November 19, 2025 — After the first round of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) football playoffs, five Cobb teams are still alive and in the hunt for a state championship. Georgia’s Class 6A classification, which MaxPreps ranks as the second-toughest high school football playoff bracket in the entire nation, features four Cobb teams—Harrison, Hillgrove, North Cobb, and Walton.
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The Walton Raiders (6-5) are coming off a surprising underdog victory in the first round, knocking off the previously undefeated McEachern Indians. Their next opponent is the only remaining postseason team with a losing record in the four largest state classifications. Despite having a better record than East Coweta (4-7), the Raiders must go on the road against a team that also pulled off a shocking upset last week. However, Walton Head Coach Daniel Brunner knows from experience not to overlook an underdog. As far as he's concerned, both Walton and East Coweta are 1-0 and are looking for win number two.
“We can’t advance if we’re still celebrating a round one victory,” Coach Brunner pointed out. “Our program is used to getting right back to work. In the last nine years, we’ve only failed to advance past round one once. Our kids understand the standard and the expectation to prepare immediately for the next challenge.”
The Harrison Hoyas (10-1) first-round playoff win featured such an impressive performance from sophomore quarterback Aiden Watson that the Georgia High School Football Daily publication presented him with the Player of the Week award for the entire state. Watson scored all six of the Hoyas’ touchdowns and accounted for 409 yards of total offense (221 passing, 188 rushing) in a 45-35 victory over Marietta.
Harrison Head Coach Luqman Salam knows, though, that his team cannot rest on their laurels.
“We try to be a humble, gritty team that plays together, and that’s a good recipe for us,” Coach Salam said when asked about a repeat performance. “Our offense does an excellent job of taking advantage of what the defense gives us and creating the opportunities for our playmakers to make plays.”
Harrison travels to face the undefeated and third-ranked Carrollton Trojans (11-0) on Friday, and the Hoyas are trying to put an end to Carrollton’s streak of nine straight quarterfinal appearances.
“Carrollton is an excellent team with the capability to attack in many ways,” Coach Salam said about the matchup. “It’s vital for us to be sound in our assignments, play within our ability, be comfortable with our plan, and take chances when needed to make things difficult for them to do the things they want to do.”
The Hillgrove Hawks (9-2) lost to Carrollton in last year’s quarterfinals. This year, however, the Hawks will visit West Forsyth (9-2), aiming to return to the third round. Hillgrove seems bolstered by the confidence from overcoming the pressure of their first-round playoff test. Down by four with under two minutes remaining, senior quarterback Donovan Mack connected on a 31-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Mike Shelby for the lead. The defense preserved the victory when North Paulding missed a potential tying field goal with eight seconds left.
“This team has been working towards a goal since January 6th,” Hillgrove Head Coach Justin Deshon said. “So much time has been spent challenging our minds and bodies. We truly believe that our program is built for the playoffs and the rigor it presents. Our coaching staff is so proud of their resilience.”
Resilience is what scoreboard operators have needed recently while working North Cobb Warriors (8-3) football games. The Warriors are averaging nearly 53 points per game over their last five contests. They buried Paulding County last Friday, 64-20, in round one. Still, they know that when they host their second-round opponent, Douglas County (8-3), it will likely be a more challenging test.
“We must control the time of possession and play good, clean football,” North Cobb Head Coach Shane Queen said when considering this matchup. “On offense, we cannot have penalties and play behind the chains to limit their possessions. Douglas County is very talented and has big play potential all over the field. We must limit their big plays. We faced Douglas County last year, and our players know they have a great team.”
The Kell Longhorns (9-2) are the lone remaining Cobb playoff team outside of the 6A classification. The Class 4A, Region 6 champion used 150 yards and three touchdowns from junior running back Moonie Gipson to defeat Hampton last weekend. This Friday, Kell hosts Southwest DeKalb (9-2). Kell Head Coach Bobby May is thankful that they’re playing this game in The Stockyard and that he has Gipson on his side.
“Having home-field advantage is great,” Coach May admitted. “Hopefully, our student section will show up this week like they have during the regular season. It gives us an edge and confidence. Our offensive line does a great job, and we have other weapons that can hurt you, so even though Moonie is getting the numbers, we have a balanced list of contributors who make it hard to focus on just him.”
