Ware County begins its playoff run with a rare first round road trip and the first in head coach Jason Strickland’s seven years.
The Gators (8-2), who finished third in Region 1, travel Friday to Region 8 runner-up Flowery Branch (7-3) in one of 16 Class 4A matchups.
Ware County, making its 24th consecutive postseason appearance since 2002, and 26th in 27 years is 21-2 in the first round this century with 18 consecutive victories dating back to 2008. It’s t h e second-longest current streak behind Buford’s 26.
The road affair is just the fifth time the Gators have opened the playoffs away from Memorial Stadium this century and the first time since 2015.
“We’re going to leave Friday morning and make several stops on the way up there,” said Strickland in making his first trip to Flowery Branch. “We’re going to break it down so we can eat, have a walk thru and have special teams meetings. WCHS has won the last three times since falling 47-37 in Milledgeville to Baldwin in 2005. The Gators beat Thomas County Central 21-3 in 2008, North Clayton 22-12 in 2010 and Northside Warner Robins 16 7 in 2015. Ware County’s 24-year run in the playoffs ironically began the same year the Falcons’ football program was birthed. Flowery Branch is making its 17th appearance in the playoffs, going 9-7 in first round pairings.
This year’s appearance for the Falcons, who finished second to defending Class 4A champion North Oconee in Region 8, is their third straight and eighth in nine years.
In other Region 1 vs. Region 8 matchups, region champion Benedictine (7-2) is hosting fourth-seed East Forsyth (6-4), region runner-up Warner Robins (6-4) faces third-seed Eastside (64) and fourth-seed Perry (4-6) travels to North Oconee (10-0).
The Falcons of firstyear head coach Michael Perry (ninth overall, 51-45) enter the first-ever meeting between the schools having split their final four games following a five-game winning streak to reach 5-1. They fell 35-14 at region foe Madison County and 21-14 at home to North Oconee.
“They have a couple of transfers who have really helped turn the program around,” Strickland. “The tall, lanky receiver, No. 19, (senior Brooks Recinella) moved in from Gainesville and the quarterback (senior Brett Strum) is from West Hall. The wide receiver is probably their (Falcons) best player. They are going to throw it and use a lot of screens. Flowery Branch, averaging 29.5 points per game running a spread scheme, will operate against a Gators’ defensive unit allowing 17.5 points. The Falcons have scored between 31 and 49 points six times while Ware County has allowed just three teams to score more than 20 points. The Gators have accumulated 58.5 tackles for loss led by senior defensive end Walker Hudson’s 17 and recorded 24 quarterback sacks led by Hudson’s nine.
Three players have 50-plus tackles led by senior linebacker Avante Ballentine’s 53. Senior defensive end Seth Suess (10.5 TFLs, four sacks) and Hudson each have 51 stops. Senior linebacker Terron Birden has 38 tackles (three sacks) with senior defensive lineman Nick Grant totaling 36 (5.5 sacks).
Strum (6-foot, 190 lbs.) directs an offense churning out 356 yards (207 passing, 149 rush) per Friday night. He has completed 164-of-238 passes (69 percent) for 2,046 yards. Strum has thrown for 16 touchdowns against four interceptions.
He completed 26-of-30 passes for 366 yards and two scores against Walnut Grove (Game 8 win) and was 16-of-28 for 327 yards and three scores vs. Eastside (Game 5 victory). He has surpassed 200 yards five times.
Senior Griffin Harper (5-10, 190) is the leading rusher with 832 yards on 152 carries (5.5 per attempt) with 10 touchdowns and four 100-yard rushing games. Harper recorded a season- high 200 yards and four touchdowns in a victory over Habersham Central (Game 2 win). He has 28 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns, mostly on screen plays.
Harper is one of four players with 28 receptions or more. Senior wide receiver Tre Shields (62, 180) leads the team with 44 catches, 835 yards (19 per catch) and eight touchdowns. Shields has four 100-yard receiving nights with a season-best 175 yards on nine catches and two scores against Walnut Grove with a long of 83 yards.
Junior wide receiver Tyler Richardson (5-5, 145) has accumulated 40 catches for 457 yards and two scores. He had five catches for 130 yards and an 81yard score against Eastside.
Recinella (6-4, 190) is tied with Harper with 28 receptions totaling 326 yards and a touchdown. He had six catches for 103 yards in the season finale against Cedar Shoals.
Recinella also handles the place-kicking duties connecting on 38-of-40 PATs and 6-of-8 field goals with a long of 35. He averages about 35 yards on punts.
Ware County’s offense averages 359.2 yards (197.2 rush/162 pass) scoring 39.1 points per game. The Gators have recorded six games of 40-plus points with three reaching over 50.
They will line up against a Falcons’ 3-4 defensive scheme surrendering 22.4 points per game,with six foes scoring between 21 and 36 points. Flowery Branch’s defense has recorded 55.5 tackles for loss, 18.5 quarterback sacks, nine interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
“They (Falcons) do a lot of disguising at the back end,” said Strickland of the defensive secondary. “Up front, they play odd and even depending on the personnel. If both of their tight ends are in the game, it’s going to be an even front.
“Isaiah (White, junior quarterback) is going to have to put in a lot of film study this week because of the defensive secondary disguises.”
White has completed 104-of-162 passes (64%) for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Senior Ja’Mario Rice is the leading receiver pulling in 51 receptions for 844 yards (16.5 average) and seven touchdowns. Junior Ja’Londi O’Hara is next with 23 catches for 396 yards (17.2 per) and four touchdowns.
Senior running back Tayshaun Franklin, injured in the season finale against Wayne County, leads the two-headed monster rushing attack with 889 yards (7.8 per attempt) and 16 touchdowns. Classmate Jamir Boyd has 649 yards (6.6 per touch) and seven touchdowns.
Flowery Branch sophomore outside linebacker Ryland Garrison (6-foot, 180) leads the Falcons with 114 tackles (57 solo/57 assist), 13 tackles for loss, five quarterback sacks (tied with two others) and two fumble recoveries. Sophomore linebacker Nick Hall (5-10, 170) is second with 84 tackles.
Senior defensive back Parker Bourrie (5-9, 145) and junior defensive end Eli Poole (6-foot, 215) are tied for third with 73 each. Poole has five quarterback sacks along with classmate and fellow defensive end Jake Bursinger (6-1, 195).
The winner will meet the victor of Region 4 champion Creekside (10-0) and Region 7 fourth-seed Dalton (3-7). The unbeaten Seminoles ended the regular season scoring a state record 61.4 points while allowing 6.6 points.
Creekside scored 69-plus points five times including a 910 win over Drew in a region game. They outscored seven region foes 464-10 (66.3 to 1.4) posting five consecutive shutouts.
