This week's schedule
Tennessee(All kickoffs at 7 p.m. local time)Class 5ARhea County (10-3) at Sevier County (11-2)Class 3ANotre Dame (10-3) at Alcoa (12-1)Class 2AMarion County (12-1) at Hampton (13-0)Georgia(All kickoffs at 7:30)Class 3AElbert County (11-2) at Calhoun (13-0)Class A PublicTrion (8-3) at Irwin County (8-2-1)Class A PrivateChristian Heritage (6-5) at Aquinas (10-1)
Calhoun, Notre Dame, Marion County and Rhea County are looking at repeats this week as the Georgia and Tennessee high school football playoffs continue.
While Notre Dame, Marion and Rhea are back in their respective TSSAA semifinals, Calhoun will continue defense of its 2014 GHSA Class AAA championship in a quarterfinal.
The Fighting Irish advanced with a 55-27 win over previously undefeated East Ridge, Rhea avenged a regular-season loss to Ooltewah, 14-13, and Marion repeated a regular-season win over Tyner, 28-14. Calhoun was stretched to overtime before pulling out a 20-14 victory over Peach County.
All three Tennessee teams will be on the road. Calhoun will play at home again, but both Class A survivors from northwest Georgia, Trion and Christian Heritage, will be traveling Friday.
East Ridge, which finished the year 12-1 (best in school history), won the first matchup with Notre Dame 14-9.
"East Ridge was a do-over and we were glad to have it. The best team won that first game, but we were still in a state of flux and making adjustments (fourth week of the season)," Notre Dame coach Charles Fant said of his almost all-new staff of assistants and personnel changes. "It's another do-over this week for us."
Notre Dame hosted Alcoa in a 3A semifinal last year and lost 28-19.
"Last year we put the ball on the ground four times and they scored after all four of those," Fant recalled. "I know we felt, 'Golly, we wish we could do that over.' But it will be a big-time atmosphere and I've always felt the more experience you get at that level the easier it is to find ways to win."
Marion County was the only Chattanooga-area team to make it to Cookeville last year but left without the 2A state title. Standing between the Warriors and a return to Tennessee Tech for the championship game is unbeaten Hampton.
Like Notre Dame, Rhea County is delighted to continue unfinished business after escaping Ooltewah despite fumbling seven times and losing five. The Eagles will be going to Sevier County for their second straight semifinal looking to reach the 5A final after being turned back last year in the final moments of their game with Knox West (35-28).
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.