Ware County’s final hurdle to playing in a fourth state championship game comes Friday night when seventh-ranked Dutchtown visits for a Class 5A semifinal showdown.
The unbeaten top-ranked Gators moved to 12-0 for the first time in school history with a 35-0 whitewashing of ninth-ranked Calhoun. It’s the third time Ware County has won 12 games with the other two coming in 2004 and 2007 with Dan Ragle at the helm. The school record is 13 in 2012 under Ed Dudley.
The Gators are making their eighth semifinal appearance in program history and first since losing 24-16 at Glynn Academy in 2015. Ware County has made appearances in 1960 (lost 28-7 at Dublin), 1961 (beat Screven County 19-13), 1976 (lost 17-0 to Woodward Academy), 2004 (lost 40-0 to Northside-Warner Robins at Georgia Dome), 2007 (beat Thomas County Central 10-7 at Georgia Dome), and 2012 (beat Northside-Warner Robins 24-17 in overtime).
Ware County is 2-1 at Memorial Stadium, 1-1 at the Georgia Dome and 0-2 on the road.
Dutchtown (12-1), which began playing in 2004, is making its first semifinal appearance in school history. The Region 2 champion Bulldogs are riding a six-game winning streak after rallying past Mays 40-34 in overtime extending their streak of 40-plus points scored to six straight. Dutchtown has averaged 48 points during the streak while allowing just 10.
The Bulldogs were 0-3 in previous “Elite 8” matchups before the overtime win over Mays. Friday’s quarterfinal win saw 11 lead changes. Dutchtown tied the game with a field goal with less than a minute remaining on the game clock.
Friday’s encounter will be the second between the two schools. Ware County’s last post-season shutout prior to beating Calhoun in the quarterfinals was against the Bulldogs in 2020 winning 24-0 in the first round. The blanking was just the sixth in 77 playoff games for the Gators dating back to 1960.
“This is not the same team we faced two years ago,” said Ware County head coach Jason Strickland. “They do have the same type of athletes.”
Dutchtown and the Gators have two common foes — Statesboro and Jones County. The Bulldogs opened the playoffs with a 45-0 win over the Blue Devils with Ware County winning 59-7 in the next to last week of the regular season. Dutchtown fell 24-7 to visiting Jones County with the Gators getting a 55-13 victory in the first round over the Greyhounds.
The Gators are just the second ranked foe for Dutchtown, who won 14-7 at then No. 7 Warner Robins in the Region 2 opener September 16. Ware County is 4-0 in such meetings beating then Class 4A top-ranked Benedictine (14-10), then Class 4A No. 9 Bainbridge (22-16), then Class 5A fourth-ranked Coffee (3-6), and ninth-ranked Calhoun (35-0) last week.
The Bulldogs’ 13 opponents have a combined 61-82 record with only Warner Robins (9-4) reaching the semifinals. Four other playoff teams on the schedule were eliminated by the second round. Ware County’s 12 opponents are a combined 78-70. Benedictine (11-2) is playing in the semis.
Dutchtown’s offense enters the matchup averaging 34.8 points per game with a 26 points per game average against the six winning programs on the schedule. The Gators lead Class 5A at 6.9 points per game with winning programs (six) scoring at an 8.7 clip.
The Bulldogs, who had just 258 yards against Mays, will operate out of the spread with both Josiah Jarrett (Sr., 6-foot-2, 210) and Michael Johnson (Fr., 6-1, 170) seeing time barking the signals. Freshman Alex Pandy is the featured back.
Jarrett and Johnson will throw the ball to seniors Tishaun Brown (5-9, 170) and Gerrod Pope, along with sophomore Kaleb Jacson (6-foot, 185).
Dutchtown’s front line providing the blocking are seniors Aaron Frances-day (5-8, 200), Sincere Houston (5-10, 230) and Hector Carl (6-4, 260), junior Collin Alexander (6-3, 260) and sophomore Dameion Capers (6-foot, 200).
“They (Bulldogs) run the spread, which is the offense most all teams are using,” said Strickland. “They like to throw the ball with a quick screen game and then when defenders start playing a little tighter will go deep.
“We’ve got to get hats to the ball, but we can’t loose eye sight and let a receiver get behind us. They are also very big and athletic up front with length on the outside.”
The Bulldogs utilize a 4-3 defensive alignment that has allowed 10.2 points a game with a season-high 34 points last week and 454 yards. Mays ground out 298 yards and threw for 156 yards while converting 11-of-18 third down plays. Dutchtown has pitched four shutouts and held seven foes to eight points or less.
Ware County counters with an offense averaging 36.3 points a game scoring better than 31 points eight times. Ware County averages 166.6 yards on the ground and 179.5 through the air.
“We have to be able to run the ball,” said Strickland.
Seniors Lane Curtis Hill (6-1, 215), Malik Moore (5-9, 220) and Christian Dixon (6-3, 250) are joined by junior Aamear Walkter (6-foot, 260) down in the trenches.
Juniors Clarence Allaway (6-foot, 215) and Antonio Wesley (5-10, 185) are joined by freshman Aiden Parker (5-11, 150) in the middle. The secondary consists of Brown and fellow classmate Tarez Hamilton (5-11, 175), junior Jayden Hollis (5-9, 175) and sophomore William Wesley (5-8, 155).
“We’re going to have to take advantage of what they give us in the passing game,” Strickland said. “It will come in the quick screen game and some underneath crossing routes.”
Dae’jeaun Dennis surpassed the 1,000-yard mark with his 87-yard effort against Calhoun standing at 1,080 for the season with 17 touchdowns. R.J. Boyd has 685 yards and eight scores. Both average over seven yards per carry.
Nakao Smith has thrown for 2,087 yards with 22 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Jarvis Hayes leads 16 players in the reception column grabbing 48 for 853 yards and 12 scores. Brandon Washington has 34 grabs for 419 yards and two scores while D.J. Loriston is third with 23 catches for 340 yards and four touchdowns.
