7-AAA headed for exciting finish over final month

OAKWOOD -- Most anyone that follows high school football in northeast Georgia figured the newly-realigned Region 7-AAA -- the one without Buford, North Hall, or White County -- would be up for grabs the entire season.<br /> <br /> With four games left in the season, 7-AAA has not disappointed.<br /> <br /> Not a single team in the seven-team field is out of the playoff race and things are just beginning to heat up.<br /> <br /> Lumpkin County (4-3, 3-0 Region 7-AAA) and West Hall (5-1, 2-0) are the only region unbeatens left but the other five teams are all within one game of each other. <br /> <br /> The parity of the region shows when Banks County (3-3, 0-2) sits on the bottom of the region but figures to be a major factor with a finish beginning at Lumpkin County Friday night and then home games against Dawson County and West Hall before closing it out on the road at East Hall. All three of the Leopards loses have been by a touchdown or less.<br /> <br /> "It's nice just to be in the conversation this year," Banks County coach Biff Parsons said. "We feel like we're just six plays from being undefeated so we like how competitive the guys have been. But with two losses we probably need to win out.<br /> <br /> "That being said, we're just going to take things one at a time. We have a tough finish but we know we have a chance in each game so we're just going to try and finish strong."<br /> <br /> Fannin County (3-3, 1-1) has been a positive surprise and already has as many wins as the last two years combined and the Rebels have put up some big numbers in their new spread attack. However, they have the toughest finish with three of the last four games on the road, including at West Hall next week. They are 0-2 on the road so far this season.<br /> <br /> East Hall (2-4, 1-2) needs a strong finish after losses to West Hall and Lumpkin County but is very much in the playoff race. The Vikings get Franklin County (2-4. 1-2) and Banks County at home but their season may hinge on a road trip to Blue Ridge against the Rebels in between. Both of their wins have come on the road, however.<br /> <br /> "I feel like it's a deep region and nobody is out of it and no one has anything locked up yet," East Hall coach Bryan Gray said. "I like it this way because it's easy to get the kids motivated every week when they know there's a chance at something at the end. But, after this week I think we'll know a little more and have a few things shake out. There's going to be a lot of tiebreaker scenarios when it's all over. It should be an exciting final few weeks."<br /> <br /> Dawson County (1-5, 1-2) stayed alive with a huge win last week over Franklin County to snap a six-game losing streak going back to last season. The Tigers have struggled with injuries and close out their region schedule with road tilts against Banks County and Lumpkin County.<br /> <br /> But even with all that, the chase for the region title seems to be on a collision course between West Hall and Lumpkin County, which meet in the regular season finale in Oakwood.<br /> <br /> "We're not looking that far down the road," West Hall coach Tony Lotti said. "Honestly our focus every week has just been our next game. But, we sure would like to get to the end with a chance to win a region title." <br /> <br /> The Spartans close out the season against some of the better and more diverse offenses in the region. In the final three weeks, they finish at home against Fannin County's spread attack, take on the pro-style offense of Banks County on the road, and finish at home against the bruising option-veer ground game of Lumpkin County.<br /> <br /> "We had a scrimmage and four non-region games against teams that had a lot of different looks. We did that to help us prepare for our region," Lotti said. "I said before the season and I'll say it again: anyone can win this thing so you can't take a week off and you have to bring your 'A'-game every time you step on the field. I haven't seen anything to make me think different so far. This is a tough, balanced region and anything is possible."<br /> <br /> The Indians have a favorable finish with home games against Banks County and Dawson County before their showdown with West Hall.<br /> <br /> "It's a tough region and there are no easy games," Lumpkin County coach Ty Maxwell said. "We may be undefeated (in region) but we still feel like we need to win every game to make the playoffs. We don't have an easy game left so really everyone is still in it. I really don't see anyone going through without a loss. It should be fun."

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