All games start at 7 p.m. local time
TENNESSEE
Class 1A
CLAY COUNTY BULLDOGS (4-6) at SOUTH PITTSBURG PIRATES (5-5)
Stars: The Pirates started the year planning to lean heavily on RB Corbin Fitzgerald, but he was injured in their game against Boyd-Buchanan so they turned to Chase Blevins and Triston Adams. One shouldn't discount QB Kitt Grider and WR/RB Joseph Lilly. One of the biggest players on the field will be 6-foot-7 Josh Endicott, who transferred in near midseason. He isn't much taller than WR Wyatt Mabry, who checks in at 6-5.
Storyline: The teams have one common opponent in Whitwell, which lost to South Pittsburg by a point but beat Clay County 41-6. Clay County, though, changed offenses from a spread-option to a split-back veer and then back to a spread option because of injuries at QB. Blevins moved to RB full time when the Pirates lost college prospect Fitzgerald (knee), and FB Triston Adams has carried the ball more lately as well. The winner will play next week at Copper Basin.
Coach's quote: "It will be a good experience to be back in the playoffs. None of our seniors have been in the playoffs and don't know much about South Pittsburg, so they don't know to be afraid." -- Clay County coach Dickie Brown
Class 2A
MEIGS COUNTY TIGERS (6-4) at KNOXVILLE GRACE CHRISTIAN RAMS (7-3)
Stars: Meigs' offense is guided by reliable QB Bryson Baker. The Tigers also will have two they didn't have in a 13-6 loss Oct. 3 at Grace Christian: speedster Dakota Ricker and LB Jay Odum, who has made more than 80 tackles despite missing two and a half games. Grace is led on the ground by Cameron Kuerchen. Kobe Kelly, a fellow senior and another All-District 3-A selection last season, is a key contributor as a WR and DB.
Storyline: These programs have been polar opposites for a while, but Meigs is out to reverse the trend. Before this season the Tigers have had one state playoff berth in the last six years and haven't won a playoff game since 2000. Starting with the 2006 season, the Rams have been in the playoffs every year except 2010 and '11 -- which was a 10-0 season -- because of a two-year ban by the TSSAA for playing an ineligible player. The winner plays at Hampton.
Coach's quote: "I believe our kids know we can play with them. We're going to have to play pretty well to beat them. We played good defense against them the first time. We're going to have to do that again." -- Meigs County coach Jason Fitzgerald.
ROCKWOOD TIGERS (7-3) at BOYD-BUCHANAN BUCCANEERS (5-5)
Stars: Rockwood QB Will Warner operates a wing-T offense. Featured ball carriers include Drake Long, Jason Gaus and Isiah Jones, an Oak Ridge transfer who didn't become eligible until after the seventh game but ran for 107 yards in last week's victory over Grace Christian. Boyd-Buchanan's leading rusher and scorer is Austin Jackson. Fellow RB E.J. Matthews missed four games but still has more than 400 rushing yards. LB Jake Harden leads in tackles and tackles for loss, and freshman FS Kohl Henke has intercepted three passes.
Storyline: The Bucs are just hoping history repeats itself. Since the TSSAA went to the current playoff format in 2009, these teams faced each other in 2009, '11 and '12 -- all at Boyd-Buchanan and all Bucs victories. The last two, however, were by a combined 12 points. The winner plays at Hampton.
Coach's quote: "We've got to make sure we play pretty good defense and stop the run. Offensively, I think if we spread the ball out like we're capable of doing, we'll be OK." -- Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds
WHITWELL TIGERS (6-4) at TROUSDALE COUNTY YELLOW JACKETS (7-3)
Stars: Whitwell lost all-state RB Clay McHone to a broken foot Oct. 10 but still has 1,000-yard rusher Cody Ingrassia. Bailey Blaylock moved from WR to the backfield and ran for 122 yards last week. QB Tyler Tate also is a rushing threat. Trousdale is led by dual-threat QB Marquel Claiborne and also has a standout RB in Kenyan Harper.
Storyline: The Yellow Jackets last year won their 10th state title. Whitwell is in the playoffs for the first time since 2005. But despite one team's tradition and the other's lack of it, the Tigers under first-year coach R.C. Helton haven't backed down against any team, and don't expect them to this week. The winner plays at Middle Tennessee Christian.
