Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
It had been a long time since Oconee County had won a football game with as much significance as the one it won last week. When the Warriors beat then-No. 3 Jefferson in double overtime, it indicated that the program had officially joined the ranks of the Big Boys.
Now, entering the final week of the regular season, Oconee County has a chance to win its first region championship since 2004.
“It has been a journey and we’ve just tried to get better each week,” coach Travis Noland said. “You’re only as good as your next game and now we’ve got to find a way to beat Elbert County.”
Oconee County beat Jefferson by opting for a two-point conversion in the second overtime, a gutsy call by Noland.
“Jefferson is so big and strong up front, I felt like they had taken control of the game,” Noland said. “I told our defensive coordinator if we scored we were going to go for two.”
The play was a reverse by the tight end and Cooper Saunders delivered the winning two-point conversion run.
“We sometimes run the tight end reverse off a power play,” Noland said. “If it works, it’s great. If it doesn’t, everybody’s hating you.”
It worked, so all’s good in Watkinsville.
Elbert County, Hart County, Jefferson and Oconee County are all tied with one loss in Region 8-AAA. Each one is in the playoffs, the order will be determined this week.
“It’s good to be in the playoffs,” Noland said. “We could be first or we could be fourth. We’ve just got to try to find a way to beat another good football team this week.”
Hart County plays at Jefferson and Elbert County plays at Oconee County. Here’s the way it shakes down:
- If Oconee County beats Elbert County and Jefferson beats Hart County, Oconee County will be first. The other three spots would be: Jefferson, Elbert and Hart.
- If Oconee County beats Elbert County and Hart County beats Jefferson, Hart County will be first. The other three spots would be Oconee, Jefferson and Elbert.
- If Elbert County beats Oconee County and Jefferson beats Hart County, Jefferson will be first. The other three spots would be Elbert, Hart and Oconee.
- If Elbert County beats Oconee County and Hart County beats Jefferson, Elbert County will be first. The other three spots would be Hart, Oconee and Jefferson.
“You can’t control what the other teams do, you can only control what you do, so we have to go out and play and try to find a way to beat a good team with a great player (Mecole Hardman),” Noland said.
Region 1-AAA Play-in
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Dodge County is undefeated and won Division A. Southeast Bulloch did not lose a subregion game and won Division B. But neither is guaranteed a spot in the state playoffs unless they win on Friday.
Region 1 puts all four playoff spots on the line this week. The No. 1s play the No. 4s, with the No. 2s and No. 3s meeting. The four winners advance to the playoffs, with the top seeds earning homefield advantage.
Here’s how it shakes down:
- No. 4 Div. B Savannah (3-6) is at No. 1 Div. A Dodge County (9-0)
- No. 3 Div. B Beach (5-4) is at No. 2 Div. A Pierce County (6-3)
- No. 3 Div. A Cook (6-3) is at No. 2 Div. B Jenkins (6-3)
- No. 4 Div. A Appling County (5-4) is at No. 1 Div. B Southeast Bulloch (6-3)
Last year all the teams from Division A prevailed in the play-in game.
Region 2-AAA
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Jackson (7-2) can nail down first place with a win against 1-9 Rutland. A loss would drop the Devils to second place. Peach County (8-2) can finish no worse than second.
The third spot will belong to Spencer (6-3), if the Greenwave can beat Jordan.
If Spencer wins, the fourth spot will be between Central Macon and Westside Macon. If those two end up tied, Westside wins the tiebreaker. If Westside wins and Central loses, Westside would get the playoff spot. If Central wins and Westside loses, Central gets the spot.
Region 3-AAA
Laney (7-2), Washington County (4-5) and Josey (6-4) are locked in for the top three spots, in that order.
Hephzibah will get the final spot if it defeats Butler.
If Butler beats Hephzibah and Westside beats Washington County, there will be a three-way tie for the final spot. If Butler beats Hephzibah and Washington County beats Westside, Butler will get the final spot.
Region 4-AAA Play-in
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
This league rewards the subregion winners with an automatic spot in the state playoffs and guarantees them a first-round home game.
Cedar Grove (8-1), the Division A winner, will host Blessed Trinity (9-0), the Division B winner. The winner will be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, the loser will be the No. 2 seed.
The other two playoff spots will be determined when the No. 2 team from each side plays theNo. 3 team from the opposite subregion. The winners advance to the state playoffs.
- No. 3 Div. B Douglass (6-3) plays No. 2 Div. A Jackson (5-4)
- No. 3 Div. A North Clayton (3-6) plays No. 2 Div. B Westminster (5-4)
None of these six teams met each other during the regular season.
Region 5-AAA
The winner of the game between Callaway (8-1) and Central Carroll (9-0) will be the region champion and the loser will be the No. 2 seed. Pepperell (6-3) is the No. 3 team.
The winner of the game between Cedartown (1-8) and Rockmart (2-7) will finish fourth.
Region 6-AAA
Calhoun (9-0) and Adairsville (8-1) have clinched the top two seeds. Sonoraville (6-3) will finish third, even if it loses the final game to Murray County. The winner of the game between North Murray (4-5) and Ringgold (5-4) will finish fourth.
Region 7-AAA
Dawson County (6-3) is the region champion and East Hall (5-4) is No. 2.
Franklin County (5-4) will finish third if it defeats Fannin County. If Franklin County loses, there could be a four-way tie for the final two playoff spots between Franklin, Fannin, West Hall and Banks County. That might mean mini-games.
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