Three area teams move on

Three Chattanooga-area high school football teams remain alive in the postseason, and all three roll into the next round after easy wins Friday night.

In Tennessee, third-ranked South Pittsburg (10-2) gained nearly 500 yards of total offense in rolling past Gordonsville 46-7 in the Class 1A quarterfinals and has outscored its two opponents 96-7. Mr. Football finalist Terrell Robinson had a combined 253 rushing and passing yards and four touchdowns Friday.

The Pirates will travel to Knoxville's Grace Christian (11-1) in Friday's semifinal. Grace, which downed Harriman 35-21 Friday, will be making the first semifinal apperance in school history. Grace's only loss was to Class 3A power Christian Academy of Knoxville in the season opener.

South Pittsburg coach Vic Grider believes his team is peaking at the right time.

"I just really like the way we're playing on both sides of the ball right now," he said. "The schedule we played (including six teams in larger classifications) has prepared us for this. Our kids don't panic if they give up a big play; they try to answer it."

The winner will face Wayne County or Union City for the state championship.

In Class 2A, Boyd-Buchanan (11-1) used smothering defense to blank Cascade 21-0. The Buccaneers forced seven turnovers against a team that was averaging 37 points per game. Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds couldn't say anough about his team's stingy defense.

"It means we're playing great football at the right time of year," Reynolds said. "Our defense is really physical. It's as good a defense as I've seen in the 14 years I've been here."

The Bucs will host Rockwood (10-2), a 28-14 winner over Hampton, in the semifinals. The winner will play the winner of the Trousdale County-McKenzie game in the 2A final.

In Georgia Class AA, top-ranked Calhoun (12-0) rode its special teams past visiting North Oconee on Friday, 39-14. Hunter Knight blocked three punts, resulting in 16 early Calhoun points, and senior star Da'Rick Rogers scored four touchdowns -- on a run, a reception, a blocked punt recovery in the end zone and a 95-yard kickoff return.

The Yellow Jackets will host fourth-ranked and also unbeaten Jefferson County in Friday's quarterfinals. Calhoun coach Hal Lamb made an early-morning trip to Madison, Ga., Saturday, where he guessed right on a coin flip to earn the home-field advantage. Jefferson County edged Thomasville 24-17 in overtime Friday.

While Lamb was happy with winning the coin flip, he wasn't thrilled by his team's offensive execution Friday, when three long drives ended in field goals.

"We have to get back to work," Lamb said. "We never got in a good rhythm early, and we didn't block very well. I'm just glad we get to play at home. There is a great intensity at our field, and the community really supports us."

The Calhoun-Jefferson County winner will face the winner of the Lovett-Charlton County game. The other four Class AA teams remaining include defending champion Buford, which plays surprising Cook County, and second-ranked Fitzgerald, which will host Callaway.