Coach's quote: "We're going to run the football. We need to dominate the line of scrimmage. Our objective is to hit them harder than they hit us. We're going to get off the bus with that mentality." -- Whitwell coach R.C. Helton.
Class 3A
BLEDSOE COUNTY WARRIORS (5-5) at RED BANK LIONS (6-4)
Stars: Red Bank relies heavily on Malik Davis, the WR-turned-QB, but the Lions have balance offensively behind a strong OL led by Myles Smith and Trevor Skiles. The Stamper brothers, Courtney and Tra, lead their defense. Bledsoe's power game is led by Caleb Smith, Joseph Gore and Tavian Dodd.
Storyline: Red Bank's overall team speed and athletic ability will keep Bledsoe defenders on their toes. If Davis gets off to a good start with the passing game, it will benefit his scrambling ability and the rushing efforts of DeMarcus Rivers. WR Ben Brown, though a primary passing target, also will run on sweeps. The Lions rival Notre Dame as the most athletic team Bledsoe has seen. The winner will get the Grundy County-McMinn Central winner.
Coach's quote: "Red Bank has some kids that can score from anywhere on the field. Six weeks ago compared to now, we look like a different team offensively because we've gone more to a power running game and put it more in the hands of the offensive line and the running backs." -- Bledsoe County coach Jason Reel.
CHATTANOOGA CHRISTIAN CHARGERS (4-6) at NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (9-1)
Stars: Irish WR/DB Kareem Orr has committed to play at Louisville. RB Auston Banks ranks among the top 10 in the Chattanooga area in rushing with 1,217 yards. QB Alex Darras has thrown for 1,103 yards and 19 touchdowns. CCS QB Zach Mercer has thrown for 861 yards and 10 touchdowns with three of them going to WR Jared Miller. RB Brandon Mason is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Storyline: Both teams have the same goal -- a state championship. The Irish have been building toward this season for years. The Chargers are just in the building stages. The winner faces the winner of York Institue at Upperman.
Coach's quote: "When we have the ball, we need to be productive. We need positive runs and completed passes to advance the ball. We're going to have to do a great job of slowing them down because they're very skilled on offense." -- CCS coach Rob Spence.
GRUNDY COUNTY YELLOW JACKETS (5-5) at McMINN CENTRAL CHARGERS (8-2)
Stars: The Chargers have three players with more than 500 rushing yards, led by sophomore Jackson Long (1,114). Grundy County has benefited greatly from QB Houston Mainord's passing.
Storyline: While Central throws about 10 times per game, the Yellow Jackets will throw often. Mainord has set single-season and career passing marks at Grundy, throwing most often to Logan Meeks, who lines up in the backfield and at WR. Chargers QB Jackson Guy actually has their best per-carry average at 8.8. LBs Hunter Stokes and Luke Davis lead the Central defense. The winner gets the Red Bank-Bledsoe County winner.
Coach's quote: "Their quarterback -- you can't seem to grab him. He's like Houdini, but they have at least four or five athletes than can make plays." -- Grundy County coach Nick Bryant.
Class 4A
DeKALB COUNTY TIGERS (5-5) at SIGNAL MOUNTAIN EAGLES (8-2)
Stars: DeKalb LBs Lance Ball and Lane Ball -- they're twins -- have 190 tackles between them. The offense centers on QB Steven Jennings, who has 801 yards for the season, and Luke Boss with 777. Signal has picked up the passing game of late behind QB Jack Teter, who threw for four TDs last week.
Storyline: Although they have the Ball brothers, the Tigers start seven sophomores defensively. That could play right into the hands of the Eagles' big offensive line and revamped power running game, which moved Hunter VanDyken to FB to offset the loss of promising sophomore Skye Wilson (knee). Jennings may test the Eagles' pass defense. He has thrown for 150 yards per game but has a couple of games around the 250-yard mark. Tonight's winner will face the Loudon-Macon County winner.
Coach's quote: "They're a balanced offensive team, and we think Jennings is the best player on their team. We're as healthy as we're going to get, and we're ready to play." -- Signal Mountain coach Bill Price.
