Last season, the writers and guests at AccessWDUN Sports correctly picked four out of eight region champions that involved northeast Georgia teams in the Georgia High School Association. Fellowship Christian (8-A Division 1), Gainesville (8-6A), Jefferson (8-5A), and North Oconee (8-4A) all captured titles in 2023.
We also nailed 26 of the 32 playoff teams in the eight northeast Georgia regions in the GHSA.
The 2024 campaign will certainly be different as the GHSA dropped down to just six classifications. However, despite the smaller number of overall classifications, there are now 10 new regions among six classifications housing area teams that should bring some exciting action this fall.
A 13-person panel, made up of media members from Blitz Sports Georgia, Friday Game Night, Gwinnett Daily Post, North Georgia SportsLink, WDUN AM/FM, White County News and WRWH AM/FM, cast their votes during the offseason for who they think will win the 10 area regions.
We will look at two regions each day this week, starting with Class A and finishing with Class 6A.
REGION 6-3A -- Defending champion: Adairsville (now in 7-3A)
This region was in northwest Georgia the past two seasons, with Adairsville claiming the title in 2023. But now it serves northeast Georgia with six area teams, three from Hall County, housed here.
The new 6-3A configuration, consisting of eight teams, has taken elements from the old 7-3A (Dawson County, Lumpkin County, Pickens, White County) and 8-4A (Chestatee, Johnson, North Hall) combined with Greater Atlanta Christian dropping down from 6-5A.
Balance is the word that will define this region as the season goes along. Several teams will be rebuilding elements of their offense with others hoping to improve on that side of the ball with growth of some young talent.
Lumpkin County is the only team coming off a region title having won 7-3A in 2023. The Indians also are the only ones to get out of the first round in last year's playoffs with a run to the quarterfinals.
GAC, North Hall, and White County also made the playoffs in 2023 with Lumpkin County (12-1), GAC (9-2), and North Hall (7-4) the only teams posting winning records.
GAC was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the region with Lumpkin County picked second, North Hall third, and White County fourth.
But Dawson County, Lumpkin County, GAC, Johnson, and North Hall all are undergoing personnel changes at key spots.
The Indians do return quarterback Cal Faulkner and a slew of talented receivers but lost 2,200-plus yards with the graduation of running back Mason Sullens, three starters on the offensive line, and three of their top four tacklers on defense.
GAC lost its quarterback, leading rusher, and four of its top five receivers from a year ago. The Spartans also lost several key contributors on defense. But they always seems to have talent waiting in the wings.
North Hall lost its two-year starter at quarterback, Tanner Marsh, its top rusher in Tate Ruth, and its top receiver in Ryals Puryear. But the Trojans do return their entire offensive line which could help them survive some early growing pains.
White County, meanwhile, comes in with perhaps the most experienced team, with plenty of talent to boot, in the region. The Warriors return 14 starters, including senior quarterback Tripp Nix, and 7-3A Defensive Player of the Year Jon Scott (senior) on defense. But they will be reworking an offensive line that lost four starters to graduation.
Chestatee is in its second year of breaking in a new wing-T offense and early indications are the War Eagles could be poised to be a wildcard factor. Dawson County, Johnson, and Pickens all are in rebuild mode but could play spoilers as the season moves along and their young talent gets more comfortable at the varsity level.
But with Class 3A using the new Playoff Rankings System (PRS) for the postseason, strength of schedule will play a huge factor for teams in this region, for the public schools for sure.
The region will start off with a bang with Lumpkin County playing host to GAC on Sept. 13 at The Burial Grounds with the winner taking early control. But two weeks later the Indians will travel to White County.
The first five weeks may well decide the champion as the top four projected teams all will have played each other by Oct. 18.
The Warriors open on the road at Pickens on Sept. 13 but then get North Hall (Sept. 20) and Lumpkin in consecutive weeks at home. If they can win both of those games, a huge road trip to GAC on Oct. 18 could set the stage for a possible first-ever region title.
Starting on Sept. 20, North Hall will play White County on the road, GAC at The Brickyard (Oct. 11), and travel to Lumpkin (Oct. 18) in a stretch that could determine their title hopes.
Every game will be important with the PRS in place. Other than the region winner, any playoff hopes will more than likely come down to quality wins, which will mean more than total number of wins. But the danger could be if no one team separates itself.
- Up Next in region previews: Region 8-3A
- Previous region preview: Region 7-2A
