First Round Primer: Watch tonight's games

WATCH THE VERY BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL IN GEORGIA TONIGHT

The National High School Sports Network, run by Atlanta-based company PlayOn Sports, will air a large number of high school playoffs games in Georgia tonight. To see which games are being broadcasted and watch the first-round matchups, CLICK HERE.

In This Issue

Falcons Coach of the Week

Cheerleading Championships

First Round Pairings

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Friday, November 11, 2016

FALCONS COACH OF THE WEEK

Hoff named Falcons Coach of the Week

Presented by Ford, the Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Week program recognizes 12 high school football coaches across the state of Georgia for their hard work and dedication to making a difference in student-athletes lives on and off the field over the course of the GHSA season.

The 11th winner of the 2016 season is Troy Hoff of Eastside High School.

Entering his second season as head coach after serving the previous six as assistant head coach to Rick Hurst, Hoff has led Eastside to a 14-5-1 record and the No. 2 seed out of Region 4 heading into the Class AAAA state playoffs. Hurst, the current head coach at Pepperrell, praised Hoff.

"He is a tireless worker with an excellent football mind. His communication skills with players and other staff members is why I personally hand-picked him for our administration to take over after I left."

Hoff himself has learned a lot from Hurst.

"He didn't hide anything from me. There are a lot of responsibilities and things he put on me that definitely helped me when it was my time to slide into that chair," told Hoff.

Receiving Recognition

"It's definitely a great honor, not only for myself but it's a reflection of our program," explained Hoff on winning Coach of the Week. "I have a tremendous coaching staff we got great kids and great administrative support."

Hoff's staff and administration have helped push the Eastside Eagles into becoming an integral part in the fabric of Covington.

"I think it's important that we give them opportunities to show them how fortunate they are," said Hoff about his players giving back to the community in different ways such as mentoring elementary school students, working at a food pantry and also helping with a foster children toy drive. "It's also very cool for them to see the support they get when they take part in those events."

CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Newly classified field opens up statewide opportunity

The GHSA began handing out Cheerleading State Championships during the 1993-94 school year. In the 22 years since, winning routines have continued to raise the bar. The rivalries have become fiercer, flyers have flown higher, tucks have tucked tighter and stunts have become bolder.

In Class 7A, Lambert and Peachtree Ridge headline the newly-formed classification. The Lions edged Lambert by a mere four points in 2014 to clinch their fourth state title (seventh including CO-ED) in Class 6A. Motivated by the second place finish, Lambert returned to Columbus to take the title 290-289 over rival South Forsyth last November. The victory marked Lambert's third state title in the past four years and proved valuable in securing Lambert's first-ever Director's Cup for being the most decorated athletic program in Class 6A last year.

WINNING FORMULA...

South Forsyth is looking to follow Lambert's formula from last year and sent a message to the the defending champs and the entire Class 7A field, by taking first place out of Region 5. The Eagles edged Lambert for first place, while West Forsyth and North Forsyth also earned state bids. South Forsyth has won six cheerleading state championships, but its last trip to the podium was in 2002 when the program captured its sixth title in seven years.

Peachtree Ridge finished a strong first place out of Region 6 with Collins Hill, North Gwinnett and Mountain View punching tickets to state.

In Class 6A, defending 5A champion Northgate took first out of Region 5. 2012 state champion Houston County enters the field as the top team out of Region 1 and Cambridge outscored a strong Region 7 that includes Pope, Alpharetta and Chattahoochee to carry momentum into the weekend. Class 5A is the only classification that has seen four different state champions the past four years.

STATE SHOWCASE...

Defending Class 4A champion Carrollton now resides in a strong Class 5A with 2014 Class 5A state champion Starr's Mill, two-time Class 4A state champion Veterans and 2008 Class 3A champion Harris County.

Carrollton's jump into Class 5A opens up the podium for a new Class 4A state champion. Cartersville, Columbus and Perry are the only three teams in the field of 23 that has captured a state title. Cartersville's last championship came in 2014, which snapped a 14-year drought and crowned the program for the third time. Hometown Columbus last captured titles in 2008 and 2010 while Perry's only state title came in 2002.

