Here’s a look at what’s on tap for Class AAAAAA this week …
-No. 1 Colquitt County beat 5-0 Lowndes last week. Now comes another 5-0 team, Lee County. Despite a 10-2 finish in 2013, Lee was predicted by many to finish last in Region 1 because of the move up in classification and the graduation of all-state QB Stephen Collier, now at Ohio State. But junior Garet Morrell (64-of-112 for 1,130 yards and 12 touchdowns) has done pretty well.
-Then we’ve got No. 7 Camden County at No. 6 Lowndes. The loser of this matchup between teams ranked in the top seven will fall to 0-2 in 1-AAAAAA and no better than tied for fifth place. Camden County hasn't lost more than one game that counted in region or subregion standings in any season since 1993. The Wildcats have won both meetings with Lowndes since joining the region in 2012.
-Lovejoy (4-2, 1-0 in Region 2) should handle Lakeside, but Lakeside does have Class AAAAAA’s leading rusher, Kellyen Walker, with 1,049 yards.
-East Coweta has made the playoffs each season since 1996. Newnan has made them each season since 2002. It’s going to be pretty tough for both to extend those streaks this year. Newnan (1-4, 0-2) plays Westlake (3-1, 2-0), and East Coweta (4-1, 1-1) plays Hughes (4-1, 2-0). South Fulton is on the rise.
-Region 4 should be down to two contenders after Friday. Hillgrove (4-2, 2-0) plays at North Paulding (3-3, 2-0), which employs the state’s leading passer, Kyle Banks (2,092 yards), but is the underdog. McEachern (3-2, 1-0) is the only ranked team in the region, while North Cobb (4-2, 1-1) is the defending region champ and beat McEachern last season.
--The winner of the Cherokee-Milton game probably will be the team to beat in 5-AAAAAA. Cherokee (4-1, 2-1) has the state’s top receiver, Andrew Harris (918 yards) and third-leading passer, Spencer Ashley (1,783). Milton linebacker Quarte Sapp remains a defensive player-of-the-year candidate.
-Northview (5-0 4-0) plays at South Forsyth (4-0, 4-1) in a game that will decide the leader in 6-AAAAAA. South Forsyth’s Tyler LaFlamme leads AAAAAA in rushing with 985 yards. Northview’s D.J. Pearson (1,187 yards) is the region’s leading passer. Centennial (3-1, 3-2) at defending champ Alpharetta (4-1, 4-0) is an important game, too.
-The teams teams that used to be ranked, that aren’t now, but are most likely to re-enter might be Peachtree Ridge (5-1, 3-1) and North Gwinnett (4-2, 2-1). They play at the Ridge this week.
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