 Westside-Macon (9-1) or No. 9 North Clayton (8-2) as the favorite most likely to advance to the finals from the other side of the bracket.
In other area action tonight, fourth-seeded Spalding (5-5) opens the Class AAA state playoffs at No. 2-state ranked and Region 1-AAA champ Peach County (10-0).
Spalding, which has never beaten Peach County in six tries, can do the unthinkable if it stays loose. Spalding’s defense is better than most folks think.
Their offense just has to catch a spark, turn it into a flame and fan it like crazy. Translation: They have to strike early, and once they get the Trojans on their heels they have to put them away… Jags 24-21.
(Sullivan is the sports editor at the Griffin Daily News.)
Post a Comment