The Bryan County Redskins (12-1) will travel to Athens, Georgia, to face the Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines (12-1) in the semifinals of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class 1A D1 football playoffs on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Bracket Courtesy ScoreAtlanta.com
Bryan County's football team, the Redskins, had an exciting 24-16 win over Commerce in the quarterfinals. The victory was due to the Redskins players, such as senior running back Austin Clemons, who scored the game-winning touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the game. Clemons has been a standout performer throughout the season, rushing for an impressive 1,660 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns. Additionally, he has been a force on defense with 102 tackles, including 22.5 for losses and 6.5 sacks.
Senior Tanner Ennis has been an outstanding player for the Redskins this season. He has recorded 131 tackles, which is the highest on the team. Of these, 24 tackles were for losses, and he also made a couple of sacks. Additionally, Ennis has showcased his versatility by scoring a touchdown on a catch and another on a run this season.
In the recent win against Commerce, the Redskins' quarterback and linebacker, senior Sean Kelly Hill, threw for 77 yards and scored a touchdown. Hill also made eight tackles during the game. Senior running back Jacari Carney rushed for 63 yards, bringing his season total to 951 yards and ten touchdowns.
Bryan County has won the first three playoff games in program history during this postseason. They are now playing in their first semifinal in school history against Prince Avenue Christian, a team that has made it to the Final Four for the fourth consecutive time. Bryan County's head football coach, Cherard Freeman, stated that experience will be the biggest challenge for the Redskins on Friday night.
"The biggest challenge we'll face Friday night is that our opponents have been here before, while it's our first time. They have that tradition, but I feel like our guys who have played football games know it's a big game, and they understand the importance of it," said Freeman.
The Wolverines won state championships in both 2020 and 2022.
Prince Avenue Christian's senior quarterback, Aaron Philo, has had an impressive season, throwing for 3,786 yards, 49 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions. Philo has also rushed for 525 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He has committed to playing for Georgia Tech.
The Wolverines boast a talented group of skill players, led by senior running back Connor Causby, who has rushed for 829 yards and 12 touchdowns. Freshman wide receiver Hudson Hill is the team's top receiver with 67 receptions for 939 yards and 15 touchdowns, while sophomore CJ Dockery has caught 42 passes for 694 yards and ten touchdowns.
GHSA STATE SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE
Friday, December 1, 2023
The Final Four
Class 4A
Benedictine (13-0) at Stockbridge (11-2), 7:30 p.m.
Class 3A
Calvary Day (13-0) at Cedar Grove (8-5), 7:30 p.m.
Savannah Christian (11-2) at Carver Columbus (10-3), 7 p.m.
Class 3A
Bryan County (12-1) at Prince Avenue (12-1), 7:30 p.m.
Photo Credit: Bryan County high School Social media pages
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