--Class AAAA No. 1 Buford heads into its most challenging stretch of its region schedule with a road test at North Oconee. The Wolves (7-0, 4-0 Region 8-AAAA) have won 32 straight games and have yet to be challenged in region play. North Oconee running back Kawon Bryant (906 yards, 13 touchdowns) will look to do just that. The Titans (5-2, 4-0)have lost both previous meetings with Buford, both coming in the playoffs, including a 13-0 loss in 2012.
--A Region 5-AAAA battle between No. 2 Sandy Creek and No. 6 Woodward Academy features two of the top running backs in the state. The host Patriots (7-0, 2-0) are led by senior back Eric Swinney, an Ole Miss commitment who has rushed for 1,094 yards and 13 touchdowns. The War Eagles (6-1, 2-0) counter with junior back Elijah Holyfield. The son of boxing great Evander Holyfield, Elijah has rushed for 993 yards and 16 touchdowns and has three kickoff returns for scores. He has offers from Georgia, Michigan and Ohio State, among others. Sandy Creek has won 44 region games in a row, a streak that dates back to 2007.
--No. 3 Griffin, the Class AAAA defending state champion, looks for its 23rd straight win, when the high-scoring Bears travel to Pike County (1-6, 1-2 Region 4-AAAA). Griffin (7-0, 3-0 Region 4-AAAA) is averaging 44.8 points per game.
--Marist hosts surprising Columbia in key Region 5-AAAA game. With two games remaining, the War Eagles (7-1, 5-1)trail St. Pius X by one game in the region standings. St. Pius owns the tiebreaker due to its win over Marist. The Golden Lions are at Arabia Mountain tonight and finish against Stone Mountain and Redan.
Colombia (5-2, 4-1) is 1-11 all-time against Marist, with its lone win coming in 1981, and has failed to score in its last two meetings against the War Eagles in 2012 and 2013. Colombia is looking for only its second playoff berth in the last nine seasons. After tonight’s test, the Eagles have games against Chamblee and Arabia Mountain.
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