Two programs are rising to the top of Region 4, with No. 4 Peach County (6-2, 4-0) and unranked Westside-Macon (6-2, 4-0) bearing down on a possible region title game in two weeks.
It has been six seasons since Westside's 2012 2-AAAA title run, the most recent for the program. That year, Westside was a perfect 7-0 through a region that included Mary Persons, Baldwin, Perry and West Laurens. Its only regular-season loss that year was to Northside-Warner Robins. Westside lost to South Effingham in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Peach County, on the other hand, has won 10 region titles and three state titles since 2003 and three region titles in the six years since Westside's last. It's clear who the underdog is -- in terms of region titles and state championships – and Peach County has the edge.
In the team's eight-game history, Peach has lost twice – in 2006 under Rance Gillespie and 2007 under Chad Campbell – in the first two meetings between the schools. Legendary coach Robert Davis was at the helm of the Seminoles at the time. The programs didn't play in 2008 or 2009, but since 2010 under coach Sheddrick 'Spoon' Risper, Westside has not been able to figure out the "Trojan equation." In 2015, Peach County squeaked by Westside 22-17, the closest margin in the series.
But don't count out the little program on the outskirts of Macon. Sure, it's a tall order to knock off Peach County, and in the end, a Westside victory might not change much in terms of playoff seedings and/or duration. But for a program that finished 8-4 last year and 6-5 in 2016, it would be a blessing to close out the regular season with a victory to carry any and all momentum into the playoffs.
This year, the Seminoles have not been beaten in 4-AAA and are coming off a 37-0 demolition of Kendrick. Westside needs a victory at Pike County this week to set up a possible region-title game at Peach County's Anderson Field in Fort Valley in two weeks. Peach also must get past Jackson this weekend.
Just for the sake of conversation, the Region 4 No. 1 seed will face the at-large team in the first round. The Region 4 No. 2 seed will meet the Region 1 No. 3 seed in the first round, either Cook, Worth County or Monroe.
But first things first. Both teams need to take care of business this weekend. And if that happens, things should get interesting when Westside heads 20 miles south to Fort Valley.
Rankings breakdown: The only shift in this week's rankings showed Jefferson moving from No. 8 to No. 9 following its loss to Monroe Area on Friday. The other change was No. 9 Dawson County moving up to No. 8 after its 53-7 victory against Fannin County.
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