Both Newton County playoff teams advance in a wild Friday night of football. 

It was a tale of two halves for the Eastside Eagles. After being down 21-0 at halftime, Thomson had the momentum and the ball after the half, but Eastside responded.

Still down by three scores with the clock ticking at the end of the third, Eagles’ quarterback Austin Holloway tossed a 3-yard pass to Quintrell Mathis, who was double covered but the ball was just high enough for the defense to miss it and Mathis – behind the defense – caught the ball and ran in for the score.

Carlos Huggins scored the second touchdown for Eastside early in the fourth and the Eagles were back in the game. Down 21-14 with less than 30 seconds left on fourth and ten. Holloway dropped back, shook off a should-be sack, backed up deep to the 50-yard line and threw it once again to Mathis, who was behind the defense for the game-tying score at 21.

In overtime, it was a back and forth affair with Thomson scoring first in the first overtime period and Eastside answering back to knot it up at 28. The Eagles striked first in the second overtime and Thomson scored again, but missed the PAT and the Eagles rushed the field sealing the win.

Newton went down to Valdosta an underdog, riding high off last week’s victory over Rockdale. The Rams were ready to show and prove that they were nothing to mess with.

Down in Valdosta, which is one of the toughest environments to play in, Newton pulled off another upset and the Rams escaped with a 27-14 victory and will advance to the second round of the playoffs.