There's always that first-round surprise in the football state playoffs. This one was more like shocking.
Whitewater (Fayetteville), a 7-year-old school in Fayette County with only one state playoff victory in its history, defeated Northside of Warner Robins, the No. 1-ranked team in Georgia's Class AAAA, 28-21 last week.
The score was 28-0 after the first quarter.
"That gave our kids the momentum and belief to say we're as good as y'all [their coaches] have been telling us,'' Whitewater coach Amos McCreary said of the remarkable first 12 minutes. "You can tell kids things, but until they win that big one, I don't think they know that.''
It had been 14 years since Northside had been knocked out in the first round. This was a team that was the Class AAAAA runner-up in 2009, and several of its key starters returned. No team had come within 20 points of beating Northside during its 10-0 regular season.
But in a span of 12 minutes, it was over. Whitewater scored on all four of its possessions, each one on plays of at least 20 yards, once after a Northside fumble.
Josh Clemons, a running back with offers from Cincinnati, Maryland and Central Florida, scored three of the touchdowns, one a 42-yard pass out of the backfield, another a 67-yard run that made it 28-0.
Clemons rushed for 202 yards on 32 carries. He has 1,835 yards rushing on the season. He's suddenly a contender for state player of the year.
Northside, held to 176 yards of total offense, didn't score until the third quarter. A long punt return in the final four minutes made it 28-21, but Northside never got the ball back.
Whitewater's 8-2 record entering the playoffs wasn't so harmless on closer inspection. The losses were close to Sandy Creek, the 2009 Class AAAA champion, and Starr's Mill, a current Region 3-AAAA champion. Both are 11-0.
McCreary wouldn't trade those for beating Northside.
"This was a big one,'' McCreary said. "I think all along we've know we've got a pretty good bunch of kids. Josh is probably as good a running back as there is in the state, and we've got several others that have offers to play on the next level. We've never had that before.''
Click here to view MaxPreps' Georgia football playoff brackets.FIVE OTHER FIRST-ROUND SURPRISESMill Creek (Hoschton) 32, Etowah 6: Etowah was the Region 5-AAAAA champion while Mill Creek had to win its final regular-season game just to make the playoffs at 5-5. Mill Creek is one of 10 Gwinnett County teams that won. Only one lost.
Hillgrove (Powder Springs) 28, Stephenson 23: Stephenson, the school with the most college signees, comes up short in the playoffs again after a 9-0 start.
Glynn Academy (Brunswick) 7, Lovejoy 6: Lovejoy was one of three 10-0 teams to lose in the first round. James Dean blocked a field goal and an extra point and made 15 solo tackles.
Dutchtown (Hampton) 15, Thomas County Central 0: Dutchtown kicker Ryan Kay scored his team's points on field goals of 24, 30, 42, 51 and 56 yards. Thomas Central, ranked No. 9 in Class AAAA, was shut out for the first time since 1999.
Brooks County (Quitman) 15, Swainsboro 14: Freshman quarterback Malcolm Parrish scored on a sneak on the final play of the game, then scored a 2-point conversion for the upset of a 10-0 team. The No. 4 seed from Brooks County's Region 1-AA has beaten a region champion in the first round each of the past four seasons.
FIVE BIG GAMES THIS WEEK*
Valdosta at McEachern (Powder Springs): These are 10-1 teams, both in the Top 5 of AAAAA. McEachern earlier this year beat Lowndes, another Valdosta school. This is the first time the schools have met since Valdosta beat McEachern 21-7 in the 1998 Class AAAA championship game.
* Colquitt County (Moultrie) at King (Lithonia): A year ago, Colquitt County came to Hallford Stadium in DeKalb County and upset region champion Stephenson. Now, the Packers are coming back to Hallford with another DeKalb school in their aim in M.L. King, which features quarterback
Jonquel Dawson, who has set the DeKalb record for passing yards in a season with 3,085. Wide receiver
Demarco Robinson has 1,409 yards receiving, about 160 from the state record set last year by Calhoun's Da'Rick Rogers.
* Grayson (Loganville) at North Gwinnett (Suwanee): Hard to believe these Gwinnett powers have never played each other. They are Gwinnett's most successful Class AAAAA programs the past five years. North Gwinnett quarterback/wide receiver
C.J. Uzomah is a state player of the year candidate.
* Flowery Branch at Kell (Marietta): Kell's
Brian Randolph is a player of the year candidate, too. Kell is 11-0. Flowery Branch is 10-1. Randolph has more than 1,200 total yards and more than 100 tackles. He's committed to Tennessee.
* Westminster (Atlanta) at Calhoun: Calhoun, the 2009 Class AA runner-up, is 11-0. Westminster is 8-3 with two losses to defending champion Buford and one to No. 1-ranked Carver of Columbus.
