When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Donald Tison Field at Panther Stadium, Homerville
Records, rankings: Charlton County is 6-1 overall, 4-1 in Region 2-A and No. 10; Clinch County is 7-1, 4-1 and No. 5.
Last meeting: Charlton County won 23-19 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. These teams are tied with Turner County and Irwin County in region play. Turner plays Irwin next week. The winner of that game and this one likely will finish tied for first. For tiebreaker purposes, Clinch needs Turner to win, and Charlton needs Irwin to win, to claim the region title. 2. Clinch County freshman QB Trezman Marshall started the first four games and rushed for 440 yards, then broke his collar bone. He's back this week, but sophomore QB Charles McClelland (454 yards rushing) has done well in Marshall's place. Shannon Young (875 yards) is the leading rusher. Clinch has forced 32 turnovers and returned seven fumbles and three interceptions for touchdowns. 3. Charlton County RB Andrew Lee, a preseason all-state pick, has rushed for 798 yards. He and Eric Daniels (528 yards rushing) account for two-thirds of Charlton's offense. Jimmy Nettles (34-of-74 passing, 486 yards) is a pocket passer. DB/WR Raykwon Anderson has returned three kicks for touchdowns, intercepted two passes and averages 31.0 yards per reception (9-279-1).
East Coweta at Newnan
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Drake Stadium, Newnan
Records, rankings: East Coweta is 7-1 overall, 4-1 in Region 3-AAAAAA and unranked; Newnan is 6-2, 4-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: East Coweta won 15-13 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. East Coweta and Newnan are two of the four teams tied for first place in the region. Westlake and Hughes, which plays Newnan next week, are the others. Westlake has the easiest remaining schedule of the four, with games against South Cobb (3-5) and Campbell (2-6). Newnan's region loss came against Westlake; East Coweta lost to Hughes. 2. Newnan had made the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons before falling off to 3-7 last year, but the Cougars will be back in the postseason this year. Newnan's leaders on offense are RB Marquis Hill (806 yards rushing) and QB Chancellor Johnson (917 yards passing). Hill scored on a 40-yard run in a 27-14 victory against Pebblebrook last week. 3. East Coweta has a relatively young but experienced backfield with QB Will LaGuardia, RB Devonte Brown and FB Carlos Ford, all juniors. Brown is the leading rusher with 796 yards. Ford ran for 138 yards and two TDs in a 42-20 victory against Douglas County last week, and he and LaGuardia both had touchdown runs against Newnan last season.
Lincoln County at Aquinas
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aquinas Stadium, Augusta
Records, rankings: Lincoln County is 8-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 7-A Div. B and No. 9; Aquinas is 7-1, 3-0 and No. 8.
Last meeting: Aquinas won 15-13 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. The winner of this game will win the subregion title and play for the region championship against Stratford Academy next week. Aquinas (2013, 2014) and Lincoln County (2003-09, 2011-12) have won 11 of the past 12 titles in Region 7-A. Lincoln County won 32 consecutive games against Aquinas and leads the series 32-4-1, but Aquinas won the past two. 2. Lincoln County gets 83 percent of its offense from a running game that averages 251.5 yards per game. The leading rushers are Quay Hartfield (97 carries, 728 yards, 11 TDs) and Jamal Norman (78-551-6). QB Javon Reid hasn't thrown more than eight passes in any game, and no receiver has more than seven catches. The Red Devils are giving up just 5.9 points per game. 3. Aquinas averages 238.8 yards rushing, led by sophomore D'Angelo Durham (65 carries, 606 yards, nine TDs) and senior Chris Gates (68-594-11). QB Liam Welch is 66-of-122 passing for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns and has rushed for 277 yards and six TDs. LB Artest Banks has 70 total tackles.
