Region races take center stage during Week 10 as programs jockey for seedings and the playoff positions that come with them. Here are some of the top games on this week’s schedule:
-- Cedar Grove, the top-ranked program in the class, will play at home against Westminster on Thursday night to begin the weekend’s action. The Saints have played Westminster five times and won three , including a 21-0 victory last season. Westminster beat the Saints 24-8 in 2015 and 42-21 in 2016. Cedar Grove won 41-10 in 2017 and 30-3 in 2018.
-- No. 2 Oconee County will try to take control of 8-3A when it travels to unranked Monroe Area. Both programs are 2-0 in the league and lead Franklin and Hart Counties (1-1). The Warriors have played Monroe Area 16 times and won seven, with a tie in the inaugural game in 1976. Oconee has not beaten Monroe Area since Oct. 5, 2007 (41-7). The programs last met in 2013 when Monroe Area won 53-0.
-- No. 3 Peach County will travel to Jackson (3-3, 2-2) for a region game that the Trojans should win. Peach is tied with Central-Macon (4-0) at the top of the 2-3A standings. The Trojans have not played since beating Crisp County 14-13 on Oct. 23.
-- No. 4 Crisp County is currently third in the standings in 2-3A behind Peach County and Central-Macon and will travel to Americus-Sumter with hopes to move to 4-1 in the region. Crisp will play Central-Macon next week, which could allow the Cougars a shot at the No. 2 seed from the region.
One region game this week – No. 7 Rockmart (6-1, 5-0) at Adairsville (5-2, 4-1) – was previewed by Georgia High School Football Daily and is included below.
Rockmart at Adairsville (Courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Adairsville
Records, rankings: Rockmart is 6-1 overall, 5-0 in Region 6-3A and No. 7; Adairsville is 5-2, 4-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: Adairsville won 9-0 in 2011.
Things to know: Rockmart is the only remaining 6-3A team that is unbeaten in region play, and a victory this week would put it one step closer to its fourth consecutive region title. Adairsville is one of three one-loss teams (North Murray and LaFayette are the others) tied for second place. A victory would keep alive the Tigers' hopes for a first region title since 2001. Rockmart relies on a running game that averages 267.3 yards per game. QB Javin Whatley leads the team in rushing by a wide margin, with 792 yards and eight touchdowns on 93 carries. No other player has more than 273 yards or 37 carries. Whatley also has passed for 600 yards and six touchdowns. Dennis Sims has 12 receptions for 283 yards. Adairsville QB Conner Crunkleton directs a more balanced offense that runs for 186.6 yards per game and passes for 169.3. Crunkleton is 57-of-87 passing for 1,060 yards and nine touchdowns. Eli Agnew (67 carries, 430 yards, three touchdowns) and Jamaury Johnson (75-386-4) are the leading rushers, and Courtney Slocum has 304 receiving yards.
Class 3A Top 10 Schedule
1. Cedar Grove (4-0, 3-0) hosts Westminster in a 5-3A game on Thursday.
2. Oconee County (7-0, 2-0) travels to Monroe Area for an 8-3A game on Friday.
3. Peach County (5-1, 4-0) travels to Jackson on Friday for a 2-3A game.
4. Crisp County (6-1, 3-1) travels to Americus-Sumter for a 2-3A game on Friday.
5. Appling County (7-0, 2-0) is off and hosts Brantley County for a 1-3A game next week.
6. Greater Atlanta Christian (6-1, 3-1) is off and will host Carver-Atlanta for a 5-3A game next week.
7. Rockmart (6-1, 5-0) travels to Adairsville for a 6-3A game on Friday.
8. Pierce County (5-1, 1-0) hosts Long County for a 1-3A game on Friday.
9. Cherokee Bluff (7-0, 3-0) travels to Dawson County for a 7-3A game on Friday.
10. Richmond Academy (7-1, 4-0) is off and travels to Cross Creek for a 4-3A game next week.
Region Records
Region Regular Percentage
1-3A 9-19 0.321
2-3A 10-9 0.526
3-3A 6-12 0.333
4-3A 10-14 0.417
5-3A 8-8 0.500
6-3A 7-10 0.412
7-3A 14-13 0.519
8-3A 20-8 0.714
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