First-round results and second-round games:
Class AAAAA First roundM.L. King 25, Harrison 17
Colquitt County 50, Jenkins 21
Mill Creek 32, Etowah 7
South Gwinnett 31, West Forsyth 7
McEachern 31, East Coweta 19
Valdosta 34, Windsor Forest 13
North Gwinnett 56, Lassiter 7
Grayson 31, North Forsyth 0
Roswell 29, Parkview 27
Collins Hill 7, Woodstock 3
Lowndes 42, Groves 6
Newnan 31, South Cobb 7
Brookwood 44, Alpharetta 13
Norcross 28, Walton 3
Camden County 28, Coffee 18
Hillgrove 28, Stephenson 23
Second roundColquitt County (6-5) at M.L. King (8-3)
Mill Creek (6-5) at South Gwinnett (9-2)
Valdosta (10-1) at McEachern (10-1)
Grayson (8-3) at North Gwinnett (11-0)
Collins Hill (8-3) at Roswell (7-4)
Newnan (7-4) at Lowndes (9-2)
Norcross (9-2) at Brookwood (10-1)
Hillgrove (9-2) at Camden County (10-1)
Class AAAAFirst roundStatesboro 24, Tri-Cities 21
Griffin 41, Lee County 13
Kell 49, South Forsyth 7
Flowery Branch 28, Southwest DeKalb 6
Glynn Academy 7, Lovejoy 6
Dutchtown 15, Thomas County Central 0
Chattahoochee 42, Pope 14
Marist 27, Heritage, Conyers 10
Tucker 50, Loganville 6
Hiram 35, Lambert 10
Whitewater 28, Northside, Warner Robins 21
Ware County 22, North Clayton 12
Clarke Central 52, Mays 31
East Paulding 35, Rome 0
Starr's Mill 42, Hardaway 9
Brunswick 48, Creekside 14
Second roundGriffin (10-1) at Statesboro (9-2)
Flowery Branch (10-1) at Kell (11-0)
Glynn Academy (8-3) at Dutchtown (10-1)
Marist (9-2) at Chattahoochee (11-0)
Hiram (9-2) at Tucker (11-0)
Whitewater (9-2) at Ware County (9-2)
East Paulding (9-2) at Clarke Central (11-0)
Brunswick (8-3) at Starr's Mill (11-0)
Class AAAFirst roundPeach County 49, Stockbridge 0
Thomson 21, Worth County 29
Grady 48, Gilmer 0
White County 28, LaGrange 20
Sandy Creek 44, Perry 3
Americus-Sumter 28, Washington County 16
Woodward Academy 18, Ridgeland 10
Monroe Area 26, Troup 6
Carrollton 63, Stephens County 20
St. Pius 24, Allatoona 17
Cairo 40, Richmond Academy 17
Eastside 41, Westside, Macon 13
Gainesville 49, Haralson County 20
Cedar Grove 30, Cartersville 24
Burke County 19, Crisp County 18
Baldwin 14, Henry County 7
Second roundThomson (9-2) at Peach County (11-0)
White County (9-2) at Grady (10-1)
Americus-Sumter (7-4) at Sandy Creek (11-0)
Woodward Academy (10-1) at Monroe Area (10-1)
St. Pius (9-2) at Carrollton (11-0)
Eastside (8-3) at Cairo (11-0)
Cedar Grove (7-4) at Gainesville (10-1)
Baldwin (10-1) at Burke County (9-2)
Class AAFirst roundTattnall County 33, Southwest, Macon 16
Thomasville 17, Jefferson County 14
Carver, Columbus 35, Pepperell 0
Greater Atlanta Christian 49, Fannin County 14
Putnam County 20, Appling County 14
Fitzgerald 42, Dublin 10
Calhoun 44, Manchester 8
Westminster 10, North Oconee 7
Buford 52, Hart County 22
Callaway 30, Rockmart 8
Cook 34, Laney 23
McIntosh County Academy 22, Lamar County 14
Lovett 27, Elbert County 20
Dade County 48, Heard County 21
Brooks County 15, Swainsboro 14
Vidalia 28, Morgan County 7
Second roundThomasville (8-3) at Tattnall County (10-1)
Greater Atlanta Christian (9-2) at Carver, Columbus (11-0)
Fitzgerald (9-2) at Putnam County (9-2)
Westminster (8-3) at Calhoun (11-0)
Callaway (8-3) at Buford (10-1)
McIntosh County Academy (7-4) at Cook (11-0)
Lovett (8-3) at Dade County (10-1)
Brooks County (6-5) at Vidalia (8-3)
Class AFirst roundClinch County 34, Greenville 6
Miller County 34, Calvary Day 21
Eagle's Landing Christian 49, Washington-Wilkes 7
George Walton Academy 24, Trion 7
Marion County 64, Turner County 26
Emanuel County Institute 27, Seminole County 6
Wilkinson County 34, Holy Innocents' 30
Bremen 34, Commerce 24
Darlington 49, Prince Avenue Christian 13
Lincoln County 49, Pace Academy 6
Savannah Christian 17, Mitchell County 7
Charlton County 35, Hawkinsville 13
Athens Academy 34, Mount Paran Christian 7
Wesleyan 48, Warren County 13
Johnson County 55, Terrell County 14
Wilcox County 36, Dooly County 14
Second roundMiller County (8-3) at Clinch County (11-0)
George Walton Academy (10-1) at Eagle's Landing Christian (11-0)
Emanuel County Institute (9-2) at Marion County (10-1)
Bremen (10-1) at Wilkinson County (9-2)
Lincoln County (9-2) at Darlington (10-1)
Savannah Christian (10-1) at Charlton County (9-2)
Wesleyan (10-1) at Athens Academy (10-1)
Wilcox County (10-1) at Johnson County (11-0)
