We have experienced disruptions to the schedule throughout this season and this week has seen two games get cancelled due to COVID. Both of the games are Region 4 matchups and it remains to be seen if they will be made up at a later date. Rutland and Westside-Macon got cancelled after a positive test on Rutland’s program and Howard’s three positive tests forced the cancellation of the Huskies contest with No. 10 ranked Baldwin. Rutland’s next game is scheduled against the Howard Huskies on Nov. 6, Westside plays Perry on Nov 5 and Baldwin is set to host Spalding on Nov. 6.
As for the rest of the region, Perry and West Laurens are still slated to play on Friday and Spalding will take on Class 3A Pike County in non-region play.
The playoff picture will continue to be shaped Week 9 with a schedule that includes four Thursday night games and 19 Friday night matchups within the classification (following the cancellations previously mentioned). In Region 1, No. 7 Bainbridge will be the only team in action as Thomas County Central, Westover, Cairo, Dougherty and Monroe are all off on byes. As a result, the Bearcats will take on Florida-based Dade Christian in a cross-state matchup. This will be the first meeting between the programs and Bainbridge is coming off a 56-7 win over Dougherty.
The action kicks off early in Region 2 with an unprecedented trio of Thursday night region matchups. Hardaway (5-1, 4-0) will have an opportunity to move closer to clinching a playoff berth against Shaw (1-5, 1-3) and Kendrick (0-6, 0-5) will face Spencer (0-7-0-5) in a battle between two winless teams. The other Thursday game will be LaGrange (4-2, 3-1) and Jordan (3-4, 2-3). On Friday night, No. 3 Carver-Columbus (5-0) will take on Troup (4-3, 4-1). Carver-Columbus has racked up a 40-point average margin of victory against region foes so far this year and Troup has shaken off a 28-26 loss to Hardaway by stringing together a four-game region win-streak entering the matchup against the undefeated Tigers. Carver-Columbus has won its last seven games against Troup.
In Region 3, No. 3 Benedictine will face South Effingham in a cross-classification game as the rest of the region (Islands, Jenkins and New Hampstead) are off this week. The most consequential region game played this week in Region 5 will be between Fayette County and Riverdale. Both teams are unbeaten in region play entering the matchup—however Fayette County is already 3-0 in region play while Riverdale sits at 1-0. Luella (5-2, 3-0) will take on winless North Clayton (0-7, 0-3) and Hampton (1-5, 0-2) will face McDonough (1-5, 1-2). Finally, Winless Mt. Zion-Jonesboro (0-4, 0-1) will face off with Class 6A’s Morrow (1-4).
In Region 6, Druid Hills (1-2, 0-2) and Hapeville Charter (1-3, 1-1) will meet Thursday night and Friday’s action will see No. 1 Marist (4-0, 1-0) back in action to face Arabia Mountain (2-2, 2-1). Mays (3-4, 1-2) will look to challenge No. 4 ranked Stephenson (3-0, 2-0) and Miller Grove (1-3, 1-2) will face Class 3A Salem (1-1) in non-region play.
Region 7 continues to be ultra-competitive and there are some crucial region games on this week’s lineup. Cedartown, which entered the rankings recently at No. 9 will put its flawless 2-0 start in region play on the line against a Ridgeland team that snapped a 0-5 start to the season with a 1-0 start in region play. Heritage-Catoosa is fresh off its big win over Central-Carroll and will face a Northwest Whitfield team that has stumbled to an 0-2 region start after opening the year with a 4-0 non-region record. Central-Carroll will attempt to shake off last week’s loss to Heritage when it faces off with Pickens and Southeast Whitfield will continue its non-region slate against Tennessee based Chattanooga Central.
No. 2 ranked Jefferson will be off on a bye week, but No. 6 Flowery Branch (4-2, 1-1) faces Cedar Shoals (1-4, 1-1) in one of the three region showdowns scheduled for Friday out of Region 8. Winless Chestatee (0-6, 0-2) will take on Madison County (1-5, 0-2) and North Oconee (2-5, 2-1) will face East Hall (4-1, 1-0) after its 42-35 overtime loss to Flowery Branch spoiled their flawless region record last Friday.
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