It's win or go home for several teams across the classification as we prepare for the final week of the regular season. Included in all the drama are these three games that I'm especially interested in.
Upson-Lee at Spalding
Upson-Lee’s season will end on Friday unless the Knights can score a road victory at Spalding. Upson-Lee owns a 1-3 region record and has both Spalding (2-2) and Howard (2-2) ahead of it in the standings for the third and fourth seeds. Spalding beat Howard last week and owns that tiebreaker, but things could still get complicated. If Mary Persons defeats Howard that would put the Huskies at 2-3. This leaves two possible scenarios for the Spalding vs. Upson-Lee result. A Spalding win would put the Jags at No. 3 and Howard at No. 4, regardless if Howard wins. If Upson-Lee defeats Spalding and Mary Persons defeats Howard, then Howard, Spalding and Upson-Lee would be in a tie for just two playoff openings. Last year, Upson-Lee suffered a 43-33 loss to Spalding in its season finale that snapped the Knights’ three-game winning streak and dropped them down to the No. 4 seed where a superior Woodward Academy team waited in the first round. This year, Upson-Lee will try to avoid a three-game losing streak to close its season and 3-5 Spalding will try to take the No. 3 seed for a second straight year with half of its win total from 2016.
Chapel Hill at Cedartown
Cedartown has a ton to gain in the final week of the regular season. Troup (4-1) faces Cartersville for the region title, but Cedartown (4-1) already defeated Troup this season and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. If Cedartown beats Chapel Hill, they will get the No. 2 seed. If Cedartown loses and Troup falls to the Hurricanes, then a three-way tie between Troup, Chapel Hill and Cedartown would have to be settled for Region 5-AAAA’s seeding behind Cartersville.
Cartersville vs. Troup
This is the second straight season that these two teams have squared off for the region title, but Cartersville will once again be enormously favored. Cartersville demolished Troup 68-0 last year and could easily explode for another blowout. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence enters the game just one touchdown pass shy of the all-time career state record (155) and watching the Clemson-commit attempt to break more records in is his final regular season start makes this a matchup to follow.
Week 11 Schedule
Region 1
Carver-Columbus at Americus-Sumter
Columbus at Cairo
Shaw at Hardaway (K)
Northside-Columbus at Westover (M)
Region 2
Mary Persons at Howard (ED)
Perry at West Laurens
Upson-Lee at Spalding (GM)
Region 3
Cross Creek at Baldwin
Hephzibah at Burke County
Richmond Academy at Thomson
Region 4
Druid Hills at Salem
North Clayton at Eastside (SH) Saturday
Luella at Henry County
Region 5
Cartersville at Troup (C)
Chapel Hill at Cedartown
Sandy Creek at Central-Carroll
Region 6
Gilmer at LaFayette
Pickens at Heritage-Catoosa
Southeast Whitfield at Ridgeland
Region 7
Blessed Trinity at West Hall
Marist at White County
Region 8
Oconee County at Jefferson
St. Pius at Madison County
Stephens County at North Oconee
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