There are 50 football games in Class 4A on the busy Week 1 slate, including seven Thursday games and six Saturday games. In Region 2, West Laurens and Perry will be off on bye weeks and Region 3′s New Hampstead will also not get the season started until next week. The vast majority of matchups will be cross-classification battles, but there are a few intra-classification matchups I will highlight, as well as one region game—North Clayton versus Riverdale (Region 4) that will be played on Saturday.
In Region 1, defending region champion Bainbridge will host ELCA and take on the Chargers for the first time in school history to kickoff its season. Cairo will host Class 6A’s Thomas County Central, Westover will host Class 3A Dougherty and Hardaway will face Class 3A Carver-Columbus. Shaw’s trip to Marion County will be the only Region 1 game not facing off with a ranked opponent.
Defending region 2 champion Perry is on a bye ahead of its season opener against Class 6A Houston County. Howard will host Southwest-Macon on Thursday and the big test will be Baldwin at Class 3A Peach County as former Warner Robins head coach Marquis Westbrook makes his Trojans’ debut.
Benedictine will kickoff at Jenkins and Burke County will host rival and reigning Class 2A state champion Thomson on Friday. Wayne County will have a Bradwell Institute and are buiding off an incredible turnaround campaign under Jaybo Shaw.
Region 4 starts with a massive clash between LaGrange and Class 3A Carver-Atlanta on Thursday. On Friday, Trinity Christian will faceoff with Class 6A Woodward Academy, Fayette County will take on McIntosh and Troup opens up with Harris County. On Saturday, the action continues with Whitewater versus Northgate and Starr’s Mill versus East Coweta in the Coweta County, Fayette County showcase.
The big matchup in Region 5 will be defending region champion Stockbridge against a Class 6A Douglas County team that has the talent to make a huge run this year. Region 5 will also have two battles against Region 6 teams with Lovett versus Westminster and Pace Academy versus Holy Innocents’.
Defending Region 7 champion Cedartown will face Class 2A rival Rockmart in a top 10 opener and Region 8 reigning champion North Oconee has a rivalry slated with Oconee County after recording the most successful season in school history last year.
Region 1
Bainbridge vs. ELCA
Cairo vs. Thomas County Central
Hardaway vs. Carver-Columbus
Shaw at Marion County
Westover vs. Dougherty
Region 2
Thursday, Aug. 17
Howard vs. Southwest
Friday, Aug. 18
Baldwin at Peach County
Griffin at Ola
Spalding at Eagle’s Landing
Westside-Macon vs. Central-Macon
West Laurens (BYE)
Perry (BYE)
Region 3
Friday, Aug. 18
Benedictine at Jenkins
Burke County vs. Thomson
Islands at Calvary Day
Southeast Bulloch at Liberty County
Wayne County vs. Bradwell Institute
New Hampstead (BYE)
Region 4
Thursday, Aug. 17
LaGrange vs. Carver-Atlanta
Friday, Aug. 18
Fayette County at McIntosh
Trinity Christian at Woodward Academy
Troup vs. Harris County
Saturday, Aug. 19
North Clayton vs. Riverdale (REGION)
Starr’s Mill vs. East Coweta
Whitewater vs. Northgate
Region 5
Friday, Aug. 18
Hampton vs. Tri-Cities
Lovett at Westminster
Luella at Eastside
McDonough vs. Locust Grove
Mt. Zion-Jonesboro vs. Jonesboro
Pace Academy vs. Holy Innocents’
Woodland-Stockbridge vs. New Manchester
Saturday, Aug. 19
Stockbridge vs. Douglas County
Region 6
Thursday, Aug. 17
Druid Hills vs. KIPP Atlanta
Hapeville Charter vs. Newton
Friday, Aug. 18
Holy Innocents’ at Pace Academy
Miller Grove vs. Tucker
SWD vs. South Atlanta
Stone Mountain at Chapel Hill
Westminster vs. Lovett
Saturday, Aug. 19
Stephenson vs. Lithia Springs
Region 7
Thursday, Aug. 17
Cedartown vs. Rockmart
NW Whitfield vs. Pepperell
Friday, Aug. 18
Central-Carroll vs. Redan
Heritage-Catoosa vs. Ringgold
Sonoraville vs. Pickens
SE Whitfield vs. Coosa
Region 8
Thursday, Aug. 17
Cherokee Bluff at West Forsyth
Friday, Aug. 18
Chestatee at Hebron Christian
East Hall vs. West Hall
Johnson-Gainesville vs. Banks County
Madison County vs. Franklin County
North Hall vs. White County
North Oconee vs. Oconee County
Seckinger vs. Peachtree Ridge
Walnut Grove vs. Jasper County
Saturday, Aug. 19
Cedar Shoals vs. Clarke Central
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