Class 1A Upper State Third Round Playoff Preview

The biggest question in Class A is whether or not Southside Christian will be challenged. Calhoun County certainly has the personnel to do it, beginning with Russell Brunson, and the Saints get to host. At the bottom of the bracket, Ridge Spring-Monetta rolls into traditional power Lamar for a showdown. Here's a look at the third-round matchups. &nbsp; <strong>No. 1 Southside Christian (10-0) at No. 1 Calhoun County (7-4)</strong> The Saints had the first week of the playoffs as a bye, and jumped right in last week with a 59-13 thumping of McBee. <strong>Russell Brunson</strong> lit it up for Calhoun County, tossing 5 TDs, running for another, and putting up 453 yards of total offense in the win. <strong>Justen Brunson</strong> and <strong>Christian Zachary</strong> are his main targets, with <strong>Devin Bull</strong> and <strong>Marquez Davenport</strong> providing the punch from the backfield. Defensively, Andre Staley Jr dominated against the Panthers with 16 tackles and 2 sacks. The top-ranked Sabres roll in on an 19-game winning streak following a 42-14 win over C.A. Johnson. [player_tooltip player_id="89349" first="Ja’Corey" last="Martin"] scored touchdowns on the first two Sabres’ drives, and the game was never close as Southside Christian pulled away. C.A. Johnson did manage to score, which Southside Christian opponents have found a challenge this season. The Sabres have allowed just 42 points all year, and have six shutout wins. &nbsp; <strong>No. 2 Ridge Spring-Monetta (9-2) at No. 1 Lamar (8-3)</strong> The Trojans are among the hottest teams in the Class A field, winners of five in a row by a combined 254-40, giving up 32 of those last week against Great Falls. <strong>Remedee Leaphart</strong> leads the Trojans, with more than 2,500 yards of total offense. <strong>Dantrell Weaver</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="91147" first="Nehemiah" last="Brooks"] provide an added offensive threat for Ridge Spring-Monetta, as each is capable of breaking big plays in the ground game. Lamar is no stranger to deep playoff runs, and this year has been no exception. The Silver Foxes were led by <strong>Patrick Anderson</strong> and <strong>Quan Toney</strong> in last week’s win over McCormick, and the Silver Foxes’ defense pitched a shutout against the Chiefs, holding a talented offense in check. [player_tooltip player_id="91146" first="Roshad" last="McAllister"] leads the way on defense for Lamar. &nbsp; &nbsp;