Sprayberry football advances in playoffs; sets wins record

The Sprayberry High School football team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Georgia High School Association Class 5A playoffs Friday with a 35-7 win over Newnan.

In doing so, the Yellow Jackets also set a school record for most victories in a season.

Sprayberry scored five unanswered touchdowns in the second half at Jim Frazier Stadium to move to 11-1 on the season.

Kell was defeated 42-35 Friday in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs as the Longhorns’ season ended with a 7-5 record.

According to Georgia High Football Historians Association records, the only other time Sprayberry has recorded double-digit wins in a season was in 1982. In that year, the Jackets also reached the quarterfinals in going 10-3.

No other Sprayberry team has ever advanced past that stage in 69 seasons of varsity football. In 1977, the Jackets were 8-3 and lost in the quarterfinals.

Head coach Brett Vavra has a record of 41-44 since taking over in 2017, posting three 6-5 seasons in that time.

Sprayberry has reached the playoffs for three consecutive years.

But this year, the Jackets have been dominant from the start, scoring no fewer than 23 points in a game.

Their only loss came to East Cobb rival Pope by a 34-23 score on Sept. 6.

They rolled over their next six opponents to win Region 6-AAAAA, then downed Lanier 27-14 last week to start the playoffs.

Sprayberry will have to hit the road on Friday in its quarterfinal game against No. 2 Lee County (12-0), a perennial powerhouse and state champion in 2017 and 2018.

Only one other Cobb public high school team is still in the playoffs: Hillgrove, which advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals.

North Cobb Christian also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 3A-A private school division.

Walton and Wheeler reached the Class 6A playoffs but were defeated in the first round.

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