Class A Division II has an enormous matchup this week as Greene County hosts Irwin County in the first round.
The No. 3 Indians (9-1) will drive from Ocillia to face the No. 8 Tigers (8-2) on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
“Man, it’s the first round of the playoffs, and you’ve got the No. 3 team facing the No. 8 team,” Greene County head coach Terrance Banks said. “Who drew these brackets up, man? This should be a semifinal match.”
Irwin was ranked No. 1 in Class A Division II for most of the regular season, although a close loss to Clinch County, which finished 9-1 overall, caused the team to get in a three-way tie for first place in Region 2.
Brooks County, ranked No. 4 this week, defeated No. 5 Clinch County earlier in the regular season. So, when Irwin lost to Clinch and later defeated Brooks, it caused pandemonium in Region 2 with a three-way tie.
Banks described Region 2 as one of the toughest in the state and knows Irwin will come in “battle-tested.”
“They come from a tough region, where the top three teams are ranked inside the top five in Class A Division II,” Banks said of Irwin. “Their region was decided by points differential, and anybody could’ve won it.”
Saturday’s game will be a tough test for Greene, but Banks highlighted how his team matches up well with Irwin.
“They’ve got a great quarterback [Luke Synder] and running back [Shane Marshall], who is going to Minnesota and is kind of slept on,” he said. “But they’ve got to go up against our big three: Juju [Kevin Wynn], Steve [Miller], and RJ [Monford], but also Laryous [Burt]. It’s going to be a slobber-knocker of a game.”
Irwin enters the game with a high-powered offense, averaging 42.9 points. The Indians run a balanced attack.
Snyder has passed for 1,170 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He’s also a dual threat and can extend plays with his legs. Snyder is the team’s third-leading rusher with 454 yards and nine scores.
A few key injuries to his favorite pass catchers have led the Indians to rely more on the run in recent weeks. Marshall, a threestar prospect across the recruiting industry, is one of the best at his position in Georgia.
Marshall is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound bruiser, and he picks up tough yards on the ground, especially after contact. The senior has rushed for 1,375 yards and 22 touchdowns during the regular season. He is hard to bring down.
So, to win, Greene’s defense, which only gives up 13.1 points per game, must contain Synder and Marshall.
On the other hand, Irwin’s defense is very vulnerable, giving up 26 points per game. It could be advantageous for the Tigers, who average 25.8 points per game of offense, to set the tone early with their run game.
A huge key for Greene on the offensive side of the ball is to sustain long drives, win the time of possession battle, limit senseless penalties, score touchdowns in the red zone, and keep Irwin’s dynamic offense off the field.
Banks knows the rich history of Irwin County’s program, which has been to the state championship game seven times and won it twice in the last 10 years. He respects what the Indians have accomplished over the last decade.
“Everybody knows about [Irwin head coach] Casey Solliday and what he’s done, continuing on the success that Buddy Nobles established,” Banks said. “They’re amazing. They’ve won two state championships in the last seven years. It’s a situation where they’re used to being champions, but I tell our boys to be a champion, you’ve to go through a champion. We look forward to playing a team as good as them.”