High school region playoff races in northwest Georgia will start to come into focus after a handful of key games are completed tonight.
The headliner is in Chatsworth, where North Murray hosts Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe in a Region 6-AAA game that has huge playoff implications. LFO's Warriors (6-2, 5-1) can clinch a home playoff game with a win, while the Mountaineers (5-3, 4-2) can move up from their current fourth-place standing, with a shot at No. 3.
"We've had to sit since Haralson beat us two weeks ago, so we've had this bad taste in our mouths that we are ready to get out," North Murray coach Preston Poag said. "Lakeview is a totally different team this year offensively, and their defense is solid, too. We have to play our best game of the year to beat them."
The Mountaineers will be without starting tailback D'Ante Tidwell once again, but sophomore Noah Lunsford filled in well against Haralson County with 133 yards.
The other two top-four teams in 6-AAA also meet, with Haralson County (7-1, 5-1) visiting league leader Calhoun (8-0, 6-0). Wins by Calhoun and LFO would set up a championship-deciding game between the two next week at Calhoun. Wins by Haralson and North Murray would put the Rebels and the state's leading rusher, Treylon Shephard, in first place alone.
The region's top four are set, but there could be a fifth team added to the playoff pool.
The GHSA will fill out the Class AAA bracket with one at-large team based on power rating. If the season ended today that would be Ringgold, which has a 9.93 rating. The Tigers are just ahead of region foes Adairsville (9.68) and Sonoraville (9.46) and Region 3 fifth-place team Beach (9.29).
Region 6-AAAAAA: Dalton (5-3, 3-3) is in must-win territory tonight at Allatoona (6-2, 5-1), but even with a win still needs help. For the Catamounts to make the playoffs they would also need Allatoona to lose next week at Sequoyah (7-1, 5-1).
Region 6-AAAA: Pickens (9-0, 5-0) clinched first place with a win over Ridgeland a week ago, but the Panthers (5-3, 3-1) are still in control of the No. 2 seed and need just a win tonight against winless Gilmer to clinch it.
Heritage (4-5, 3-2) has also clinched a playoff berth, while Northwest Whitfield (5-3, 2-2) is in control of the final spot and would earn the No. 3 seed with wins against Southeast Whitfield tonight and at Heritage next week. Southeast would have to win tonight and next week against Ridgeland and have Northwest lose to Heritage in order to make it.
Region 7-AA: Top-ranked Rockmart (8-0, 5-0), Pepperell (5-3, 4-1) and Chattooga (6-2, 4-1) have clinched the top three spots. Rockmart is the region champion, having already beaten the other two, while the second spot and home playoff game will be decided next week when Chattooga goes to Pepperell.
The fourth playoff spot will be decided among three 2-3 teams - Gordon Central, Model and Coosa. Gordon Central owns a win over Model, so a win over Coosa next week would earn the berth for coach Cory Nix's team.
Region 6A-A: Both Christian Heritage and Trion have high enough power ratings to make the private and public school playoffs, respectively. However, the Lions and Bulldogs, each team ranked 13th on its side, can improve their standings and get a possible home playoff game with wins tonight and in next week's crossover round with the B subregion.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.