A lot to play for
Northwest Georgia teams chase region titles, playoff spots
With two weeks to play in the GHSA football regular season, only a few things are settled in the five regions that include area teams.
Friday night could clear up the postseason picture considerably for Northwest Georgia. It could also create chaos.
Here’s a rundown of what’s known and what’s still in play.
REGION 7-AAAAA
Drama abounds in one of the Peach State’s top football regions — and it will be settled Friday with all six league teams off next week.
The headliner is at Cartersville, where Dalton (7-2, 3-1) — fresh off a win over Calhoun
— visits the Purple Hurricanes (9-0, 4-0) with the championship at stake. A win would give the Catamounts their first region title since 2016. A loss could drop them to the No. 4 seed for the playoffs. Cartersville, with wins over
Calhoun, Hiram and Cass, would be the No. 2 seed with a loss.
Calhoun (6-3, 2-2) has to defeat Cass (4-5, 1-3) to get in, but the Yellow Jackets would get the No. 2 seed and a home playoff game with their own win plus a Cartersville win, thanks to an earlier victory over Hiram.
Hiram (7-2, 2-2) would get in in with a win over WoodlandBartow (2-7, 0-4), and the Hornets would be the No. 2 seed with a win and losses by Dalton and Calhoun. Cass would be the No. 4 seed with a win over Calhoun, which would also end the Jackets’ 23-year run of making the playoffs.
REGION 7-AAAA
Each of this region’s six teams has two league games remaining, meaning very little is settled.
Central-Carroll (8-0, 3-0) has the upper hand, having already beaten reigning 7-AAAA champion Cedartown. The Lions still need a win against either Northwest Whitfield or Heritage to get at least a home playoff game, but they could clinch the region title with a victory over the Bruins on Friday and a Heritage loss at Sonoraville.
Cedartown (4-4), Heritage (5-3) and Northwest (6-2) are all 2-1 in league play, and each needs one win in the final two games to clinch a postseason spot. Heritage owns a huge win over Northwest and would at least tie for the region championship with two wins. A win over Northwest on Friday would clinch a home playoff game for Cedartown. Northwest gets second with two wins and one Heritage loss.
Sonoraville (2-6) and Southeast Whitfield (1-7), each 0-3 in league play, need to win out and get some help.
REGION 6-AAA
Drama usually abounds in this region, and this season is no different. One certainty is that the region championship will be decided Friday when Bremen (7-1, 5-0) travels to Adairsville (6-2, 5-0). The loser will still make the playoffs, likely as the No. 2 seed.
After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Seven of the region’s eight teams are still alive, though LaFayette and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, each 2-6 overall and 1-4 in region play, need help.
Gordon Lee (5-3, 3-2) is in with a victory Friday against winless Ridgeland. The Trojans own a big win over Coahulla Creek (4-4, 3-2). The Colts need a win over LaFayette to clinch a spot and could get as high as the No. 2 seed with wins over the Ramblers and Adairsville, a Bremen win over Adairsville and one Gordon Lee loss.
Ringgold (4-4, 2-3) has to win Friday over LFO and next week over Gordon Lee to have a shot. A three-way tie between Coahulla Creek, Gordon Lee and Ringgold for the final two playoff spots is a strong possibility.
REGION 7-A DIVISION I
It’s right there for Trion as the Bulldogs (8-0, 4-0) seek to end a 20-year region championship drought. Next week’s game in Trion versus Darlington (6-3, 4-1) will be for the title, even if Trion were to lose to Armuchee (4-4, 2-2) on Friday.
A Darlington win could create a three-way tie for the top spot with Pepperell (4-4, 3-1). Trion defeated Pepperell this past Friday, while the Dragons downed Darlington earlier.
Dade County (3-5, 2-2), a winner of two straight, controls its own destiny with games left against Pepperell and Armuchee. The Wolverines can still get in with a Trion win over Armuchee and by defeating Armuchee next week.
Coosa (3-5, 0-4) and Chattooga (1-8, 0-5) sit at the bottom of the league standings.
REGION 7-A DIVISION II
This three-team region just began league play, with Bowdon owning a win over Christian Heritage. The Lions play Mount Zion-Carroll this week, with Mount Zion and Bowdon meeting next Friday.