Here’s what to look for this weekend in Class AAAAA:
- There’s almost always a lot at stake, in addition to huge bragging rights, when Warner Robins meets city rival Northside, and this year is no different. But this time they have company at the top of 2-AAAAA. The winner of the Warner Robins-Northside game will be tied for first place in the region with the winner of Thursday night’s Houston County-Jones County matchup. All four teams entered the weekend 4-1 in the region. The Houston-Jones winner will control its fate because Houston County beat Warner Robins and Jones County beat Northside on Sept. 19. “It’s anybody’s game right now,” Warner Robins coach Bryan Way told the Macon Telegraph.
- Brunswick and second-ranked Coffee will try to keep pace with No. 1-ranked and first-place Ware County (6-0, 4-0) when they meet Friday in Douglas in a game that could determine second place in 3-AAAAA. However, Brunswick (4-2, 3-1) can capture the region title by winning its remaining games because it plays Ware County in the regular-season finale. Coffee (6-1, 4-1) lost to Ware 24-21 on Sept. 12 in the teams’ region opener. Brunswick and Coffee spent the past two years together in 1-AAAAAA.
- Mundy’s Mill’s hopes of repeating as 4-AAAAA Division A champion rest on its ability to slow down Drew’s high-powered offense. Mundy’s Mill (5-2, 4-0) and Drew (5-1, 3-0) are the only remaining unbeaten teams in the subregion, and the winner of their Friday matchup at Twelve Oaks Stadium almost certainly will win the title. Drew is averaging a state-best 48.8 point per game, scoring 72, 67 and 54 in its past three games. Drew is led by running back Marquis Terry, who has rushed for 976 yards (10.2 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns in six games. He rushed 403 yards and four TDs in a 67-43 victory against Starr’s Mill two weeks ago.
- Druid Hills can reach five wins in a season for the first time since 1993 and retain at least a share of first place in 6-AAAAA Division A with a victory this week against ninth-ranked Stephenson to do it. Druid Hills, Stephenson and Southwest DeKalb are all 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the subregion. Southwest DeKalb plays Dunwoody this week before meeting Druid Hills and Stephenson in consecutive weeks leading into the region play-in games. Druid Hills hasn’t reached the playoffs since 1985.
- Elsewhere: Fourth-ranked Allatoona (7-0, 6-0) will be within one victory of the Region 5-AAAAA title if it beats Hiram (4-2, 3-2). Allatoona has a game-and-a-half lead on Alexander and South Paulding and beat both of them earlier in the season. ... Dalton (6-1, 4-0), which played in AAAA last season, will clinch the title in 7-AAAAA Division A and a berth in the region championship game if it beats River Ridge (3-3, 1-2). ... Sixth-ranked Lanier (6-0, 5-0), in sole possession of first place in 8-AAAAA, will complete a sweep of the region’s four playoff teams from the past two seasons if it beats Heritage-Conyers. The Longhorns took care of Clarke Central and Flowery Branch earlier this season and outlasted defending region champion Gainesville 26-23 last week.
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