Lovejoy at Tucker
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Adams Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Lovejoy is 4-4 overall, 3-0 in Region 2-AAAAAA and unranked; Tucker is 5-3, 2-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: Tucker won 27-12 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. Lovejoy will be the region champion with a victory. Tucker can force a three-tie for first place that would favor Newton (6-2, 2-1). The region's tiebreaker procedure uses point differential between tied teams with a cap of 15 points. Newton beat Tucker 37-20 (15 points) and lost to Lovejoy 20-16 (-4 points) and therefore would win any three-way tiebreaker. Tucker needs to win by 10 points or more to finish second in that tiebreaker. 2. Tucker averages more than 300 yards rushing per game and nearly 8.0 yards per carry from a Wing-T offense that features Chris Broadwater (82-716-12), Kymani Campbell (45-465-4) and Samuel Bryant (43-381-7). QB Garrett Rigby (35-of-74 passing, 725 yards, 12 TDs) is committed to Harvard. Tucker's weakness this season has been run defense. Opponents are averaging more than 5.0 yards per carry. 3. Lovejoy put itself in position to win the region with the victory over Newton last week. On third-and-20 from the Newton 26, QB Trevaro Hardy threw a TD screen pass to WR Marquese Taylor for the lead with 1:11 left. Taylor broke three tackles on the play. Earlier in the game, Taylor went 73 yards on a screen that set up another touchdown. DE Chris Henderson, committed to Indiana, is a different-maker on defense.
Lovett at Greater Atlanta Christian
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Norcross
Records, rankings: Lovett is 5-4 overall, 5-1 in Region 6-AA and No. 8; Greater Atlanta Christian is 7-1, 5-0 and No. 2.
Last meeting: Greater Atlanta Christian won 14-7 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. Lovett will clinch the No. 1 seed from the region with a victory. GAC likely needs to beat Lovett and then Wesleyan on Nov. 6 to win the region title. GAC broke a six-game losing streak in the series with its home victory in 2014. 2. Lovett RB Jay Harris has rushed for 995 yards and nine touchdowns on 128 carries. QB Brady Tindall has rushed for 557 yards, including 106 and two touchdowns last week against Wesleyan. He's 64-of-151 passing for 658 yards and four touchdowns. Lovett's strength is defense. The Lions allowed minus-1 yard rushing against Wesleyan. 3. GAC averages 188.4 yards rushing and 187.8 passing per game. QB Davis Mills, a top-100 national recruit among juniors, is 85-of-142 passing for 1,424 yards and 16 touchdowns. Alex Rowe (85-498-3) is the leading rusher. OL/DL Ford Higgins (committed to Navy) is a key two-way player. OL Devin Cochran is committed to Vanderbilt.
Norcross at Mill Creek
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Markham Field at Mill Creek Community Stadium, Hochston
Records, rankings: Norcross is 7-1 overall, 4-1 in Region 7-AAAAAA and No. 10; Mill Creek is 8-0, 5-0 and No. 5.
Last meeting: Mill Creek won 30-0 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. Both teams have clinched playoff berths. Mill Creek can win its first region title with victories this week and next against Peachtree Ridge (6-2, 6-0). The 2014 game marked Mill Creek's first victory in the series. Norcross had led 8-0. 2. Norcross's offense is a big question mark after being held to negative rushing yards last week in a 31-0 loss to Peachtree Ridge. QB Baron Radcliffe (453 yards rushing, 419 passing) is a dual threat, but backup Max Tracy replaced him late in the first half and was 8-of-11 passing for 98 yards. The defense is sound with DB Kendrec Grady (Iowa State), DB Jarett Cole (Georgia Tech) and LB Robert Beal (top-100 national junior recruit). 3. Mill Creek QB Cameron Turley threw for a season-high 289 yards and three touchdowns last week in the victory over Collins Hills. He's 104-of-169 passing for 1,486 yards on the season. Leading rusher Daniel Leconte (480 yards) was injured Oct. 9. Joe Thomas has rushed for 200 yards in two games since. Mill Creek is allowing 5.5 points per game. DE Peyton Moore has five sacks.
Northside-Columbus at Carver-Columbus
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, Columbus
Records, rankings: Northside is 5-2 overall, 4-0 in Region 1-AAAAA and unranked; Carver is 7-1, 4-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Carver won 37-21 in 2015.
Three things to know: 1. The winner of this game will clinch the 1-AAAAA championship. Northside has been playing football since 2004 and never won a region title or beaten Carver. The closest game in five previous meetings was Carver's 16-point victory last season. Carver has won 10 region championships, including seven in a row from 2007 to 2013. 2. Northside RB Kalan Watts has rushed for 847 yards and eight touchdowns and has had two games with at least 200 yards. Linebackers Christian Johnson (84 tackles) and Hunter Wommack (80) lead the defense. PK Nathan Robertson has kicked field goals of 52 and 54 yards, and Watts and David Apiag have returned kickoffs for touchdowns. 3. Carver QB Jawon Pass (committed to Louisville) is rated the nation's No. 3 dual-threat quarterback by 247Sports. He has 1,469 yards and 11 touchdowns passing and 553 yards and 13 TDs rushing. RBs Darius Love (505 yards) and Cameron Jessie (450) have at least 50 carries each. LB R.J. Cummings has a team-leading 63 total tackles.
