Region 1 will start region play this week, meaning all eight regions are on board with games that count toward making the playoffs.
Here are the five most intriguing games in Class 7Ak, including the two in Region 1.
*The best game this week is No. 3 North Cobb (5-1, 1-0) at No. 6 Walton (4-1, 1-0) in Region 3. Walton leads the all-time series with North Cobb 11-9. This is the first meeting between the two when both were ranked. In 2020, North Cobb trailed Walton 12-0 at halftime but scored five second-half touchdowns and intercepted five passes in the game. Both teams are much improved, Expect a bunch of points as North Cobb (39.0) is fifth in Class 7A scoring while Walton (37.2) is sixth.
*In Region 1, the ranked teams are on the road. No. 5 Colquitt County (6-1) plays at Camden County (4-3). Camden coach Jeff Herron, back in Kingsland after nine years away, is 3-2 against Colquitt County, both losses by a single point in 2011 and 2012, but Colquitt will be a solid favorite this time. Colquitt leads 7A in scoring (41.4 points), and Camden allowed 77 in its last outing, vs. Warner Robins.
*No. 7 Lowndes plays at Tift County. Tift (5-2) has been a good defensive team under first-year coach Noel Dean, allowing no more than 24 points in a game, but that’s against only fair competition. The offense has struggled against better teams. Lowndes is coming off a last-minute win over Cedar Grove 45-38. Lowndes is heavily favored but beat Tift only 17-13 last season.
*Newnan (2-3, 0-0) plays at McEachern (3-4, 1-0) in a game between Region 2 contenders. Their records aren’t pretty, but both are capable of winning titles in a region turned on its head last week when Pebblebrook (6-0-1, 1-0) upset then-No. 1 East Coweta (5-2, 0-1), the defending champion. Pebblebrook hasn’t won a region title since 2006. Newnan beat McEachern 46-27 last season.
*Newton (4-1, 1-0) plays at Brookwood (4-2, 0-0) in a critical Region 4 game. Brookwood was 7-0 and ranked No. 4 in 2020 when Newton beat the Broncos 28-16, sending their season into a spiral. Both have been ranked for at least a week this season and can be dangerous. Newton has wins over Hughes, McEachern and Parkview but lost to Houston County 20-13. Brookwood has beaten Marietta but lost to Collins Hill and North Paulding.
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