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REGION 6-A AT A GLANCE› Team to beat: Darlington. Back in Class A after winning consecutive region championships in AA, the Tigers have a strong ground game led by junior RB Tijal Whatley.› Watch out for: Gordon Lee. The Trojans, who return from Class AA after a two-year absence, expect a nice progression in coach Greg Ellis’s second year. This region is loaded, but if the Trojans can earn a playoff berth, look out.› Best game: It’s hard to argue against a better game in any region than Trion against Gordon Lee, at least for rivalry sake. The two are reunited in subregion A again and, fittingly, meet in week nine in a game that could knock one out of the playoff hunt.› Dream schedule: Gordon Lee, like any Class A team, needs nonregion wins to boost its power ranking, and the Trojans have a shot at a quick start with nonregion games against Dade County, LaFayette and 2015-winless Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.› Nightmare schedule: The nonregion schedule for Christian Heritage is high-risk, high-reward. Wins against larger schools North Murray, Murray County and Southeast Whitfield could boost the Lions’ playoff ranking. Losses would force them to win at least five of their seven league games.› Players to watch: Mount Zion RBs Jace Jordan and Richard Farley combined for 2,000 rushing yards last year. Gordon Lee RB Drew Cobb is ready for a breakout season, and teams will learn soon how good Bowdon QB Cason Parmer is. Defensively, Darlington FS Mason Tant is a 6-1, 200-pound hammer while RB/FS Jarrett Pierce may be the region’s top two-way player.› Predicted order of finish: Darlington, Mount Zion, Bowdon, Gordon Lee, Trion, Christian Heritage, North Cobb Christian.
Region titles are nice, but in Georgia's Class A they're a luxury.
This will be the fifth season of using power rankings to determine most of the postseason field in Class A football, and what coaches have learned over time is that getting good work done early can make a season.
Early results also can break it.
Class A teams can earn bonus points by playing - and especially defeating - larger-classification opponents, but once region play begins in mid-September those opportunities are gone. For Region 6A-A teams Gordon Lee, Trion and Christian Heritage, heavy graduation losses mean quick starts may be hard to come by.
"We have a lot of work to do," said Trion coach Justin Brown, who must replace 16 starters from last year's eight-win team. "Like everybody, we just have to take care of business and earn some (bonus) points.
"One good thing for us is that the power ranking system is not new to us. It's been good to us and I can't complain about it."
Gordon Lee, back in Class A after two seasons in AA, also is familiar with the system.
"Dade, LaFayette and LFO are all extra points for us, but we can't get too caught up in it," said Gordon Lee coach Greg Ellis, who has to replace all-star quarterback Caleb O'Neal, among others. "My whole thing is to just go out there and win when you can."
Perhaps no team has to replace as many players as Christian Heritage, where a coaching change - Jay Poag in for brother Preston - and numerous players leaving via transfer have created a lot of unknowns. If the Lions can make hay early, however, against 4A Southeast Whitfield and 3A North Murray and Murray County, anything can happen.
Each coach knows going in that only the region champion has a guaranteed playoff berth. With 15 total teams in the subdivided league, including state powers Mount Paran and Pinecrest Academy on the other side, a title might be hard to secure.
"We never really worry about winning the region title, though it would be nice," Brown said. "This region is by far the toughest in single-A, and every team that does come out of it is strong. Just take care of business when you can, and it usually works out."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.