By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s an eight-team race for the championship.

A Class AA state-playoff journey that began with 32 teams has been narrowed to eight, and that number will be cut in half after this week’s quarterfinal games.

While there have been a few surprises through the first two rounds of the state playoffs, many of the teams expected to compete for the state title are still playing, including the Callaway Cavaliers.

Also still around are Dublin, Hapeville-Charter and Rabun County, who have all been ranked near the top of the various Class AA polls all season.

One highly regarded team that has been beaten is Rockmart, which lost to Brooks County last week in the second round.

Rockmart, which was ranked number one in some polls, lost to Heard County in last year’s championship game.

In the quarterfinals on Friday, Callaway will host Douglass-Atlanta, and Brooks County will visit Metter.

The winner of those two games will meet in the semifinals next week.

Callaway would host Brooks County, and it would be on the road against Metter.

On the other side of the bracket, Rabun County will travel to Thomasville, and Dublin will welcome Hapeville-Charter in a matchup of state-championship hopefuls.

The final two teams standing will play in the championship game on Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at Georgia State Stadium in Atlanta.

Callaway has been to the semifinals three times, and it is seeking its first-ever appearance in the championship game.

QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY

Douglass-Atlanta at Callaway

Brooks County at Metter

Rabun County at Thomasville

Hapeville-Charter at Dublin