Here’s what to look for this weekend in Class AAAAA:
- Lanier will play the most important regular-season game in the program’s five-year history when it hosts Gainesville on Friday in a battle for sole possession of first place in Region 8-AAAAA. Lanier, playing its third full varsity season, is 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the region. The Longhorns reached the second round of the playoffs in Class AAAA last season but are seeking their first region title. Gainesville (4-1, 4-0) has won a region title every year since 2008 except for 2012, when it won the Class AAAAA championship.
- Defending state champion Creekside has played one of the most difficult schedules in Class AAAAA this season, and things won’t get any easier for the Seminoles when they take on Carver-Atlanta at Lakewood Stadium on Friday with first place in 6-AAAAA Division B on the line. Creekside’s first seven opponents this season, including Carver, all have winning records and are a combined 25-6 in games against anyone other than the Seminoles. Creekside and Carver are both 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the subregion.
- Sprayberry can move into first place in 7-AAAAA Division B by a half game over fourth-ranked Kell if it beats Cambridge at home. Sprayberry and Kell are both 3-0 in the subregion, but Kell has the week off. Sprayberry will be facing a Cambridge team (4-1, 1-1) having a breakout year in its third season of football. The Bears’ only loss was a 28-27 setback against Kell when the Longhorns scored a touchdown on the final play of the game. Sprayberry has won four consecutive games after opening the season 0-2.
- Dalton can move one step closer to the title in 7-AAAAA Division A with a victory against Rome. The Catamounts, who went 8-3 in Class AAAA last season, are 5-1 overall and alone in first place in the subregion at 3-0. Rome (1-3 overall) is one of three teams with one loss in the subregion. Dalton already has beaten the other two handily – 45-0 over Sequoyah and 49-27 over Creekview. Dalton’s remaining games leading into the region play-in are against River Ridge and Woodland-Cartersville, who are a combined 3-8 overall.
- LaGrange has overcome a 1-3 start against a difficult schedule and moved into first place in 1-AAAAA with a 2-0 record in the region. But to stay at the top, the Grangers will have to beat sixth-ranked Carver-Columbus on the road on Friday. Carver (4-1 overall) and Harris County (3-2) also are undefeated in the region but have played one fewer game than LaGrange. The Grangers, who moved up from AAAA this season, has lost six of the last seven meetings with Carver, which jumped two classes from AAA.
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