Johns Creek Draws Tough Foe For Playoff Opener

By Mike Blum

JOHNS CREEK, GA — The Johns Creek Gladiators will attempt to score the school’s first ever playoff victory in football Friday when the team hosts Harrison in a Class AAAAAA first-round game.

The Gladiators did not get a favorable opening round pairing, as the Hoyas drew the No. 4 seed from Region 6 after finishing in a 3-way tie for second. Harrison lost 36-35 in overtime last Friday to unbeaten Creekview, which won the game with a successful 2-point conversion. Had Harrison won, the Hoyas would have claimed the region’s No. 1 seed. Harrison (8-2) finished the regular season ranked sixth in the state in 6A, one spot ahead of Johns Creek.

Three of the four playoff teams from Region 6 were ranked in the top 10 in the final regular season poll, with Allatoona dropping out of the top 10 after a 17-0 loss to Sequoyah last week. Allatoona was ranked fourth in the state prior to that loss and will play Friday at Centennial. Sequoyah claimed the second seed with its shutout win and will open the playoffs at home against Alpharetta.

Johns Creek (9-1) completed an unbeaten region schedule last Friday, defeating Dunwoody 32-14. The Gladiators went 8-0 in region play, outscoring their region opponents by an average score of 43-17. Seven of the team’s eight region wins came by at least 21 points, with the only close contest a 28-26 victory over Centennial in the game that determined the region champion.

With perennial region contender Alpharetta not playing up to its usual level, Region 7 was not among the stronger regions in 6A this season, while Region 6 was one of the toughest in the state along with Region 1 (Lee County, Valdosta, Northside-Warner Robins and Coffee) and Region 5 (Creekside, Douglas County, Mays and Northgate).

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If Johns Creek loses to Harrison, there is a good chance the four playoff teams from Region 7 will be swept by their Region 6 opponents, with standout Centennial quarterback Max Brosmer suffering a serious knee injury last week in the Knights’ regular season finale.

Since playing a full varsity schedule for the first time in 2010, Johns Creek has made the playoffs four times, going 17-3 in 2011 and 2012 and capturing a region title for the first time in 2016. The Gladiators also had four losing seasons in a 5-year stretch from 2013-17, including the first seasons for both current coach Matt Helmerich and his predecessor Matt Kemper, now the head coach at Roswell.

Kemper led Johns Creek to a region title in his second season in 2016, with Helmerich repeating that feat this season. While the Gladiators have changed coaches since their last trip to the playoffs, they have the same quarterback, with senior Zach Gibson in his fourth season as the team’s starter at the position.

Gibson has enjoyed an outstanding senior season, passing for 2475 yards and 28 touchdowns with just one interception, while directing a balanced and explosive Johns Creek attack. Giovanni Dyer leads the team in receiving with more than 50 catches for 855 yards and 12 touchdowns. Matt Casey, Dalton Pearson, Quincy Darnell and Yong Min Lee have combined for 16 receiving touchdowns, giving Gibson an array of targets, with most of the Johns Creek receivers sporting healthy yards per catch averages.

Nate Hope and Will Watson provide the Gladiators with a solid 1-2 rushing punch, with the Gladiators able to run the ball effectively against all their region opponents. The Gladiators have gotten key contributions from a number of players on defense, many of them underclassmen, and have been particularly adept at rushing the passer. Josh Fields, one of the state’s top quarterbacks last season, is now playing quarterback at Georgia after starring for the Hoyas, but their offense has still been productive this season with one exception, a 23-7 loss to Allatoona.

Harrison is 24-6 over the last three regular seasons with three playoff wins. If the Gladiators can score their first ever playoff victory Friday, they will be at home next week against either Mays or Lanier, with those two teams playing Friday at Lanier. Fourth-ranked Stephenson looms as a possible quarterfinal opponent.

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