Cherokee County Playoff Preview: Can Woodstock Weather the Swarm? Jackets Enter Playoffs Red-Hot

Scouting the Jackets

The Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets powered their way to their third region title in four years, riding an offense that has been nothing short of electric. Averaging 52 points per game, the Jackets are on pace to set a school scoring record. Their attack is balanced and dangerous, piling up 209.2 passing yards and 218.4 rushing yards per contest.

Senior quarterback Jaylen Johnson has been exceptional, throwing for 1,777 yards with 28 touchdowns against just three interceptions while completing nearly 67% of his attempts. His top targets include Rodney Dunbar (32 receptions, 511 yards, 7 TDs), J.B. Watkins (31 receptions, 495 yards, 9 TDs), and Christian Lawrence (17 receptions, 353 yards, 7-TDs). Lawrence also anchors the ground game with 1,195 rushing yards and 17 scores, while Johnson (213 yards, 3 TDs) and sophomore Jordan McNeil (387 yards, 6 TDs) provide strong support.

Defensively, Thomas County Central has been just as dominant, allowing only 7.3 points per game with four shutouts. The Jackets have forced 15 turnovers and racked up 32 sacks. Junior defensive end Isaiah Andrews leads the charge with eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Jacoby Herring (54 total tackles), Eugene Ware (47 tackles, 10.5 TFL), and Omari Stephenson (44 tackles, 10 TFL) form a disruptive and physical front seven.

Scouting the Wolverines

Woodstock, meanwhile, returns to the playoffs for the second straight season but once again faces one of the classification’s giants. The Wolverines are 2–3 in their last five games and enter with a balanced offense averaging 191 passing yards and 148.9 rushing yards per outing.

Junior quarterback Graham Burmeister remains the focal point, throwing for 1,864 yards and adding 704 yards on the ground while accounting for 26 total touchdowns. Running backs Trace Washington and Xavier Murphy have combined for 724 rushing yards, while standout receiver Ryan Hubbard has emerged as one of Class 5A’s best with 66 catches for 698 yards and seven scores. Washington, Murphy, and Adrian Holliday give Burmeister a full arsenal, combining for 65 total receptions and 10 touchdowns.

Defensively, Woodstock allows 21.8 points per game and has one shutout on the year. Tyler Howard leads the unit with 60 total tackles and 27 solo stops. Djibril Ba is the leads the team with 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Woodstock has forced 15 turnovers this season.

Keys to Victory

Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets

1. Disrupt Burmeister Early: Woodstock’s offense runs through its junior quarterback. Pressure him, force quick decisions, and get sacks or turnovers to derail drives before they start.

2. Stay Balanced Offensively: The Jackets’ near-even split of rushing and passing makes them tough to defend. Maintaining that balance will prevent Woodstock from loading the box or dropping extra defenders into coverage.

3. Win the Line of Scrimmage: Both sides of the ball favor TCC physically. If the Jackets control the trenches—where they’ve thrived all season—this game can tilt quickly in their favor.

Woodstock Wolverines

1. Shorten the Game With the Run: Ball control is essential. Sustaining drives with Washington, Murphy, and Burmeister keeps the explosive TCC offense on the sideline and limits the number of possessions.

2. Protect the Football: Woodstock cannot afford turnovers against a team averaging 52 points per game. Clean possessions and smart decisions will be mandatory from start to finish.

3. Create Havoc on Defense: The Wolverines must steal possessions—forced fumbles, tipped passes, anything to give their offense extra opportunities. A bend-but-don’t-break approach won’t be enough; they need game-changing defensive plays.

Pundit's Pick

The Wolverines face a steep challenge—not only against a dominant Thomas County Central roster, but also with a four-hour road trip added to the mix. For Woodstock to stay competitive, they’ll need to run the ball effectively, avoid mistakes, and find a way to steal possessions through turnovers. If they dictate pace early, they could stay within striking distance for a half. However, Thomas County Central’s firepower, physicality, and depth make them a heavy favorite. We expect Woodstock to battle, but ultimately believe the Jackets’ offense will be too much to withstand.

Prediction: Thomas County Central by 27.