In Class 3A, Region 2 powerhouse Pierce County will look for its fourth state title in the past five years. Seven-time state champion Calhoun will look to challenge the Bears and so will Ringgold, which topped Calhoun in the Region 6 state bids.

Class 2A sets up an intriguing field of teams with Coosa defending its title against five programs with championships on their resumes (Fitzgerald, Vidalia, Bleckley County, Armuchee, Pepperell). Armcuhee last captured a state title in 2014 before Coosa captured its fourth state title since 2008.

Mt. Paran has a chance to make history over the weekend as the Eagles can join Northgate as the only program to win five consecutive state titles. The Eagles own every title since Class A-Private was debuted in 2012.

Commerce has its own history at stake in Class A-Public as the Tigers can win their state record 10th state title. Trion, Gordon Lee and Hawkinsville lead the field of challengers.

The CO-ED state title headlines Friday night with a lineup of 16 teams. Johns Creek is the defending champion, but no program has successfully defending its CO-ED state title since Peachtree Ridge in 2011.

FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS

Football State Playoff First Round Pairings 2016

Class AAAAAAA

R8 #3 Archer at R6 #2 Peachtree Ridge

R2 #4 Pebblebrook at R4 #1 Roswell

R1 #3 Tift County at R3 #2 North Cobb

R7 #4 Central Gwinnett at R5 #1 Lambert

R6 #3 North Gwinnett at R8 #2 South Gwinnett

R4 #4 Etowah at R2 #1 Westlake

R3 #3 Hillgrove at R1 #2 Lowndes

R5 #4 Milton at R7 #1 Norcross

R4 #3 Woodstock at R2 #2 East Coweta

R6 #4 Mountain View at R8 #1 Grayson

R5 #3 West Forsyth at R7 #2 Brookwood

R3 #4 North Paulding at R1 #1 Colquitt County

R2 #3 Wheeler at R4 #2 Cherokee

R8 #4 Newton at R6 #1 Mill Creek

R7 #3 Parkview at R5 #2 South Forsyth

At Large Lassiter at R3 #1 McEachern

Class AAAAAA

R8 #3 Gainesville at R6 #2 Harrison

R2 #4 Bradwell Institute at R4 #1 Tucker

R1 #3 Lee County at R3 #2 Evans

R7 #4 Cambridge at R5 #1 Mays

R6 #3 Allatoona at R8 #2 Lanier

R4 #4 Jonesboro at R2 #1 Glynn Academy

R3 #3 Grovetown at R1 #2 Northside-Warner Robins

R5 #4 Langston Hughes at R7 #1 Johns Creek

R4 #3 Stephenson at R2 #2 Effingham County

R6 #4 Sequoyah at R8 #1 Dacula

R5 #3 Northgate at R7 #2 Centennial

R3 #4 Lakeside-Evans at R1 #1 Valdosta

R2 #3 Richmond Hill at R4 #2 Lovejoy

R8 #4 Winder-Barrow at R6 #1 Dalton

R7 #3 Alpharetta at R5 #2 Alexander

R1 #4 Coffee at R3 #1 Heritage-Conyers

Class AAAAA

R8 #3 Clarke Central at R6 #2 Carver-Atlanta

R2 #4 South Effingham at R4 #1 Stockbridge

R1 #3 Warner Robins at R3 #2 Griffin

R7 #4 Villa Rica at R5 #1 Arabia Mountain

R6 #3 Riverwood at R8 #2 Loganville

R4 #4 Ola at R2 #1 Ware County

R3 #3 Whitewater at R1 #2 Bainbridge

R5 #4 Miller Grove at R7 #1 Rome

R4 #3 Jones County at R2 #2 Wayne County

R6 #4 Banneker at R8 #1 Buford

R5 #3 at R7 #2 Carrollton

R3 #4 Riverdale at R1 #1 Thomas County Cenral

R2 #3 New Hampstead at R4 #2 Woodland-Stockbridge

R8 #4 Walnut Grove at R6 #1 Grady

