AAAA Championship (Fri. 7:30pm @ Northside) [ TV: GPB ]

Northside

Houston County (1-AAAAA)Won 26-14
Warner Robins (1-AAAAA)Won 28-7
North Clayton (4A-AAAA)Won 28-21
Jones County (4B-AAAA)*Won 45-0
Dutchtown (4B-AAAA)*Won 54-0
Stockbridge (4B-AAAA)*Won 43-6
Baldwin (4B-AAAA)*Won 28-6
Upson-Lee (4B-AAAA)*Won 41-7
Westside, Macon (4B-AAAA)*Won 27-7
Mt Zion, Jonesboro (4A-AAAA)*Won 47-6
Lee County (1-AAAA)Won 41-0
Brunswick (3-AAAA)Won 38-13
Habersham Central (8A-AAAA)Won 34-0
St Pius X (6-AAAA)Won 20-17
Marist (6-AAAA)Home

Northside might be the most accomplished high school program in the country without a state championship. Eventhough they are the more noted school in Warner Robins, the Demons across the street have racked up 4 State titals with two this decade. You know the Northsiders loved seeing Warner Robins lose in the dome to give them the spotlight. Northside has been # 1 the entire year and did it in a difficult region. They don't have any D-1 studs and are relatively young at certain positions. I look at them as a team of Beach's best athletes in the past decade at the skill positions, combined with BC's best lineman in the past 10 years. It really is a team effort when it comes to their success. Northside has been dominant all year but did have to hang on last week in a game where it looked like Pius was the better team for a majority of the game. The offense is good but the defense has led the undefeated streak and will face its toughest task of the year with Marist's offensive attach.

Marist

Columbia (6-AAAA)*Won 38-14
Tucker (6-AAAA)*Lost 24-27
Washington (6-AAAA)*Won 33-6
Cedar Grove (6-AAAA)*Won 32-15
North Springs (6-AAAA)*Won 45-14
Stone Mountain (6-AAAA)*Won 50-0
Lakeside, DeKalb (6-AAAA)*Won 42-7
Southwest DeKalb (6-AAAA)*Won 29-3
Mays (6-AAAA)*Won 30-6
St Pius X (6-AAAA)*Won 31-14
Ridgeland (7-AAAA)Won 30-0
Dacula (8A-AAAA)Won 14-7
Creekside (2-AAAA)Won 24-6
East Paulding (5A-AAAA)Won 27-7
Northside, Warner Robins (4B-AAAA)Away

Marist goes after their 2nd title in 4 years. Following an early season loss to a Tucker team that did not even make the playoffs, the War Eagles have gooten a competetive game from only 1 team, Dacula. The defense which looked slugish at the beginning of the year, has not allowed more than 15 points in a game since. Alabama commit Jennings Hester leads the Marist defense at Linebacker. Many of the Defensive players see time going both ways, something that has become a rareity for a team that gets this far in AAAA. The offense is a thing of beauty. The triple option is run to perfection led by QB Gary Marshall. The line is quicker than they are big. Fullback Preston Lyons will be an all-state selection for the second straight year and gets a lot of the attention. A big question going into the game will be the health of Halfback Kevin Lanier, son of former Georgia Tech and Benedictine QB Gary Lanier. After his injury last week, the offense was still able to produce but the fluidity and amount of success was altered. He is also a key component on kick returns. The special teams is solid but the key will be how successful the offense can be against the best defense they will face all year.

* Northside is the favorite and they get to play at home. But they struggled with a St. Pius team that Marist dominated. This might be the best matchup of any of the state championships. Advantages: Offense-> Marist ; Defense-> Northside ; Special Teams-> Push. So it comes down to something I've heard before. Discipline beats athleticism. Marist has the coaching advantage and I don't know if Northside can stay with their responcibilities. Great game either way.

Marist 20-14