PAGE PATRIOTS (6-4) at HIXSON WILDCATS (8-2)
Stars: Patriots QB Michael Magochy has thrown for 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns. RB Michael Roberts has rushed 101 times for 751 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hixson senior James Cole has 784 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while teammate Tarik Twitty has 580 yards and six touchdowns. QB Preston Wilkey has 460 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Storyline: The Wildcats reached the Class 4A quarterfinals last year after winning the region. Much will be asked of their defense against the Patriots' spread offense, and Page kicker/punter Brent Cimaglia can flip field position. The Patriots are limping into the playoffs after consecutive losses to Fairview (17-13) and Spring Hill (33-23). The winner faces the winner of Chattanooga Central at Livingston Academy.
Coach's quote: "This time of year, all the teams you play are good. Page is no exception. They move the ball down the field, and their kicker can boot it out of the stadium." -- Hixson coach Dan Duff.
CENTRAL PURPLE POUNDERS (6-4) at LIVINGSTON ACADEMY WILDCATS (9-1)
Stars: Central's offense is ground-oriented and led by RB Isyah Funk. Defense is where the Pounders shine, with athletes such as tackles leader Jamel Metcalf (61.5) and interceptions leader D.J. Matthews (6). They'll be plenty busy trying to slow the Wildcats, who are led by RB Dylan Linder's 1,972 rushing yards and 23 TDs. They also have 6-foot-4 TE/WR Wade Eldridge and 6-3 WR Peter Hollars to contend with. Eldridge also is a formidable run-stopper at LB.
Storyline: This is the classic matchup of a forceful offense in Livingston Academy, which has scored at least 33 points in every game, against Central's stout defense, which has held seven opponents to 12 points or less with three shutouts. Last season's 3-7 team interrupted Livingston's string of four consecutive playoff berths. The Pounders have now qualified for the playoffs four of the last six seasons but haven't won a playoff game since 2003. The winner will play the winner between Page at Hixson.
Coach's quote: "They're very physical and very fundamentally sound. They don't beat themselves. They've got a running back that runs downhill hard and a quarterback that can sling it. Our defense is going to have to maintain its gap integrity. And we've got to make sure we're aligned correctly." -- Central coach Ryan Mallory.
Class 5A
SODDY-DAISY TROJANS (4-6) at OAK RIDGE WILDCATS (10-0)
Stars: The Trojans have been paced by a high-powered offense. QB Hunter Maynor has thrown for 2,982 yards and 29 touchdowns, with WR Blake Smith (1,135 yards, 13 TDs) and Tre Carter (807 yards receiving, 11 total TDs) his primary targets. RB Christian Bell (865 yards, 7 TDs) adds another element with the run game. Wildcats sophomore WR Tee Higgins (427 yards, 7 TDs) has offers from North Carolina, Tennessee, Clemson, LSU and Georgia -- the last four in the past two weeks. He's the headliner of a team full of youth and depth.
Storyline: The Trojans can score, but the Wildcats can defend. Oak Ridge has allowed an average of eight points per game, with 58 of the 80 points allowed coming in three games. The question is whether Soddy-Daisy can defend, as it has allowed 34.6 points per game and now challenges a prolific Oak Ridge offense that averages 40. The winner of this game faces the winner of Clinton at Cleveland.
Coach's quote: "They're big an athletic; they're the No. 1 seed for a reason. We can't be satisfied with just getting in. We have to go up there and playing expecting to win, because if we have the mindset that we'll get beat, it will happen. We can score; if the defense can get a couple of stops, we'll see what happens." -- Soddy-Daisy coach Justin Barnes.
CLINTON DRAGONS (7-3) at CLEVELAND BLUE RAIDERS (5-5)
Stars: The Dragons use a balanced attack. QB Tyler Thackerson has 2,438 yards combined rushing and passing. RB Aaron Watson (688, 8 TDs) and Zachary Jones (624, 5 TDs) are the leading rushers for a team that's averaging 409.4 yards per game. The Blue Raiders limp into the playoffs but are led by RB T.J. Parker (950 yards, 4 TDs) and WR/DB Eric Goodwin (265 yards receiving, 4 INTs).
Storyline: Much like they've done all season, the Blue Raiders are a patchwork project with key injuries. The statuses of QB/LB Austin Massey and RB Raekwon Bunion are game-time decisions, which could pave the way for Jake Gibson to make his first-ever start at QB. He'll need to be efficient against the Dragons, who have won five straight games after a 2-3 start. The winner of this game faces the winner of Soddy-Daisy at Oak Ridge.
