THOMASVILLE — After an epic first round win that saw the Bulldogs claim victory in the final minute, Thomasville is hitting the road once agin for the second round of the playoffs. This time the Bulldogs are headed east to Savannah to take on 3A powerhouse Calvary Day.

While Harlem was a difficult game, Calvary Day will be another beast entirely. The Cavaliers are 11-0 on the season and just beat Jackson 48-0. Their offense and defense are stout and have been consistent all season.

Offensively, the Cavaliers are capable of scoring in the air and on the ground, though their passing attack is arguably more dangerous. Taking a look at their first round domination of Jackson, quarterback Jake Merklinger was a perfect 13-13 and passed for 260 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite receivers in that game were Edward Coleman, who had seven catches for 74 yards and a score, and Caden Arnold, who hauled in just three catches, but took them for 127 yards and a touchdown.

The Cavaliers offense as a whole is a scoring machine, averaging 47.4 points per game. They have scored over 50 twice this season and over 60 twice this season.

The defense is also formidable. Not only have they allowed just 52 points all year, the Cavaliers have shut out their last six opponents. They haven’t allowed a single point since September 22.

For Thomasville to secure a spot in round three, they will need to do something similar to what they did against Harlem. The Bulldogs scored quickly in that game and went up by 14 in the first quarter. Not only that, but they had multiple explosive plays on offense that allowed them to overwhelm the Harlem defense at times.

Quarterback Cam Hill hit Cole Shaw for two 75 yard gains and Ant Anderson broke free for a 76 yard touchdown run. These are the types of plays that can push Thomasville over the top. It has all year. Explosive offense turns this Bulldog team from a good team into a great team.

The mentality for Thomasville looms as large as it has all year. The right mentality is arguably more important for the Bulldogs that it is for any other team in Georgia. Its finish. Head coach Jonathan DeLay has harped on that world all year. When the Bulldogs have lost to teams like Bainbridge, it’s because they didn’t finish. However, they are in the second round of the playoffs because they did finish against Harlem.

The Bulldogs have to score early and maintain a strong mentality. The connection between Hill and Shaw will be of utmost importance against the Cavaliers.

The Bulldogs will suit up for round two against Calvary Day in Savannah on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.