This is the week we’ve been waiting for. There are plenty of showdowns and we can say so-long to many of Class AAA’s weak teams.
First, the biggies: No. 4 Jefferson goes to No. 9 Hart County to determine the Region 8-AAA championshp and No. 8 Central Carroll goes to Callaway to determine the Region 5-AAA championship.
The playoffs essentially start this week for Region 1 and Region 4. Both those regions are subdivided; no one is guaranteed a spot in Region 1, where the top four from one subregion meet the top four in the other half. It is conceivable that one subregion could sweep the other. In Region 4, both subregion champions are guaranteed a spot in the state playoffs and will have first-round games at home.
Here’s the way the region races stack up going into the final week of the regular season.
Region 1: The top four teams in Division A are Cook, Pierce County, Dodge County and Appling County. The top two teams in Division B are Southeast Bulloch and Jenkins, with the other two spots depending on the outcome of Tuesday's make-up game between Johnson and Savannah. If Johnson wins, the Atom Smashers will be No. 3 and Beach No. 4. If Savannah wins, Beach will be No. 3 and Savannah No. 4.
The playoff games will be Cook vs. Division B No.. 4, Pierce County vs. Division B No. 3, Dodge County vs. Jenkins, and Appling County vs. Southeast Bulloch.
Region 2: The top three teams are Peach County, Westside Macon and Jackson. Central Macon can take the fourth spot with a win over Kendrick. If Kendrick beats Central and Rutland beats Jackson, there will be a three-way tie for the final spot. However, if Jackson beats Rutland and Central and Kendrick are tied, the winner of that game will claim the final playoff spot.
Region 3: Washington County is the region champion. Laney is No. 2 based on its win over Westside Augusta, which is No. 3. The fourth spot will be decided by the winner of Friday's Butler-Hephzibah game.
Region 4: The subregion playoff games this week will determine the postseason seeds. Subregion champions Cedar Grove and Blessed Trinity meet in Roswell, with the winner the No. 1 and the loser No. 2; both get first-round home games.
The other game features North Clayton at Westminster and Jackson at Washington. The winners advance to the state playoffs and the loser is eliminated. Jackson beat Washington 28-27 during the regular season.
Region 5: The winner of the Central Carroll-Callaway game will be No. 1, the loser No. 2. Rockmart and Cedartown are tied for third, so the winner of their game on Friday will enter the playoffs as a No. 3 seed and the loser will be No. 4.
Region 6: The top three teams are Calhoun, Adairsville and Ringgold. Sonoraville can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Murray County.
Region 7: West Hall can win the region with a win over Lumpkin County. If Lumpkin wins, the Indians would earn first place based on the head-to-head win. East Hall will be the No. 3 team if it beats Banks County on Friday. If Banks wins and Fannin County beat Franklin County, there will be a three-way tie for the last two playoff spots.
Region 8: The Jefferson-Hart County winner will be No. 1 and the loser will be No. 2. The winner of the Elbert County-Oconee County game will be the third seed, with the loser making the playoffs as No. 4.
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