Coach's quote: "They run a 3-3 on defense and move around a lot. They're very athletic on the second and third levels, and on offense they run a lot of the same things we run. They know that we have two good running backs, so we'll have to throw some passes to soften the box up." -- Cleveland coach Ron Crawford.
STONE MEMORIAL PANTHERS (6-4) at OOLTEWAH OWLS (10-0)
Stars: Junior RB Justin Johnson has led the Panthers with 1,402 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. QB Austin Helton has chipped in 433 rushing and 483 passing yards to go with 12 total touchdowns. Ooltewah QB Kelvin Leon (2,555 yards, 25 TDs) has spread the ball out among Edward Hayes (1,000 yards, 16 total TDs), Anthony Turner (786 yards, 8 TDs) and Rashun Freeman (404 yards, 3 TDs), while LB Jeremiah Jackson (90 tackles, 13 TFL, 5 sacks) leads the Ooltewah defense.
Storyline: The Panthers hope their rushing attack can be effective against the Owls. They average a little less than 40 carries a game, led by Johnson, who averages 22.7. If the Owls are able to jump to a lead early, it'll force the Stone Memorial team that throws the ball 7.5 times per game to have to pass, which should help an opportunistic Owls defense that has 30 forced turnovers and scored four TDs this season. The victor will play the winner of Tullahoma at Rhea County.
Coach's quote: "They run a wing-T type offense, and they're going to try to shorten the game, so we have to do well in all three phases. We can't squander possessions, and we have to have keep doing the things we've done well all year." -- Ooltewah coach Mac Bryan.
TULLAHOMA WILDCATS (5-5) at RHEA COUNTY GOLDEN EAGLES (10-0)
Stars: Athlete Cole Potter (803 yards, 15 total TDs) is the big playmaker for the Wildcats on offense, while LB Michael Lett has been credited with 171 tackles. Rhea RB Zach Daoust leads a potent rushing attack with 1,070 yards and eight TDs. Cody Bice (838 yards, 10 TDs) and Jacob York (674 yards, 10 TDs) round out the backfield options for sophomore QB Daniel Dotson. If Dotson decides to throw, he has Noel Patterson (16 catches, 430 yards, 4 TDs) on the perimeter.
Storyline: Can the Wildcats stop the Golden Eagles' ground attack? Rhea has averaged 361.3 yards and almost five touchdowns per game on the ground, and that will be Tullahoma's mission, which no team has been able to slow down as of yet. The Wildcats like to run the ball as well, and have done so effectively in their wins with 180.2 yards per game in their wins, but 96.2 yards in their losses. The winner of this game will play the winner of Stone Memorial at Ooltewah.
Class 6A
BRADLEY CENTRAL BEARS (5-5) at SCIENCE HILL HILLTOPPERS (9-1)
Stars: Bears QB Cole Copeland has shown to be a full threat, with 2,030 yards passing and 780 rushing. Tyler Carpenter and Daniel Clark have been his biggest receiving threats, with 708 and 508 yards, respectively, while DB Trevon Ware is a solid prospect and LBs D.J. Moyse and Colby Alford are other leaders on the Bradley defense. Athlete Malik McGue has garnered a lot of FCS interest for the Hilltoppers, but athlete Justin Bedard, who shares snaps with McGue, is also a playmaker.
Storyline: With both teams entering the Super 32 next season, this will be a region matchup in 2015. For the time being, it's a first-round playoff game in which the Bears will have to play their best to win. The Hilltoppers' defeat was by three points at Division II-AA Brentwood Academy, while Bradley had to rattle off three consecutive wins to end the season to qualify for the playoffs. The winner of this game will face the winner of Morristown East at Dobyns-Bennett.
Coach's quote: "They're very explosive, probably the most athletic team we've seen. We have to fight for four quarters, but they can be a better team 364 days out of the year. We only have to be better for one night." -- Bradley coach Damon Floyd
WALKER VALLEY MUSTANGS (5-5) at MARYVILLE REBELS (10-0)
Stars: Mustangs RB Alex King has 848 yards and nine touchdowns, while WR Cooper Melton (389 yards, 3 TDs) and Bryce Nunnelly (332 yards, 2 TDs) have shown the ability to make plays in the passing game when called upon. Maryville OL Dylan Jackson has committed to the University of Tennessee, while RB Jaylen Burgess is a powerful back with a couple of Division I offers to date.
