Week 9 will start on Thursday with a pair of Region 1-AAAA matchups. Region leader Americus-Sumter would tie a school-record fifth consecutive victory with a win against Hardaway at Columbus Memorial and Northside-Columbus can set its program’s highest win total since 2005 with a win over a 1-6 Shaw team at Kinnett Stadium. As for Friday, Columbus will look for its first win over Carver-Columbus since 1990 and Westover’s playoff lifeline will be determined in its trip to defending Region 1-AAAA champion Cairo.
West Laurens (2-0) and Mary Persons (2-0) remain unbeaten in Region 2-AAAA, and will be the region’s premier matchup this week. The winner of Howard (1-1) at Upson-Lee (1-1) will sit at 2-1 with the loser of the West Laurens, Mary Persons game, while the loser will fall to 1-2 with the winner of Spalding (0-2) at Perry (0-2).
In Region 4, unbeaten Burke County and Thomson will be heavily favored at home this weekend as they get ready for their showdown the following Friday. Region 5 unbeatens Cartersville and Troup have two more weeks before they square off in the regular season finale.
Region 6 will continue to be log-jammed after this week as 7-0 Ridgeland controls its own destiny and four other teams are fighting for three playoff spots. In the small, five-team Region 7, West Hall is off this week while White County and Chestatee square off and Blessed Trinity and Marist likely decide this year’s region champion.
The winner of Jefferson (2-0) and St. Pius (2-0) will take control of Region 8, while the loser could fall into a tie with Oconee County and Madison County at 2-1. An Oconee County (1-1) win over Stephens County (0-2) and a Madison County (1-1) win over North Oconee (0-2) would guarantee Jefferson, St. Pius, Oconee County and Madison County the region’s four playoff spots.
Region 1
Americus-Sumter at Hardaway (CM) Thursday
Westover at Cairo
Columbus at Carver-Columbus (CM)
Shaw at Northside-Columbus (K) Thursday
Region 2
Howard at Upson-Lee
West Laurens at Mary Persons
Spalding at Perry
Region 3
Baldwin at Burke County
Cross Creek at Thomson
Richmond Academy at Hephzibah
Region 4
Henry County at Druid Hills (A)
Woodward Academy at Luella
Salem at North Clayton (SC)
Eastside BYE
Region 5
Chapel Hill at Cartersville
Troup at Cedartown
LaGrange at Sandy Creek
Central-Carroll BYE
Region 6
Gilmer at Northwest Whitfield
Heritage-Catoosa at LaFayette
Pickens at Ridgeland
Southeast Whitfield BYE
Region 7
Marist at Blessed Trinity
White County at Chestatee
West Hall BYE
Region 8
Jefferson at St. Pius
Madison County at North Oconee
Stephens County at Oconee County
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