Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
With only four weeks left in the regular season, teams can start making playoff plans. Or at least starting thinking about playoff plans. Or, for some, start thinking about basketball.
Here’s an early look at the way the playoffs are shaping up in Class AAA as the team’s begin heading for home:
Region 1: In Division A, No. 8 Dodge County and Pierce County are undefeated in league play; they meet in Eastman on Oct. 30. Cook and Appling County have one subregion loss and are scrambling to get that third spot. In Division B, Jenkins and Southeast Bulloch are unbeaten in the subregion and will meet on Oct. 23 in Brooklet to determine the regular-season subregion winner.
Region 2: No. 5 Peach County has a perfect league record, but still has games remaining with Jackson and Westside Macon. Jackson and Westside have one loss each, but Jackson win a tiebreaker if they ended up tied based on its head-to-head win. Central Macon, Southwest Macon and Spencer are tied for the final spot with two losses.
Region 3: Augusta rivals Laney and Josey are unbeaten in the region. They meet on Oct. 17 in a game that could determine first place. Hephzibah, Butler and a rebuilding Washington County team are knotted up for third.
Region 4: In Division A, No. 4 Cedar Grove has proven to be the class of a poor subregion. The Saints meet North Clayton on Oct. 23 in a game that could determine the regular season title and an automatic spot in the state playoffs. In Division B, No. 2 Blessed Trinity has a smackdown this week with Westminster, which is in a scrum with Therrell for second place. Surging Douglass and Decatur are also in the picture.
Region 5: No. 7 Central Carroll and No. 9 Callaway have a date on Nov. 6 in Carrollton that could determine first place. But each must also hurdle a high-scoring Pepperell team that has won five straight games.
Region 6: Barring a health quarantine, No. 1 Calhoun will win the region championship. The second-place team should be a force in the playoffs, too. Right now that looks like No. 10 Adairsville, whose only loss has come to Calhoun. The final two playoff spots are a crap shoot between Sonoraville, Murray County, Ringgold, North Murray and Coahulla Creek, who each have two region losses.
Region 7: Dawson County has clawed its way to the top of the standings and already has victories of its two closest competitors. The Tigers aren't good enough to sleep on the lead, but right now they're playing an improved brand of football. Tied for second are East Hall and Franklin, with Fannin County and Banks County also with one league loss.
Region 8: No. 3 Jefferson has already beaten No. 6 Elbert County and finishes the season against Hart County. The Dragons are in the driver's seat. Elbert County and Hart County are the perceived No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the league, but Oconee County and Morgan County are definitely in the hunt. The order of finish in the toughest AAA region will likely go down to the bitter end.
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