Storyline: The Mustangs enter this game knowing they can't make mistakes, because they know the Rebels won't be committing unforced errors. Walker Valley's defense has been led by the front seven. The winner of this game will face the winner of Hardin Valley at Sevier County.
Division II-AA
POPE JOHN PAUL II KNIGHTS (3-7) at McCALLIE BLUE TORNADO (8-2)
Stars: PJP running back Quer'Derius Hunter averages right at 100 yards per game despite facing the ever-tough Division II schedule, and senior wideout Jacob Catignani has 42 catches for more than 600 yards. McCallie is loaded with talent, especially on the offensive side, but the headliner is fullback Alex Trotter.
Storyline: McCallie put a 59-38 whipping on PJP in September. And the offensive showing for the Blue Tornado has not been a problem. Coach Ralph Potter said this week that inconsistencies on defense and special teams and injuries across both sides have been the issues for McCallie, which started 7-0 but lost two of its last three games.
Coach's quote: "There's a new sense of excitement (in the playoffs), and that's something that always makes it fun." -- Potter.
FATHER RYAN FIGHTING IRISH (5-5) at BAYLOR RED RAIDERS (6-4)
Stars: Baylor quarterback Nick Tiano, who has committed to Mississippi State, has the skills to take over a game. Father Ryan senior quarterback Cameron Towns has experience and was productive when these teams faced off last week. Towns threw three TD passes in Baylor's 35-28 win.
Storyline: Two teams that played on the same field last week meet again with the finality of the playoffs hanging over the game. Baylor coach Phillip Massey said that teams playing right before seeing each other in the playoffs may cause coaches to "overanalyze" what happened the week before. Massey added that Baylor's running game, led by Kalvin Watson's season-best 120-yard performance, was something to build o.
Coach's quote: "When you win against a team (before playing them in the playoffs), well, you may have an advantage if you lose the previous game because you have a little bit of an easier time motivating your kids." -- Massey.
ALABAMA
Class 1A
SOUTH LAMAR STALLIONS (4-6) at VALLEY HEAD TIGERS (5-4)
Stars: QB Benjamin Kirby is a run and pass threat for the Tigers.
Storyline: Valley Head, which played and lost last Thursday, has had an extra day to get ready for the Stallions, who also are coming off a loss in the last week of the regular season. South Lamar finished fourth in its region, and this is the first meeting for the two teams. Although it finished in a three-way tie for its region title, Valley Head was awarded the top seed on a tiebreaker. This is the Tigers' second straight season in the playoffs.
Class 2A
IDER HORNETS (7-3) at TANNER RATTLERS (8-2)
Stars: Ider is led by RBs Jarrett Palmer and Tyler Ogle, but they'll be visiting a Tanner team that is the Class 2A defending state champion.
Storyline: Ider holds a 2-1 series lead over Tanner, but the programs haven't met since 1995. This will be the Hornets' fourth playoff trip under coach Brent Tinker, whose record since 2010 stands at 27-25. In extending their current win streak to two games, they rolled up 357 yards of offense against Sylvania. Overall, they've played in 20 postseason games, advancing as far as the third round once.
Class 4A
NORTH JACKSON CHIEFS (7-3) at SAKS WILDCATS (10-1)
Stars: For Saks, senior QB Devin Harris is coming off a five-TD night in which he ran for three scores, passed for another and forced and recovered a fumble that he returned for yet another. North Jackson depends heavily on RB Octavius Matthews and QB Logan Walters.
Storyline: The Chiefs, who had a seven-game win streak snapped last week, could be in trouble if they're without Matthews, who left last week's game in the second quarter on a stretcher. He leads the team with 1,649 rushing yards and 23 TDs. While the Chiefs are not ranked, Saks finished No. 5 in the final Alabama high school 4A poll. Another Wildcat to watch is RB Demetrius Powell.
Class 5A
GARDENDALE ROCKETS (6-4) at FORT PAYNE WILDCATS (7-3)
Stars: The key for the Wildcats is RB Desmon Turner, although Chazz Ingle scored both of their TDs in a win over Anniston last week. Gardendale QB Zach Cupps is more of a passing than a running threat, and the Rockets' leading rusher is Tye Dunklin.
