This is the first full week of region play in four Class AAAAAAA regions.
Three regions have what might turn out to be championship games on Friday – McEachern at Hillgrove in Region 3, and Mill Creek at North Gwinnett in Region 6.
Here’s a region-by-region look at the races and this week’s games.
Region 1 – This four-team region doesn't begin region play until next week. In the meantime, No. 1 Colquitt County and No. 10 Lowndes are off while Camden County and Tift County play warmup games this week. If you like looking ahead, it's Colquitt vs. Camden, and Lowndes vs. Tift, in the Oct. 12 openers.
Camden County vs Colleton County (Walterboro, S.C.)
Tift County vs Miller Grove (5-AAAAA)
Region 2 – Region play begins this week. Only eighth-ranked Wheeler (5-0) and Westlake (3-2) have winning records. Westlake's losses are to nationally ranked Deerfield Beach and Grayson. The computer Maxwell Ratings give Westlake a 64.1 percent chance of defending its region title, which would deny Wheeler its first region title since 2005. Those teams won't meet until Oct. 26.
Region 3 –This should be the most exciting region race in the high class, and it starts in a big way Friday as No. 7 McEachern (4-1) travels to No. 9 Hillgrove (5-0), the defending champion. Every team in the region is 5-0 or 4-1 except Mariettta (1-4), which ironically is the most talented team and perhaps still the region favorite. The Blue Devils have toughened themselves with the toughest pre-region schedule in the state if not the country. They're at home against undefeated North Paulding. And watch Kennesaw Mountain (5-0). The Mustangs are as good as they've been in some time under first-year coach Caleb Carmean, but haven't had a winning season since 2008, nor ever made the playoffs.
North Cobb vs Kennesaw Mountain
Region 4 – No. 2 Walton (5-0) and Roswell (4-1) are the favorites and should be off to good starts this week. Cherokee (3-3, 1-0) is the only other team without a losing record and beat Etowah 17-15 in the region opener last week, but Cherokee has lost to three lower-classification teams. So circle the date Oct. 19, when Roswell travels to Walton.
Region 5 – Milton enters region play as the favorite, but has lost consecutive games to Roswell and No. 3 Parkview. The Eagles' season-opening victory over Archer, which is now ranked No. 5, makes them team to beat here. South Forsyth (3-2) is the defending champion. Its losses are to No. 9 Hillgrove and No. 1 Blessed Trinity of AAAA. Forsyth Central (4-1) has the best pre-region record, but played a light schedule. The Maxwell Ratings like Milton and rank the Eagles as the No. 11 team in the class. No other Region 5 team makes the top 20.
North Forsyth vs Forsyth Central
Region 6 – No. 5 North Gwinnett (4-2, 2-0), the defending region and state champion, is home this week to Mill Creek (4-2, 2-0), and that likely will decide the region title. Collins Hill (1-4, 1-0) is the only other team without a loss in region play. This region's playoff teams are probably the easiest to forecast as there's an ocean between the top four (North Gwinnett, Mill Creek, Mountain View, Collins Hill) and the rest. Hard to believe that Peachtree Ridge is 0-6.
Peachtree Ridge vs Collins Hill
Region 7 – Meadowcreek (6-0, 2-0) plays at Brookwood (4-1, 1-0) on Friday in a game that ajc.com is slated to cover, and the winner emerges as the only unbeaten team in region play besides region favorite and third-ranked Parkview (6-0, 2-0). Parkview hasn't won a region title since 2004 but has been impressive in victories over Lowndes, Tift County and Milton.
Lakeside (Atlanta) vs Parkview
Region 8 – Was it said that Region 6's playoff teams were the easiest to predict? This one is pretty predictable, as well. Maxwell rates South Gwinnett as the fourth-best team, and No. 33 overall in the class, and 16 points better than the fifth-best team, Rockdale County, which comes in at No. 42. Newton could be a tough out for Archer this week, but the Tigers are playing awfully well lately with impressive wins over Buford, Norcross and Mill Creek.
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