Statesboro High's bid for a third state championship since 2001, and sixth overall, is alive and the Blue Devils will be at Womack Field Friday night looking to earn a trip to the GHSA Class AAAA finals for the first time since 2005.

After beating Kell 17-7 Friday night in Marietta, Statesboro won a coin flip with Chattahoochie to determine home field for the state semifinal. Since both teams are No. 1 seeds - Statesboro out of Region 2 and Chattahoochee out of Region 7 - GHSA rules required the coin toss to decide home field. Statesboro lost last week's toss to Kell, but won this morning's flip and will play host to Chattahoochee at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The Blue Devils used big plays and strong defense to shut down previously undefeated Kell. Aaron Lester's 60-yard run set up Statesboro's first score, a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter, and Dequan Daniels scored on runs of 37 yards in the third quarter and 91 yards in the fourth for Statesboro's two touchdowns. Daniels finished with 211 yards rushing.

Meanwhile, Statesboro's defense made perhaps the play of the game early in the fourth quarter. With the Devils clinging to a 10-7 lead, the defense stuffed Kell quarterback Austin Petrick for no gain on fourth and inches from the seven-yard line. Daniels then put the Devils up 17-7 with his 91-yard TD run.

To reach the finals, Statesboro (11-2) will have to beat another undefeated team. Chattahoochee High is in Alpharetta, just north of Atlanta. The Cougars are 13-0 and have averaged nearly 37 points per game in winning their three playoff games. Chattahoochee defeated Dutchtown 37-14 Friday night.

Statesboro won Class AAAA state titles in 2001 and 2005 and also won Class A titles in 1956, 1957 and 1966. Since 2000, Statesboro has been to five state championship games, beating Dalton in 2001 and Northside-Warner Robins in 2005, while losing to Shaw in 2000, Marist in 2003 and Warner Robins in 2004.

Read stories all this week in the pages of the Statesboro Herald and on statesboroherald.com