R7 #3 Kell at R5 #2 Southwest DeKalb

R1 #4 Veterans at R3 #1 Starr's Mill

Class AAAA

R8 #3 Oconee County at R6 #2 Northwest Whitfield

R2 #4 Upson-Lee at R4 #1 Woodward Academy

R1 #3 Northside-Columbus at R3 #2 Burke County

R7 #4 Chestatee at R5 #1 Cartersville

R6 #3 Heritage-Catoosa at R8 #2 Stephens County

R4 #4 North Clayton at R2 #1 Mary Persons

R3 #3 Cross Creek at R1 #2 Carver-Columbus

R5 #4 Chapel Hill at R7 #1 Blessed Trinity

R4 #3 Luella at R2 #2 West Laurens

R6 #4 Pickens at R8 #1 Jefferson

R5 #3 Sandy Creek at R7 #2 Marist

R3 #4 Baldwin at R1 #1 Cairo

R2 #3 Spalding at R4 #2 Eastside

R8 #4 St. Pius at R6 #1 Oconee County

R7 #3 West Hall at R5 #2 Troup

R1 #4 Americus-Sumter at R3 #1 Thomson

Class AAA

R8 #3 Jackson at R6 #2 Ringgold

R2 #4 Tattnall County at R4 #1 Peach County

R1 #3 Cooks at R3 #2 Savannah

R7 #4 North Hall at R5 #1 Westminster

R6 #3 Sonoraville at R8 #2 Franklin County

R4 #4 Pike County at R2 #1 Liberty County

R3 #3 Southeast Bulloch at R1 #2 Worth County

R5 #4 Pace Academy at R7 #1 Greater Atlanta Christian

R4 #3 Westside-Macon at R2 #2 Pierce County

R6 #4 Murray County at R8 #1 Morgan County

R5 #3 Lovett at R7 #2 Dawson County

R3 #4 Islands at R1 #1 Crisp County

R2 #3 Brantley County at R4 #2 Jackson

R8 #4 Monroe Area at R6 #1 Calhoun

R7 #3 Union County at R5 #2 Cedar Grove

R1 #4 Dougherty at R3 #1 Jenkins

Class AA

R8 #3 Elbert County at R6 #2 Douglass

R2 #4 Toombs County at R4 #1 Screven County

R1 #3 Brooks County at R3 #2 Southwest

R7 #4 Model at R5 #1 Callaway

R6 #3 K.I.P.P. Atlanta at R8 #2 Banks County

R4 #4 Josey at R2 #1 Benedictine

R3 #3 Dodge County at R1 #2 Thomasville

R5 #4 Spencer at R7 #1 Pepperell

R4 #3 Laney at R2 #2 Vidalia

R6 #4 Washington at R8 #1 Rabun County

R5 #3 Heard County at R7 #2 Rockmart

R3 #4 Dublin at R1 #1 Fitzgerald

R2 #3 Swainsboro at R4 #2 Jefferson County

R8 #4 Monticello at R6 #1 Hapeville Charter

R7 #3 Chattooga at R5 #2 Lamar County

R1 #4 Berrien at R3 #1 Washington County

Class A-Public

#24 Marion County at #9 Twiggs County

#8 Manchester BYE

#17 Turner County at #16 Terrell County

#1 Macon County BYE

#21 Irwin County at #12 Dooly County

#5 Mt. Zion BYE

#20 Bowdon at #13 Miller County

#4 Emanuel County Institute BYE

#23 Trion at #10 Taylor County

#7 Commerce BYE

#18 Randolph-Clay at #15 Mitchell County

#2 Clinch County BYE

#22 Washington-Wilkes at #11 Lincoln County

#6 McIntosh County BYE

#19 Wheeler County at #14 Greene County

#3 Pelham BYE

Class A-Private

#24 Brookstone at #9 Pinecrest Academy

#8 Wesleyan BYE

#17 First Presbyterian Day at #16 Aquinas

#1 Eagle's Landing Christian BYE

#21 Holy Innocents' at #12 Stratford Academy

#20 Hebron Christian at #13 Savannah Christian

#4 Calvary Day BYE

#23 Walker at #10 Darlington

#7 Landmark Christian BYE

#18 Mt. Pisgah at #15 Athens Christian

#2 Prince Avenue Christian BYE

#22 Savannah Country Day at #11 Athens Academy

#6 Mt. Paran BYE

#19 Mt. Vernon at #14 George Walton Academy

#3 Fellowship Christian BYE

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