With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, the playoff picture is starting to become clear. That’s especially true this week in a couple of regions, where Friday’s games may determine the regular-season champions.
Northgate plays at Harris County in a game that could decide the Region 3 champion and Greater Atlanta Christian visits Kell in a game that could determine the Region 6 champion.
Northgate (6-2, 2-0) has already beaten McIntosh and Northside Columbus. Harris County (6-1, 1-0) has beaten Northside and has games remaining with Drew and McIntosh. If Northgate wins, the Vikings will have their first region title since 2011. If Harris County wins, the title won’t be determined until the final week.
Northgate’s Evan Garrett is the top rusher in Class 5A with 1,285 yards and is coming off back-to-back 200-yard performances. Sophomore Dylan Barber took over the quarterback job three weeks ago and has thrown for 524 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 384 yards.
Harris County is led by quarterback Levi Watson, who has thrown for 909 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 33 yards and five touchdowns. Mataye Youman is the top running back with 630 yards and seven touchdowns.
The all-time series is tied 3-3 and Northgate won last year’s game 28-3.
The scenario is similar in Region 6. Kell (6-1) has won six in a row since losing the season-opener to Parkview in the Corky Kell Classi. The Longhorns beat 2022 region champion Cambridge last week and finishes with North Springs and Chattahoochee. GAC (7-0, 3-0) still has games remaining with Cambridge and Centennial. While there are still games remaining, the Kell-GAC winner has the inside track to the region title.
The contest features a pair of outstanding quarterbacks – Kell’s Bryce Clavon and GAC’s Jack Stanton. Clavon has thrown for 847 yards and nine touchdowns in four games and run for 193 yards and three scores. Stanton has thrown for 1,485 yards and 17 touchdowns and has run for four touchdowns.
Kell won 28-19 last year in the first meeting between the two teams.
Region 4
The spotlight game features Arabia Mountain (6-1, 2-0) vs. Chamblee (3-4, 1-1) at North DeKalb Stadium. A win sets up a likely showdown with Tucker (4-3, 2-0), who plays King (1-6, 0-2) Thursday at Godfrey Stadium. Tucker beat Chamblee two weeks ago and meets Arabia Mountain on the final week of the season.
Region 5
Creekside (6-1, 4-0) could almost clinch first place with a win over visiting Villa Rica (4-3, 3-1) on Friday. The Seminoles already own the tiebreaker with Mays (3-4, 3-1), which hosts Tri-Cities (2-5, 0-4). Villa Rica is tied with Mays for second place, but Mays won the head-to-head meeting last week and holds that tiebreaker.
Region 7
There are two games that will have a big impact on the playoff picture in this league, probably the best in the classification.
Calhoun (6-2, 2-1) travels to Dalton (6-2, 2-1), where the winner is assured of making the state playoffs. Dalton hasn’t beaten Calhoun since 2016 and the Yellow Jackets have won 11 of the last 12 meetings, including 28-13 last season.
Cass (4-4, 1-2) goes to Hiram (6-2, 1-2), with the loser virtually eliminated from the postseason. Cass has won the last two meetings, including last year’s 26-21 victory.
Region 8
Jefferson (7-0, 3-0) and Eastside (5-2, 3-0) can set up a winner-take-all game next week with victories on Friday. Jefferson travels to Loganville (4-4, 2-2), while Eastside hosts Clarke Central (4-4. 1-3) on Thursday night.
Credit: Mark Brock
Credit: Mark Brock
Chamblee coach receives HBCU award
Chamblee Middle School football and track coach Terrence Jett is being honored at the HBCU’s “Paying it Forward” scholarship gala in Houston on Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Grambling Friends of Football and has contributed more than $1 million to HBCU initiatives and scholarships.
Jett is a 1994 graduate of Florida Memorial. He has coached the girls track team to seven DeKalb County middle school titles, including the last four. He took the boys and girls teams to county titles in 2022.
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