REGION 6-AAA

Team to beat: Rockmart, moving up from Class AA, is the consensus pick and enters the region on a regular-season streak of 27 wins. The Yellow Jackets also have one of the state’s most dynamic players in quarterback Javin Whatley.

Watch out for: LaFayette. The Ramblers, moving down from AAAA, have two 1,000-yard rushers, a more physical defense and a solid group of freshmen and sophomores ready to contribute.

Best game: Region favorite Rockmart visits 2019 league champion North Murray on Oct. 16. Another to watch is the season-ending LaFayette at North Murray game on Nov. 20.

Dream schedule: In a league where teams only have two nonregion games, North Murray may have the best of it. The Mountaineers face border rivals Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield out of league play and get to host region favorite Rockmart and fellow newcomer LaFayette.

Nightmare schedule: Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe has to play three of the region’s top teams — Rockmart, North Murray and LaFayette — on the road.

Players to watch: North Murray’s D’Ante Tidwell may be the region’s top two-way player, returning as a 1,000-yard rusher and shutdown cornerback. LaFayette’s Jamario Clements is a rising star on the scope of college recruiters after rushing for 1,200 yards a year ago, and he teams with quarterback Jaylon Ramsey to give the Ramblers one of the state’s top rushing duos. The region is filled with quality quarterbacks, with Sonoraville’s Brady Lackey, LFO’s Malachi Powell, Ringgold’s Kyle White and Murray’s Kaleb Jones joining Ramsey as returning starters.