The Callaway Cavaliers have already won the first region championship in school history, and Friday night they won the school’s first ever state-playoff game.

The Cavaliers will try to make a little more history this week when they host the Pepperell Dragons in the second round of the Class AA state playoffs.

While Callaway outlasted Greater Atlanta Christian 19-14, Pepperell crunched Riverside Military Academy 38-10.

Callaway (10-1) is the champion of Region 5-AA, while Pepperell (10-1) finished second in Region 7-AA.

Also this week, LaGrange will be at home for the second straight week when it hosts Thomson on Saturday at 6 p.m.

LaGrange (9-2), the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AA, handled Dougherty 28-6.

Thomson (6-5) finished fourth in Region 3-AAA, and it upset Region 4-AAA champion Jackson 28-14.

Callaway’s hopes of advancing appeared tenuous when GAC made it to the Cavaliers’ 1-yard line in the closing moments, but the Cavaliers came through with a memorable goal-line stand to preserve the win.

“We made history on that one play, with that goal-line stand,” Callaway defensive lineman Quay Boddie said. “That’s how I feel.”

If Callaway can add another notch to its belt this week, it would host either Henry County or Fitzgerald the following week in the quarterfinals.

Looking way ahead, if Callaway could win in the quarterfinals, it would likely face a semifinal test at Buford, the defending state champion.

In Class AAA, LaGrange caught a break when Thomson upended Jackson. Because the Grangers are seeded higher than Thomson, they’ll be the home team.

“I don’t like Saturdays a lot, but this time of year, I don’t care when we’re playing, as long as we’re playing,” Pardue said. “I love being at home, and I look forward to that. I know (Thomson will) be a real challenge.”

The winner of Friday’s game will visit either Dunwoody or North Hall in the quarterfinals.