No. 4 Archer to Host No. 1 North Gwinnett in Round Two of Playoffs

By Scott Bernarde

Football brackets don’t typically intend to pair two top-4 teams in the second round of the playoffs. You might normally expect to see such a matchup much deeper in the tournament.

You also don’t expect the No. 1 team in the state finish as a No. 3 seed from its region.

But that’s what we’ll get Friday when North Gwinnett plays at Archer in the second round of the Georgia High School Association Class 6A football playoffs.

North Gwinnett is ranked No. 1 in the state by Georgia High School Football Daily, Archer is No. 4.

North Gwinnett lost out on the tiebreaker after a three-way tie for first place in Region 7 and entered the playoffs as a No. 3 seed. That means the Bulldogs (10-1) are playing on the road for the second time in the postseason.

North beat Milton 34-10 in the first round, holding Milton to 114 yards and using a 100-yard game from 1,000-yard rusher C.J. Leggett, as reported by Georgia High School Football Daily.

Archer, playing in only its fourth full varsity season, is having the best season in its short history. The Tigers are 11-0 after last week’s 34-7 win over North Forsyth. Quarterback Gabe Tiller (1,700 passing yards, 19 touchdowns) leads the way.

The game features two of the more prolific offenses in the classification. Archer averages 35 points per game, North averages 42 points.

The winner will play either Hillgrove or Camden County in the quarterfinals.