REGION 6-AAA OUTLOOK

› Team to beat: That is Calhoun, a unanimous choice to win what would be a state-record 18th consecutive region championship.

› Watch out for: North Murray and Ringgold, each of which has the pieces to field an explosive offense again. The one that shows the most defensive improvement likely will earn a home playoff game, though Adairsville will have something to say about that.

› Best game: North Murray at Ringgold on Sept. 9 opens region play for both teams and will go a long way in determining playoff seeding. Two nonregion season-opening dandies are Calhoun versus Ridgeland next Thursday in Rome and Ringgold at Dalton on Aug. 17.

› Dream schedule: While Ringgold’s nonregion schedule has the Tigers facing a pair of teams that won a combined 16 games last year, Dalton and Heritage (Aug. 24), they get to host three of the league heavyweights — North Murray (Sept. 6), Calhoun (Sept. 21) and Adairsville (Oct. 26).

› Nightmare schedule: North Murray opens with Class AA state runner-up Rabun County (Aug. 24), but the real fun comes with a three-week stretch of games at Ringgold (Sept. 7), hosting Calhoun (Sept. 14) and at Adairsville (Sept. 21).

› Players to watch: Calhoun’s star-studded lineup features Clemson recruits Davis Allen and Brannon Spector, each a twoway starter, and quarterback Gavin Gray is a Class AAA preseason all-state selection. North Murray has the region’s most dynamic quarterback in Preston Poag Jr., who approached 3,000 total yards a year ago. Ringgold wide receiver/linebacker Andre Tarver is a terror on each side of the ball, while cross-county rival Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe has the region’s top returning rusher, Nathan Williams.