Storyline: This is the same team that beat the Wildcats 41-7 a couple of weeks ago. What coach Paul Ellis goes into this game seeking is a more consistent defensive effort. He also would like to have a healthy QB. He has used at least two since a knee injury sidelined Alan Smith. Cupps has 1,185 yards and 11 passing TDs, while Dunklin has averaged 83.8 yards in nine games.
SCOTTSBORO WILDCATS (4-6) at CHALKVILLE CLAY COUGARS (10-0)
Stars: While the Wildcats have relied heavily on RB Dekarlos Billingsley, the Cougars have several college-committed prospects including RB Terrelle West (MTSU), CB Kam Prewitt (Memphis) and DL Kendall Jones (Mississippi State) and Ladarrius Harris (Southern Miss).
Storyline: West has run for 1,196 yards, but the real story for the Cougars is junior QB Tyrelle Pigrome, who has accounted for 40 TDs this season -- 15 rushing, one receiving and 24 passing. Wildcats may need a little extra from QB Bo Nix, son of coach Patrick Nix, who took over that starting role four weeks ago as an eighth-grader. Sophomore Billingsley has 1,588 rushing yards and 20 TDs.
GEORGIA (NON-PLAYOFFS)
(All games 7:30 p.m.; * region matchup)
* DALTON CATAMOUNTS (8-1, 6-0) at KELL LONGHORNS (9-0, 6-0)
Storyline: Dalton has had two weeks to prepare for this Region 7-AAAAA championship game, and perhaps the best way to prepare for the Longhorns is to look in the mirror. Statistically, the teams are similar, with dynamic offenses that can beat opponents on the ground or in the air and aggressive defenses that are difficult to run on. Dalton QB Payton Veraldi has passed for 1,828 yards and 25 touchdowns, while Kell QB Cameron Rosendahl has 1,727 yards and 12 scores. The Cats' top two RBs, Kelvis Rhodes and Tyler Noland, have combined for 1,400 yards and 18 touchdowns; Kell's duo of Itabari Mason and Ivan Walls has 1,400 yards and 16 scores. Big plays could be the deciding factor in this one as each of Dalton's top three receivers and both Kell WRs average 16-plus yards per catch.
* GILMER COUNTY BOBCATS (7-2, 4-2) at HERITAGE GENERALS (5-4, 3-3)
Storyline: Physical teams go at it tonight in a crucial Region 7-AAAA game, and each will be looking to set the tone early. Gilmer has a budding star in RB Russell Cochran, who recently burned LaFayette for 330 yards and five touchdowns. If the Generals can slow Cochran as they did Pickens County star Shannon Brooks, it will put pressure on a suspect Gilmer passing game. Heritage has struggled to score early in games recently but should get a shot tonight against a Bobcats defense that allowed 400 yards on the ground to Pickens' Brooks and Marcus Byrd last week. A key for Heritage will be if QB Corbee Wilson will have time to get the ball to playmaking receivers Tyler Childers and Luke Grant.
* SOUTHEAST WHITFIELD RAIDERS (6-3, 3-3) at NORTHWEST WHITFIELD BRUINS (4-5, 2-4)
Storyline: It has been a long time since the Raiders have played a meaningful game in week 10, but this one means everything for a program that hasn't reached the postseason in nearly three decades. Adding intrigue is the possibility the Bruins could still play next week if things fall just right. Both offenses have had little trouble moving the ball, but finishing drives has been an issue at times for each. Northwest finally has QB Caleb Shiflett healthy and a running game featuring former DE Dexter Stamper, who became the first Bruins back to eclipse 100 yards last week. Southeast features the all-around play of QB Will Swantic, who had nearly 300 yards of total offense in last week's win over Ridgeland, and RB Tyler Brown, who ran for 129 yards last week.
* RINGGOLD TIGERS (7-2, 5-2) at NORTH MURRAY MOUNTAINEERS (5-4, 4-3)
Storyline: Ringgold has the third playoff seed from Region 6-AAA in hand with a win, and the only way the Tigers miss the playoffs is with a loss of 11 or more points. The Tigers, obviously, want to avoid a shootout, so expect a large dose of ground control with D.L. Goins and Kile Sholl. However, as they showed in a rousing comeback against Sonoraville last month, they are prepared to win a shootout with emerging QB Devin Lancaster. North Murray, coming off a 370-yard rushing effort last week, will be in a nothing-to-lose mode and will unleash talented QB Hinton McConkey and a stable of playmakers. Having worked under Ringgold coach Robert Akins, North Murray's David Gann knows the Tigers' tendencies.
