Week 9 notebook: More than a half-dozen area teams still alive for region titles

Buford and East Forsyth got Week 9 off to a solid start on Thursday, winning key region games to stay in the playoff and region title hunt in their respective regions.

But they aren’t the only ones with a chance this week to put themselves within sight of region titles heading into the final third of the season.

Gainesville, Cherokee Bluff, Jefferson, North Hall and Lumpkin County all are positioned to make a run of region titles and have ultra-important games tonight.

The Red Elephants (6-1, 3-0 Region 7-5A) are looking for their third straight region title but have the toughest assignment. No. 1-ranked and defending Class 7A state champ Milton (7-0, 3-0 Region 7-5A) is coming to City Park for a monster Region 7-5A showdown. Gainesville is unbeaten at home in the Josh Niblett-era (16-0) but is just 3-25 all-time vs. No. 1-ranked teams, including a 45-16 loss to Carrollton last month. 

But all three of those wins have come at City Park over the years. The most recent was in 2011 when they knocked off Sandy Creek in the Class 3A playoffs with Deshaun Watson at the helm.

Jefferson and Cherokee Bluff in Region 8-3A take on each other next week at Memorial Stadium and both would like to come into that matchup unbeaten with first place at stake. But first they will have to navigate their way against a pair of high-scoring offenses tonight.

The Dragons (5-2, 2-0 Region 8-3A) are at home against East Hall (3-4, 0-2 Region 8-3A) while the Bears (6-0, 1-0 Region 8-3A) take on Monroe Area (4-2, 1-1 Region 8-3A) at Yonah Field. Also out there in 8-3A is Oconee County, which has West Hall tonight in Watkinsville. 

Jefferson, Cherokee Bluff, and Oconee County (3-3, 1-0 Region 8-3A) all are unbeaten in region play heading into tonight and if all three win, it will set up a fantastic trio of games down the stretch for the title as they all play each over the final three weeks of the season.

And in Region 6-3A, North Hall and Lumpkin County could be heading toward a title showdown next week in Dahlonega. Maybe.

But both, especially the Trojans, will have to take care of business tonight to make that happen.

North Hall (4-2, 3-0 Region 6-3A) has not won a region title since 2012 and plays host to GAC at The Brickyard in Region 6-3A. The Trojans are 0-5 all-time against the Spartans (3-3, 3-0 Region 6-3A) but this could be the year they snap that streak as they are red-hot, having won four straight games.

Lumpkin County (4-2, 2-1 Region 6-3A) which lost to GAC last month, takes on winless Johnson but can get back in the hunt with a win over the Knights and a North Hall win to set up a matchup at The Burial Grounds and a possible three-way tie at the top if the Indians can win both games. The Indians won Region 7-3A last year for their first-ever region title.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING?

Lakeview Academy can set a new program record for wins in a season if it can beat King’s Academy tonight in Woodstock. The Lions (6-1, 3-1 GIAA District 4A/3A) twice have won 6 games in a season, in 2012 with Matthew Gruhn and in 2022 with Lee Shaw.

East Forsyth tied a program-record for wins in a season on Thursday with its 34-15 win over Walnut Grove. If the four-year-old program can get one more over their final two regular season games (Eastside and Madison County) they will set a record for wins in a season for the third consecutive season.

For the third time under Krofton Montgomery West Hall sits with four wins. However, Montgomery and the Spartans have not been able to get that elusive fifth in his previous six seasons. And they have not been to the playoffs with Montgomery as coach.

But the Spartans (4-3, 0-2 Region 8-3A) can still get both this year. It will be difficult once again with a three-game finish of Oconee County, East Hall, and Monroe Area in a brutal Region 8-3A. But if they can get at least one win, they will get that fifth win. A possible playoff berth could come down to their finale against the Hurricanes at The Hot Gates.

STATE YARDAGE LEADERS

Heading into the final third of the 2024 campaign, only White County’s Tripp Nix leads the state in his respective classification among the state yardage leaders for Northeast Georgia-area players.

(All stats are provided by Georgia High School Football Daily.)

Nix leads Class 3A in passing with 1,482 yards, which is 17th overall in the state. Brooks Brien of Cherokee Bluff is 4th in 3A and 30th overall with 1,328 yards.

But Gainesville’s Kharim Hughley leads the area in passing with 1,628 yards. That is good for 11th overall in the state but only third-best in a pass-happy Class 5A. 

Houston County’s Antwann Hill Jr. leads the state and 5A with 2,198 yards. Matt Pearch of Dunwoody is 2nd in 5A and 5th overall with 1,753 yards.

Paris Wilbanks of Habersham Central has climbed his way to 23rd overall and 6th in 5A with 1,433 yards after a pair of huge weeks.

West Hall’s Elijah Hayes had led Class 3A in rushing the past two weeks. But two rough outings in a row have dropped him to third in Class 3A and 9th overall in the state. He now sits 167 yards behind classification-leader Bryian Duncan Jr. (1,250 yards) of Cairo, who is 2nd in the state overall.

Class A Division 1’s Zayden Cook of Chattooga has piled up a whopping 1,752 yards to lead the state.

Commerce’s Tysean Wiggins continues to climb the chart and is now 2nd in A D1 and 6th overall in the state with 1,113 yards. Rabun County’s Reid Giles has moved up to 15th overall and 3rd in A D1 with 1,006 yards.

Giles, Wiggins, and Hayes are three of just 15 runners statewide that have hit the 1,000-yard mark so far this season.

In receiving, Habersham Central’s Zeke Whittingham has moved up to 11th in the state and 4th in Class 5A with 700 yards.