River Ridge, citing COVID-19 concerns and contact tracing, has canceled its road game Friday night with Johns Creek.
The game would’ve had a huge bearing on the race in Region 7-6A, which River Ridge leads with a 5-0 region record.
Johns Creek is 4-3 overall and 4-1 in region play and could’ve won the region with victories over River Ridge this week and Creekview (6-2, 4-1) next week.
River Ridge, 8-0 overall and ranked No. 8 in Class 6A, can win its first region title. River Ridge plans to play its final regular-season game next week against Cambridge (4-4, 3-2), River Ridge coach Michael Collins said.
''It’s very unfortunate to get this close and have a canceled game,'' Collins said. "I do support taking precautionary steps in an attempt to allow all teams the ability to finish the 2020 season moving forward.''
The Georgia High School Association counts COVID-related cancellations as no contests on the official record. The GHSA allows individual regions to hold cancellations against the canceling school when selecting and seeding their playoff teams, but Region 7-6A views them as no contests in its standings.
The River Ridge-Johns Creek game is among 17 games canceled this week, probably the highest total since all schools districts were on board with having games in October.
Other games originally scheduled for Friday that won’t be played as planned, with the initiator of the cancellation listed first, are Southwest of Macon vs. Bleckley County, Brantley County vs. Appling County, Pace Academy vs. Washington, Coosa vs. Fannin County, Cook vs. Fitzgerald, Villa Rica vs. New Manchester, Coffee vs. Warner Robins, North Springs vs. Jackson of Atlanta, Johnson of Gainesville vs. Clarke Central, Stephens County vs. Oconee County, Gilmer vs. White County, Mount Paran Christian vs. North Cobb Christian, Berkmar vs. Meadowcreek, Centennial vs. Creekview, Portal vs. McIntosh County Academy, Monroe vs. Westover, Mount Zion vs. North Clayton and LaFayette vs. Rockmart.
Unlike in the regular season, playoff games that can’t be played will be declared forfeits. The playoffs begin in two weeks.
