Now there are just two weeks left in the 2023 regular season, and several regions are building to what could be, and should be, some fantastic finishes.
Twenty games -- and most of them crucial to the playoffs in the 10 regions and 26 teams covered by AcessWDUN/Friday Game Night in the GHSA, GIAA, and GAPPS leagues -- make for a busy week beginning on Thursday.
Three teams have a chance to clinch a region title outright, and another can win a title with a win by a certain margin.
Gainesville in Region 8-6A, Lumpkin County in Region 7-3A, and Commerce in Region 8-A Division 1 all can wrap up region titles with straight wins on Friday. No margins needed. However, Rabun County in Region 8-A Division 1 also can win the region if the Wildcats can beat Commerce by 13 or more points.
Four more area teams can get into the postseason with wins. Buford in Region 8-7A, Flowery Branch in Region 8-5A, White County in Region 7-3A, and Union County in Region 8-2A all can secure playoff spots with wins on Friday.
And four teams need a win to stay alive, though they would not necessarily be eliminated with a loss depending on several other scenarios.
Here’s a look at the regions where teams can clinch playoff berths this week or be eliminated (beginning with the highest classifications):
REGION 8-7A
No. 4 Buford (7-1, 2-1 Region 8-7A) clinches a playoff spot with a win and could snag a home playoff slot with a win AND Mill Creek and Central Gwinnett wins on Friday. Despite their loss two weeks ago to No. 1 Mill Creek, the Wolves can still win the region if they win out and the Hawks lose their final two games.
No. 1 Mill Creek (8-0, 3-0 Region 8-7A) would clinch the 8-7A title with a win AND a Buford win on Friday.
REGION 8-6A
In Region 8-6A, No. 1 Gainesville (8-0, 4-0 Region 8-6A) clinched a spot last week but can clinch the region title with a win over North Forsyth (4-4, 3-1 Region 8-6A) on Friday.
North Forsyth still has an outside chance to win the region if the Raiders can win out (Gainesville, Apalachee) AND get a Lanier loss to Shiloh on Friday.
Habersham Central (3-5, 1-3 Region 8-6A) is still alive for a playoff spot if the Raiders can win out over Apalachee and Shiloh by virtue of their win over Jackson County. Jackson County (4-5, 2-3 Region 8-6A). Lanier clinches a playoff spot, and no worse than the No. 2 seed, if the Longhorns and Gainesville both win this week.
REGION 8-5A
The region title will come down to a season finale showdown between Jefferson (8-0, 4-0 Region 8-5A) and Eastside (6-2, 4-0 Region 8-5A), even if both teams lose this week. Those two teams are tied at the top of the standings and the loser of that matchup will secure the No. 2 seed.
Flowery Branch (4-4, 2-2 Region 8-5A) will clinch a playoff spot with a win over Loganville (4-5, 2-3 Region 8-5A) and the Falcons can secure the No. 3 seed with a win AND a Jefferson win over Heritage-Conyers (3-5, 1-3 Region 8-5A).
REGION 8-4A
No. 2 North Oconee (8-0, 6-0 Region 8-4A) already has clinched the region title. But the race for second place is wide open.
North Hall (6-2, 4-2 Region 8-4A) and Madison County (6-2, 4-2 Region 8-4A) are currently tied but the Red Raiders own the tiebreaker over the Trojans with their 49-35 win earlier this month. A lot would have to happen for either of them to NOT make the playoffs but this has been a crazy region race from the start. The Trojans clinch a playoff spot with a win AND a Madison County win.
Cedar Shoals (4-5, 4-3 Region 8-4A) and Cherokee Bluff (4-5, 4-3 Region 8-4A) are tied for fourth with the Bears owning the tiebreaker. The Jaguars are the wildcard. A loss to North Hall on Thursday would eliminate them but they own the tiebreaker over Madison County so a win over the Trojans and any loss by the Red Raiders down the stretch would give them the No. 2 seed.
East Forsyth (5-3, 3-3 Region 8-4A) is still alive and is a heavy favorite over Chestatee (0-8, 0-6 Region 8-4A). They will need a lot of things to fall in place. But a Broncos loss and wins by North Hall and Madison County would eliminate them.
REGION 7-3A
Lumpkin County’s (8-0, 4-0 Region 7-3A) thrilling four-overtime win over White County (4-4, 2-2 Region 7-3A) clinched a playoff berth for the Indians. They can wrap up their first-ever region title with a win over Dawson County (2-7, 2-3 Region 7-3A) OR a Wesleyan loss on Friday.
White County can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Pickens (2-6, 1-3 Region 7-3A). Wesleyan (5-3, 3-1 Region 7-3A) also could clinch a spot with a win over West Hall (1-7, 0-4 Region 7-3A), who already has been eliminated. Those two things are expected to happen as both the Warriors and Wolves are heavy favorites.
That would leave idle Gilmer (6-3, 3-2 Region 7-3A), Pickens, and Dawson County all fighting for that final playoff spot. Gilmer owns the tiebreakers over both Pickens and Dawson County and could finish third with a win over White County in its finale next week.
REGION 8-2A
Fellowship Christian (6-2, 3-0 Region 8-2A) is the only team that has clinched a playoff spot and can wrap up the region title with a win over Banks County (4-4, 0-3 Region 8-2A) Meanwhile, Union County (6-2, 2-1 Region 8-2A) and Athens Academy (5-3, 2-1 Region 8-2A) are tied for second and meet in Blairsville on Friday.
The Panthers can clinch a playoff spot with a win OR a Providence Christian (6-2, 1-2 Region 8-2A) loss to East Jackson (6-2, 1-2 Region 8-2A). The Eagles, however, would still have to win next week. A loss to Providence AND an Athens Academy win would eliminate them.
Banks County needs a win as well. A loss to Fellowship OR an East Jackson County win would eliminate the Leopards.
REGION 8-A DIVISION 1
First off, all four teams will make the playoffs. But in what order and who will claim the region title are still very much in doubt. However, either Commerce (8-1, 2-0 Region 8-A Division 1) or Rabun County (7-2, 1-1 Region 8-A Division 1) will be the champs.
Commerce can clinch the title outright with a win at home over Rabun County. But the Wildcats can claim their 10th straight region title (second straight in Region 8-A D1) with a win by 13 or more points. If the Wildcats manage that win by 13 or more, the Tigers would take the No. 2 seed.
Elbert County (7-2, 1-1 Region 8-A Division 1) plays winless Athens Christian (0-8, 0-2 Region 8-A Division 1).
REGION 8-A DIVISION 2
Towns County (0-8, 0-3 Region 8-A Division 2) would be eliminated with a loss to Washington-Wilkes (5-3, 2-1 Region 8-A Division 2).
GIAA
The GIAA uses power rankings so the final playoff teams will not be known until the end of the regular season.
GAPPS 11-man
Lanier Christian (3-5, 1-1 GAPPS 1-2A) sits third and the playoffs take the top two teams in the two regions. But there are two wildcard teams that advance so the Lightning is still alive for a playoff berth.
No matter what happens, it could take until the final plays on Thursday and Friday to decide who is moving on and who will be watching come playoff time. Or, we may have to do it all over again next week to figure things out.
(AccessWDUN/Friday Game Night's Caleb Hutchins contributed to this story.)
