SECOND-ROUND SCORES, QUARTERFINALS SCHEDULE

R2 #1 Carrollton 45, R1 #2 Valdosta 28 R5 #1 Walton 48, R7 #3 N. Gwinnett 19 R1 #3 Camden Co. 26, R3 #1 McEachern 0 R8 #1 Mill Creek 59, R7 #2 Peachtree Rg. 20 R8 #2 Buford 28, R7 #1 Norcross 25

R4 #1 Grayson 42, R3 #2 N. Paulding 18 R6 #1 Milton 42, R8 #3 Collins Hill 21 R1 #1 Colquitt Co. 38, R2 #2 Westlake 19

R1 #2 Lee County 50, R3 #4 Lovejoy 6 R5 #1 Douglas Co. 48, R6 #2 Sequoyah 14 R3 #1 Woodward Acad. 27, R1 #3 Houston Co. 7 R8 #1 Gainesville 35, R7 #2 Blessed Trinity 12 R7 #1 Roswell 59, R8 #2 Lanier 27

R4 #1 Marist 41, R2 #3 Brunswick 14 R6 #1 Rome 42, R5 #2 Hughes 14

R1 #1 Thomas Co. Cent. 56, R3 #3 Jonesboro 6

R2 #1 Warner Robins 23, R1 #2 Ware Co. 21 R5 #1 Creekside 49, R7 #3 Dalton 24 R3 #1 Harris Co. 42, R1 #3 Statesboro 7 R8 #1 Jefferson 42, R7 #2 Hiram 21

R7 #1 Cartersville 28, R8 #2 Eastside 9 R1 #4 Jenkins 28, R2 #3 Dutchtown 27 R7 #4 Cass 17, R5 #2 Mays 7

R1 #1 Coffee 45, R2 #2 Jones County 14

R2 #1 Spalding 20, R4 #3 Troup 0

R5 #1 Stockbridge 28, R6 #2 Westminster 24 R3 #1 Benedictine 31, R4 #2 LaGrange 7 R8 #1 N. Oconee 35, R7 #2 Cedartown 9 R7 #1 Central-Carroll 38, R5 #3 Lovett 10 R4 #1 Starr’s Mill 45, R3 #2 New Hampstead 27 R6 #1 Stephenson 35, R5 #2 Luella 7 R2 #2 Perry 7, R1 #1 Bainbridge 3

CLASS 3A

R2 #1 Mary Persons 42, R1 #2 Crisp Co. 20 R5 #1 Cedar Grove 49, R6 #2 Bremen 14 R3 #1 Calvary Day 49, R1 #3 Thomasville 0 R7 #2 Wesleyan 33, R8 #1 Stephens Co. 26 R7 #1 Lumpkin Co. 45, R8 #2 Oconee Co. 42 R3 #2 Savannah Chr. 33, R4 #1 Morgan Co. 10 R8 #3 Monroe Area 42, R7 #4 Gilmer 24 R1 #1 Carver-Colum. 8, R2 #2 Upson-Lee 7

CLASS 2A

R1 #2 Fitzgerald 37, R2 #1 Spencer 20 R5 #1 Callaway 42, R7 #3 Model 19

R3 #1 Pierce County 35, R4 #2 Laney 14 R8 #1 Fellowship Chr. 63, R7 #2 N. Murray 14 R7 #1 Rockmart 56, R8 #2 Union Co. 14 R3 #2 Toombs Co. 41, R4 #1 Thomson 30 R5 #2 Columbia 18, R6 #1 N. Cobb Chr. 13 R1 #1 Cook 24, R3 #3 Appling County 14

CLASS A DIVISION I

R1 #2 Irwin Co. 31, R2 #1 Bleckley Co. 0 R5 #1 Prince Ave. Chr. 72, R6 #2 Mt Vernon 41 R3 #1 Bryan County 34, R1 #3 Pelham 8 R8 #1 Commerce 34, R7 #2 Dade Co. 14 R8 #2 Elbert County 42, R7 #1 Trion 41, R2 #3 Swainsboro 18, R4 #1 Lamar Co. 6 R8 #3 Rabun Co. 42, R6 #1 Whitefield Acad. 14 R1 #1 Brooks County 22, R2 #2 Dublin 7

CLASS A DIVISION II

R2 #1 Clinch Co. 35, R1 #2 Seminole Co. 6 R6 #2 Manchester 35, R5 #1 Johnson Co. 0 R4 #2 Telfair County 14, R3 #1 Portal 12 R6 #3 Macon Co. 38, R8 #1 Aquinas 35 R7 #1 Bowdon 28, R8 #2 Greene Co. 23 R4 #1 Dooly Co. 28, R3 #2 Jenkins Co. 24 R6 #1 Schley Co. 49, R8 #3 Lincoln Co. 23 R1 #1 Early Co. 43, R3 #3 Emanuel Co. Inst. 34

ll signs point to a relatively solid holiday season for America’s small businesses. Yet, owners of these businesses appear to have a collective anxiety about the months ahead. They have their customers to thank on both counts.

American kept up their spending over the summer, witness the government’s estimate that the economy grew by 4.9% in the third quarter. Yet even as they open their wallets, consumers seem pessimistic about their finances. A recent AP-NORC poll found that many Americans are concerned about their financial future.

In turn, after two years of a COVID-fueled sales boost, owners fear consumers have run through their pandemic savings and might cut back this holiday season or shop online again after getting out and supporting local businesses. Inflation is still a concern and interest rates are higher. And there’s no predicting the weather.

“When we talk to retailers there’s a lot of uncertainty,” said Max Rhodes, CEO of Faire, an online wholesale marketplace many small retailers use to buy inventory. “The combination of higher inflation and rising interest rates are making consumers nervous which in turn makes retailers nervous. It continues to be a weird economy. The data looks good, but nobody feels good about it.”

Rhodes said his customers started to search for “Christmas” items starting in mid-August, compared with mid-September last year. Buying early can relieve the stress of supply-chain bottlenecks and gives owners a chance to restock if something sells out early in the season.

For many retailers, the holidays can account for more than half their annual sales. Holiday retail sales are expected to increase between 3% and 4% in 2023, according to trade group the National Retail Federation. But the total value of those sales will grow more slowly because inflation has moderated. In 2022, sales jumped 5.3%, according to the NRF.

Early indications are that sales have kept pace with prior holiday seasons, with consumers making purchases that help them temporarily put aside their financial concerns.

Shop owners are seeing “comfort” items sell well: high-end candles, plush stuffed animals for adults, particularly the brand Jellycat, all things sparkly (like disco balls), and anything Barbie- and Taylor Swift-related.

Holidays

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AP FILE Rick Haase,wowner ofweightwPatinawgift shops,wtalks with merchandisewdirectorwKamiewHooverwon Nov. 2 in Woodbury, Minn.wAllwsigns point to awrelativelywsolidwholidaywseason for America’swsmallw businesses. Yet,wowners ofwthese businesseswappear towhavewawcollective anxietywabout thewmonthsw aheadwduewto the pessimismwAmericans are apparently feeling about their financial future.