Starr's Mill at Northgate
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Henry Seldon Field, Newnan
Records, rankings: Starr's Mill is 8-0 overall, 5-0 in Region 4-AAAAA Div. A and unranked; Northgate is 8-0, 5-0 and No. 10.
Last meeting: Starr's Mill won 24-14 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. The winner of this game will win the subregion title and play for the region championship against Stockbridge next week. All three teams are 8-0, making 4-AAAAA the only region in any classification with three unbeaten teams. Starr's Mill is seeking its first region title since 2010, while Northgate is going for its first since 2011. Stockbridge is the defending champion. 2. Starr's Mill is 8-0 for the first time since its 2010 team went 14-0 before losing to Chattahoochee in the AAAA final. The Panthers are led by a running game that averages 329.1 yards per game. Sophomore Rico Frey has carried 131 times for 1,253 yards and 10 touchdowns, but Dion Munerlyn (59-606-2) and Nick Brown (54-431) are major contributors. 3. Northgate has the top-ranked offense (47.3 points per game) and defense (5.6) in Class AAAAA. The Vikings had not allowed more than seven points in any game until a 35-25 victory against Drew last week. Ton Evans rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown against Drew giving him 1,093 yards on the season. Kyle Carter ran for 108 yards and three TDs against Drew.
Stephenson at Southwest DeKalb
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, James R. Hallford Stadium, Clarkston
Records, rankings: Stephenson is 7-1 overall, 4-0 in Region 6-AAAAA Div. A and No. 5; Southwest DeKalb is 4-4, 3-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: Stephenson won 25-7 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. The winner of this game will win the subregion title and play for the region championship against Mays next week. Neither Stephenson nor Southwest DeKalb has won a region title since 2009. Stephenson leads the series 6-5 and has won the past four meetings. 2. Stephenson lost to American Heritage (Fla.) 36-8 on Aug. 29 but is undefeated against Georgia teams, allowing just 6.7 points per game with four shutouts against the seven in-state opponents. LB Amari Andrews has 81 total tackles, and DE Aaron Sterling has 16 sacks and 25 tackles for losses. Stephenson gets 77 percent of its offense from the running game (240 yards per game), led by Jaylen Marson-Knight with 892 yards on 118 carries. 3. Southwest DeKalb's Justin Tomlin is the leading passer in DeKalb County. He is 114-for-158 (72.2 percent) for 1,717 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tomlin passed for 323 yards and four TDs in a 41-7 victory against Druid Hills last week. RBs Jordan Eastling and Eric Johnson combine for about 18 carries and 122 yards per game.
Valdosta at Lowndes
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Martin Stadium, Valdosta
Records, rankings: Valdosta is 5-3 overall, 1-2 in Region 1-AAAAAA and unranked; Lowndes is 5-3, 1-2 and unranked.
Last meeting: Valdosta won 13-10 in 2014.
Three things to know: 1. Valdosta and Lowndes are tied with Lee County (5-3, 1-2) for third place in Region 1 behind Camden County and Colquitt County (both 3-0). A victory by either would not guarantee a playoff berth, nor would a loss prevent either from winning its way back in on the 10th game Nov. 6. 2. Austin Dixon is perhaps Lowndes' best all-around quarterback in the coach Randy McPherson era. He's 117-of-16 passing for 1,413 yards and eight touchdowns, and he has rushed for a team-leading 433 yards. He accounts for two-thirds of the team's total yards. OL Tarik Adams (Marshall) and TE Gabe Nabers (Georgia Southern) are Division I commits. DE Logan Neeley is the leading tackler. 3. Valdosta QB Seth Shuman is 142-of-230 passing for 2,068 yards and 19 interceptions with no interceptions. Valdosta's leading receivers are Jamarcus Tyson (26-536-5) and Wesley Veal (21-422-5). Valdosta gets two-thirds of its offense from passing. LB Todd Bradley (Georgia Southern) is Valdosta's marquee defensive player.
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