Most of the eight regions in Class 6A head into the final three weeks of the football regular season with either a well-established front-runner or an easily identifiable game that’s likely to determine the region championship.
The exception is Region 1. The six-team region made up of middle and south Georgia teams includes four teams that have been ranked at some point this season, including three that are currently in the top 10 – No. 2 Lee County, No. 7 Thomas County Central and No. 10 Houston County. Northside-Warner Robins was ranked earlier in the season but fell out when it started the season 1-2.
If Lee County (6-1, 2-0) and Thomas County Central (7-0, 2-0) win their games this week, the region championship will be decided when they play in Leesburg next week.
If either one loses – Lee County is playing Northside (4-3, 1-1) and Thomas County Central is playing Houston County (6-1, 1-1) – it will create a scramble in the playoff race.
Below is a look at the races for championships and playoff berths in each of the eight regions, with this week’s schedule and the computer Maxwell Ratings’ projections.
Region 1
While Lee County, Northside, Thomas County Central and Houston County battle it out for position for the top four spots, Veterans (4-3, 0-2) and Tift County (1-6, 0-3) cling to life. They’ll face each other Friday night in Tifton, and the winner could emerge in a three-way tie for third place if things go their way. The loser is almost certainly out of contention.
Lee County vs. Northside-Warner Robins -23
Thomas County Central vs. Houston County -3
Veterans at Tift County -11
Region 2
Ninth-ranked Brunswick (7-0, 3-0) and Effingham County (6-2, 4-0) are unbeaten in region play, and everyone else in the region has at least two losses. If Brunswick gets by South Effingham (3-3, 1-2) this week, the Pirates’ game at home against Effingham County on Nov. 4 will decide the championship. Glynn Academy (4-4, 2-2) is in third place but faces a big game this week against Evans (3-4, 1-2).
Brunswick at South Effingham -34
Glynn Academy vs. Evans -6
Lakeside-Evans at Grovetown -4
Effingham County off
Region 3
Fourth-ranked Woodward Academy (6-1, 4-0) is alone in first place and will be heavily favored to win all of its remaining games. The real race is for the three other playoff berths. Mundy’s Mill (5-2, 3-1), Lovejoy (4-3, 3-1) and Morrow (4-3, 3-1) are tied for second place. The winner of this week’s Lovejoy-Morrow game will be in the driver’s set to finish second because Mundy’s Mill still has to play Woodward Academy and the others don’t.
Alcovy vs. Forest Park -16
Lovejoy vs. Morrow -19
Mundy’s Mill at Rockdale County -33
Woodward Academy vs. Jonesboro -44
Region 4
Rivals Marist (5-2, 2-0) and St. Pius (3-4, 2-0) are the only remaining unbeaten teams and appear destined to meet for the title on Oct. 28. North Atlanta (5-2, 1-1) is the only other team with a realistic chance to disrupt the private schools’ championship bout. The Warriors lost to St. Pius 21-14 on Sept. 30 but will get their shot at No. 8 Marist this week. A North Atlanta victory could eventually create a three-way tie for first place.
Dunwoody vs. South Cobb -23
Marist vs. North Atlanta -20
St. Pius vs. Riverwood -36
Lakeside-Atlanta vs. Stone Mountain -8 (non-region)
Region 5
Top-ranked Hughes (7-0, 4-0) and South Paulding (5-2, 4-0) are the region’s only remaining unbeaten teams and are likely to meet for the region title next week. Third-place Douglas County (5-2, 3-1) is just one game back but lost to Hughes 48-3. The biggest battle will be for fourth place, where Paulding County (4-3, 2-2), Newnan (3-4, 2-2) and Alexander (2-5, 1-3) are the leading contenders.
Douglas County at East Paulding -15
Hughes vs. Newnan -42
Paulding County vs. New Manchester -34
South Paulding at Alexander -19
Region 6
Sixth-ranked Rome (6-1, 3-0) is the region’s only remaining unbeaten team, but the Wolves still have some work to do to win the region title. That work begins Friday when they travel to River Ridge (5-2, 2-1) and continues with games against Creekview (3-5, 2-2) and Etowah (5-2, 1-2). Sequoyah (4-4, 3-1) currently sits in second place, a half-game ahead of River Ridge, but lost to Rome 52-0 last week.
Allatoona at Etowah -1
Creekview vs. Woodstock -41
Rome at River Ridge -20
Sequoyah off
Region 7
Third-ranked Roswell (7-1, 4-0) is the favorite to win the region title, but the Hornets will need to get past Alpharetta (5-2, 3-0) in the regular-season finale on Nov. 4. Alpharetta will win the title if it wins out, but the Raiders still face third-place Blessed Trinity (6-2, 3-1) in addition to the Hornets. Lassiter (3-4, 1-2) or Sprayberry (2-5, 1-2) will get the other playoff berth behind those three teams, and that spot could be decided when they meet next week.
Alpharetta at Johns Creek -31
Lassiter at Pope -10
Roswell vs. Sprayberry -40
Blessed Trinity off
Region 8
Fifth-ranked Gainesville (7-0, 3-0) and North Forsyth (5-2, 3-0) are the remaining unbeaten teams. If they both win this week, their matchup in Gainesville next week will decide the championship. Third-place Shiloh (3-4, 1-2), which plays Gainesville this week, is likely to make the playoffs, and the winner of Friday’s game between Jackson County (3-5, 2-2) and Lanier (3-5, 2-2) probably takes the other spot.
Gainesville at Shiloh -28
Jackson County vs. Lanier -6
North Forsyth vs. Habersham Central -21
Apalachee off
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