Region 1-AAAA’s first-place team, Americus-Sumter, comes off its bye to take on a 1-5 Shaw team. While this game could be Shaw’s last chance to turn things around this season, Americus-Sumter has four weeks separating it from what would be the program’s first region crown. The Panthers have already defeated Westover, Northside-Columbus and reigning region champion Cairo and this week could be crucial for this reason: In Region 1-AAAA, there are four 2-1 teams behind 3-0 Americus-Sumter and those four teams happen to be squaring off this week. Cairo faces Carver-Columbus and Hardaway faces Northside-Columbus. So, two of those teams will fall two games behind Americus-Sumter in the playoff race with just three weeks left in the season.
Region 4’s big matchup features two explosive offenses as Eastside visits Woodward Academy. Both teams sit at 3-0 in region play, while the other five teams in the region are each at least two games behind. Eastside and Woodward Academy are 6-1 entering the matchups and have scored 108 and 107 points in their past two games, respectively.
Sandy Creek hasn’t lost four-straight games since the 1998 season, but will now have to stop Cartersville and the Purple Hurricanes’ 37-game active win-streak in order to avoid it. Not only has Sandy Creek lost three straight games, but the losing streak includes a 71-16 region loss to Troup and the program’s first-ever loss to Chapel Hill last week.
In Region 8, the winner of Friday’s Oconee County at St. Pius game will likely be playing Jefferson later this month for the region title.
WEEK 8 SCHEDULE
Region 1
Shaw at Americus-Sumter
Cairo at Carver-Columbus (CM)
Westover at Columbus (K)
Hardaway at Northside-Columbus (K) Thursday
Region 2
Perry at Upson-Lee
Howard, Mary Persons, Spalding, West Laurens BYE
Region 3
Thomson at Baldwin
Burke County at Richmond Academy
Cross Creek, Hephzibah BYE
Region 4
Eastside at Woodward Academy
Salem at Henry County
North Clayton at Luella
Druid Hills BYE
Region 5
Sandy Creek at Cartersville
Central-Carroll at Chapel Hill
Troup at LaGrange (C)
Cedartown BYE
Region 6
Southeast Whitfield at Gilmer
Ridgeland at Heritage-Catoosa
Northwest Whitfield at Pickens
LaFayette BYE
Region 7
Blessed Trinity t Chestatee
West Hall at Marist
White County BYE
Region 8
North Oconee at Jefferson
Stephens County at Madison County
Oconee County at St. Pius
Stadium Abbreviations
(C) Callaway Stadium LaGrange
(K) Kinnett Stadium Columbus
(CM) Columbus Memorial Columbus
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