Class 4A Blog: Week 3 Primer

Oct. 23, 2020 - Norcross, Ga: A GHSA football is shown before the Georgia high school football game between Cedar Grove and GAC at Greater Atlanta Christian, Friday, October 23, 2020 in Norcross, Ga.. JASON GETZ FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

Credit: Jason Getz

Credit: Jason Getz

Oct. 23, 2020 - Norcross, Ga: A GHSA football is shown before the Georgia high school football game between Cedar Grove and GAC at Greater Atlanta Christian, Friday, October 23, 2020 in Norcross, Ga.. JASON GETZ FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

Week 3 will feature a grand total of 41 games, with three matchups ready to kickoff on Thursday. There will also be more teams on their bye weeks than this past week as 13 total teams will be off. Seven of the 13 teams on a bye this week will be Region 2 programs and the only two games being played in the classification’s largest region will be Hardaway at Callaway and Spencer will host Northside-Columbus.

In Region 1, fans can be prepare for another intriguing weekend of cross-classification battles against some of South Georgia’s most consistent programs. Bainbridge came up short to Coffee last Friday to open its season and now the Bearcats will host Class 6A Valdosta. Cairo will visit Class 2A Thomasville, Dougherty will visit Class 5A Lithonia on Thursday, Monroe will travel to two-time defending Class A Public state champion Irwin County on Friday and Thomas County Central will host Florida’s Lake Placid High School.

There are only four teams in Region 3 and so there is still plenty of non-region action left for these teams. Benedictine will cross state lines to take on Beaufort SC, while Islands, Jenkins and New Hampstead stay local to play cross-classification matchups. Islands will be at home against Johnson-Savannah and New Hampstead will host Savannah, while Jenkins takes a trip to Jeff Davis.

In Region 4, Baldwin has a tough task this weekend as the Braves visit Class 5A state title contender Ware County. Howard has its own big-time matchup slated at home against Northside-Warner Robins and Perry will face Class 3A powerhouse Crisp County on the road this Thursday.

Defending Region 5 champion Riverdale will visit Drew on Friday and will have a bye next week before they take on Pebblebrook on Sept. 16, which is the final non-region game for the Raiders.

In Region 6, the biggest matchup will be Marist’s home game against Woodward Academy. This battle between War Eagles follows Marist’s big victory over Blessed Trinity in last week’s season opener.

Region 7′s Cedartown (1-0) has a bye this weekend, but Central-Carroll and Pickens will both have an opportunity to improve to 2-0. Central-Carroll will host Towers and Pickens will host White County. Additionally, Heritage-Catoosa will be opening its season at home against Temple.

Region 8 has a great matchup planned with Flowery Branch travelling down the street to take on Class 7A Gainesville. No. 1 ranked Jefferson will host Southside SC, Madison County visits Apalachee, East Hall visits Franklin County and North Oconee is set to take on Cambridge. North Oconee will face Benedictine the following weekend on Sept. 10 in what will likely be one of the bigger matchups of that week.

REGION 1-AAAA

Bainbridge vs. Valdosta

Cairo at Thomasville

Dougherty at Lithonia (Thursday)

Monroe at Irwin County

Thomas County Central vs. Lake Placid FL

Westover (BYE)

REGION 2-AAAA

Carver-Columbus (BYE)

Columbus (BYE)

Hardaway at Callaway

Jordan (BYE)

Kendrick (BYE)

LaGrange (BYE)

Shaw (BYE)

Spencer vs. Northside-Columbus

Troup (BYE)

REGION 3-AAAA

Benedictine at Beaufort SC

Islands vs. Johnson-Savannah

Jenkins at Jeff Davis

New Hampstead vs. Savannah

REGION 4-AAAA

Baldwin at Ware County

Howard vs. Northside-Warner Robins

Perry at Crisp County (Thursday)

Rutland vs. Luella

Spalding at Ola

West Laurens vs. Dodge County

Westside-Macon (BYE)

REGION 5-AAAA

Fayette County at McIntosh

Hampton (BYE)

Luella at Rutland

McDonough at Woodland-Stockbridge

Mt. Zion-Jonesboro at Morrow

North Clayton vs. Tri-Cities (Thursday)

Riverdale at Drew

REGION 6-AAAA

Arabia Mountain at Columbia

Druid Hills vs. Riverside Military

Hapeville Charter vs. Pebblebrook

Marist vs. Woodward Academy

Mays (BYE)

Miller Grove at Therrell

Stephenson vs. ML King

REGION 7-AAAA

Cedartown (BYE)

Central-Carroll vs. Towers

Heritage-Catoosa vs. Temple

Northwest Whitfield vs. North Murray

Pickens vs. White County

Ridgeland at Ringgold

Southeast Whitfield vs. Gordon Central

REGION 8-AAAA

Cedar Shoals (BYE)

Chestatee vs. Union County

Est Hall at Franklin County

Flowery Branch at Gainesville

Jefferson vs. Southside SC

Madison County at Apalachee

North Oconee at Cambridge