Region 6-AAAA

› Team to beat: Defending champion Ridgeland is favored, thanks in large part to a collection of the best athletes in the region.

› Watch out for: Heritage returns 17 starters from last season’s eight-win team that earned the first playoff berth and win in program history.

› Best game: The Ridgeland-Northwest Whitfield game a year ago was a classic, won 48-42 by the Panthers. Many expect this year’s matchup on Sept. 22 to decide the region title again.

› Dream schedule: Southeast Whitfield’s four nonregion opponents won just eight games in 2016, and six of those were by one team, Murray County. The Raiders also get to host the region’s top two teams from a year ago, Northwest Whitfield and Ridgeland, though they come in back-to-back weeks at the end of the season.

› Nightmare schedule: Three of Ridgeland’s nonregion opponents made the playoffs last year — winning a combined five postseason games — and the Panthers must travel to eight-win region teams Northwest Whitfield and Heritage.

› Players to watch: Ridgeland has high title hopes again, led by Navy RB commitent Jalyn Shelton, WR Stephon Walker and WB/DB Markeith Montgomery. Northwest Whitfield QB Luke Shiflett is committed to Middle Tennessee State and looks to improve on his combined 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns, while Heritage has the region’s top WR duo in Luke Grant and Ryan Carter. Southeast Whitfield DE Luke Johns (6-4, 240), a Georgia Tech commitment, can wreck offenses.

› Predicted order of finish: Ridgeland, Northwest Whitfield, Heritage, Pickens, Southeast Whitfield, LaFayette, Gilmer.