It doesn’t get any bigger for the school on Seawright Drive. Benedictine will travel to Waynesboro, Georgia on Friday to take on Burke County High School for what has turned into a sub-region championship game. The Cadets received help courtesy of the Hephzibah Rebels last week as they defeated South Effingham to allow the Cadets to control their own destiny. Burke County has already clinched at least a post-season birth. The South Effingham @ Liberty County match up has an impact on the post-season if Burke County wins the sub-region.

BC's playoff scenarios:

-BEAT BURKE CO. : BC wins the sub-region.
-LOSE to BURKE CO. and LIBERTY CO. WINS: BC finishes 2nd in the sub-region and qualifies for the State Playoffs.
-LOSE to BURKE CO. and SOUTH EFFINGHAM WINS: BC is eliminated and South Effingham qualifies for the State Playoffs.

BC is coming off their best performance of the year with a 35-7 victory over Liberty County. The Cadets have to be oozing with confidence after a 2nd half that saw BC outscore the Panthers 21-0. All three Running Backs have been extremely effective in the last two games and that has come without having to use the passing game to a great extent. The Defense put up arguably its best performance of the year last Saturday night and look to carry that onto a long bus trip to Waynesboro.

Burke County is currently on a 7 game winning streak after falling in their first two games of the year. The Bears are likely to show multiple offensive sets including shotgun packages. Burke tends to be most successful with the run but are capable through the air. Though the offense has been productive, the defense has been dominant. After the first two games of the season, the Bear defense has given up an average of 7 points a game,which includes 2 shutouts. The defense is led by two-way player and Georgia commit Cornelius Washington. Scout.com ranks him as the 11th best Defensive End in the country. The cousin of starting Georgia linebacker Marcus Washington has made his biggest impact on defense but has made plays on the other side of the ball as well. Burke is sound in special teams and has shown no signs of being a team that will beat itself.

The BC faithful have been waiting for a game like this for 5 years and have to travel to a place they call the “BEAR DEN”. BC was given new life after a 2nd sub-region loss by South Effingham and the Cadets played like it on Saturday. BC will need a similar type performance against a Burke Co. team that has not lost in almost 2 months. BC shot itself in the foot numerous times against South Effingham, especially on special teams, and cannot afford the same type of mistakes in this one. The keys for BC are the same as usual. Control the tempo, be fundamentally sound in the kicking game, and prevent the big play. It should be a great night for football in a great atmosphere with Benedictine having the opportunity to win its first championship since 2000. Give’em hell Cadets. HUT 1, HUT 2.

BENEDICTINE CADETS (6-3, 3-1) @ BURKE COUNTY BEARS (7-2, 4-0)
ALL TIME SERIES: Burke Co. leads 3-0

2007 COMMON OPPONENTS:
BUTLER: Burke won 36-0 / BC won 36-6
HEPHZIBAH: Burke won 24-0 / BC won 32-20
LIBERTY CO.: Burke won 20-7 / BC won 35-7
RICHMOND HILL: Burke won 21-3 / BC won 32-7
SOUTH EFFINGHAM: Burke won 22-20 / BC lost 17-24

http://www.burke.k12.ga.us/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=1099