* LaFAYETTE RAMBLERS (2-7, 0-6) at RIDGELAND PANTHERS (3-6, 1-5)
Storyline: It may seem like there is little to play for here, but these Walker County rivals will play this game as if it's a region championship matchup, especially after the Ramblers won a year ago. Distinct offenses will be on display: the spread, pass-first LaFayette attack led by QB Evan Head, and the run-almost-always Ridgeland offense paced by senior RB Caderius Word.
* CALHOUN YELLOW JACKETS (9-0, 7-0) at COAHULLA CREEK COLTS (0-9, 0-7)
Storyline: The only thing on the line here is Calhoun's insane streak of consecutive region wins, which dates back 13 years. The Jackets have scored more than 50 points in three straight games and likely will get that again if they want it. However, Calhoun coach Hal Lamb will make sure stars such as Kaelen Riley and Cole Jackson get plenty of sideline time for what's expected to be a long playoff run. On senior night, the Colts again will feature many more freshmen and sophomores than upperclassmen.
*ADAIRSVILLE TIGERS (8-1, 6-1) at GORDON CENTRAL WARRIORS (1-8, 1-6)
Storyline: Adairsville is locked into the Region 6-AAA No. 2 playoff spot, so there's little to gain here. Expect QB Marcus Childers and RB Sidnee Johnson, who have combined for considerably more than 2,000 yards rushing, to be out of the game early.
* SONORAVILLE PHOENIX (5-4, 4-3) at MURRAY COUNTY INDIANS (2-7, 2-5)
Storyline: Sonoraville is playing its best football of the season and, after a bye week, can set a program record for wins in a season. The biggest difference in this Phoenix team is the balance it shows offensively. They want to run and have done so quite well with backs Brandon Dendy and Dylan Dixon, but when they go to the air QB Cody Long has great targets in Clark Johnson and Dendy and Dixon out of the backfield. Murray needs to produce long drives tonight, but if QB Justin Smith doesn't return after missing last week with a concussion, that may prove difficult.
* DARLINGTON TIGERS (8-1, 5-0) at CHATTOOGA INDIANS (4-5, 3-2)
Storyline: Darlington has wrapped up the Region 7-AA title, which could be good news for the Indians. Chattooga also is headed to the playoffs, the first such appearance since 2009, and if it catches a Tigers team looking ahead this game could be interesting. Sophomores Isaiah and Isaac Foster are Chattooga's main weapons, and Travell Bankston has emerged as another threat. Keeping control of the ball is important for the Indians, who have to keep Darlington RB Trey Edge under control.
* DADE COUNTY WOLVERINES (2-7, 1-4) at GORDON LEE TROJANS (2-7, 1-4)
Storyline: A disappointing season for both programs will at least end on a high note for one of these Region 7-AA teams. Each has looked good during stretches of play, but consistency has been an issue. No secrets offensively between them, and whichever duo of Dade's Zac Freeman and Brett Swader or Gordon Lee's Caleb O'Neal and Hunter Teeters gets going on the ground should win.
* FELLOWSHIP CHRISTIAN PALADINS (4-5) at CHRISTIAN HERITAGE LIONS (4-5)
Storyline: The Lions still have hopes of reaching the Class A private school playoffs and need a win tonight and a little help from a rival. Coach Preston Poag's team is currently 18th in the power rankings. The top 16 teams will move on, and the Lions are only 0.08 out of 16th spot. Two teams are tied for 16th, one of them St. Francis, which happens to be Trion's opponent tonight. A Christian Heritage win and a Trion win might be enough to get the Lions in. However, Fellowship won the earlier matchup, 13-12, six weeks ago.
* ST. FRANCIS KNIGHTS (6-3) at TRION BULLDOGS (5-4)
Storyline: Trion would need a lot of things to fall its way to reach the Class A public school playoffs. The Bulldogs sit 19th and are 0.73 out of 16th. With St. Francis having six wins, a victory over the Knights would give Trion a little more ranking ammunition. The Bulldogs, after being shut out three consecutive games, finally found their offense a week ago in a 30-0 win over Walker. Coach Justin Brown's team needs Malik Martin, Gabe Howell and crew to get the ground game going early.