Ringgold's battle for Region 6-AAA title highlights final week of Georgia football regular season

Welcome to the final Friday night of Georgia high school football's regular season, which, as usual, has forced coaches - and sports writers - to brush up on the myriad of tiebreaking procedures that could be put into action to determine which teams make the state playoffs and in what order.

The Georgia High School Association allows regions to determine their own tiebreakers, and they vary from records against nonregion opponents to point differential in region games to your basic coin flip.

While a three-way tie is possible for the fourth and final playoff spot in Region 6-AAA, the league title and its accompanying No. 1 seed for the playoffs will be decided on the field, where reigning champion Rockmart hosts unbeaten Ringgold.

For the Tigers, winning to reach 10-0 would give the 87-year-old program its first region title and occur two years after Robert Akins' team finished 0-10.

"If we win the region title, I think everyone would realize how much work we've put in," said senior safety Kyle White, who eclipsed 400 career tackles for his prep career two weeks ago. "We've always thought we could do it even after going 0-10. Getting that experience made us stronger, and going 5-5 last year gave us belief we could do what we're doing this year."

To make history, Ringgold has to solve the puzzle that is Rockmart quarterback J.D. Davis, who has 958 yards passing, 492 rushing and 20 total touchdowns. Davis, compared to Arizona Cardinals dual threat Kyler Murray by Ringgold defensive coordinator Houston White, leads a ground-oriented offense that has produced 2,564 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns. In addition, Yellow Jackets backs Cam Ferguson, JoJo Haynes and Brent Washington have rushed for more than 400 yards each.

Ringgold's defense ranks among the state's best, though. The Tigers have allowed an average of 10 points per game and are coming off a dominating performance against Sonoraville in which they held the Phoenix nearly 300 yards under their normal output.

"The defense this year has a mindset of not just wanting to win, we want to dominate," said Kyle White, Houston's son. "We don't care who gets the tackles as long as we get stops."

Getting those Friday will involve as much mental work as it will physical dominance. Rockmart uses a lot of motion before the snap with the intention of giving false reads to defenders, who often wind up finding themselves in a one-on-one matchup with one of the Jackets' elusive playmakers.

"Wrapping up and not missing tackles is the key Friday," Kyle White said. "We have to read our keys correctly and not get caught up in all the eye candy."

The Tigers are capable of winning a shootout if necessary. Surging quarterback Mason Parker has 941 yards and 15 touchdowns and is coming off a three-touchdown performance against Sonoraville. Kori Dumas (1,030 rushing yards) and Peyton Williams give Ringgold a strong backfield duo, and receiver Malachi Hill is also a playmaking threat.

While Rockmart (7-1, 7-0) and Ringgold (9-0, 7-0) will decide the top two playoff berths and Adairsville (7-2, 5-2) has secured the third seed, the fourth spot is a different story with North Murray (6-3, 4-3), LaFayette (4-5, 3-4) and Sonoraville (5-4, 3-4) involved. Though Sonoraville can't advance to the postseason, there are scenarios in which the Phoenix would have a say in whether North Murray or LaFayette moves on.

North Murray is the fourth seed with a win over LaFayette, but if LaFayette wins and Sonoraville does the same at Coahulla Creek (4-5, 2-5), it will come down to a point differential tiebreaker. North Murray enters at plus-7 (with a seven-point win over Sonoraville), LaFayette is at minus-3 (with a three-point loss to Sonoraville) and Sonoraville is at minus-4.

Here are the scenarios:

- If LaFayette beats North Murray by four or fewer points and Sonoraville wins: North Murray is the fourth seed due to a better point differential.

- If LaFayette beats North Murray by five and Sonoraville loses: LaFayette is the fourth seed due to the head-to-head win and better point differential versus Sonoraville.

- If LaFayette wins by six or more points: LaFayette is the fourth seed regardless of Sonoraville's outcome.

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Georgia prep football regular season in final week

Here's a look at the playoff situation for other regions involving area teams.

REGION 7-AAAA

A three-way tie is possible if Heritage (6-2, 3-1) upsets Cedartown (7-1, 4-0) and Northwest Whitfield (6-3, 3-1) defeats Pickens (4-4, 1-3). Northwest earlier downed Heritage, and Cedartown defeated Northwest.

To come out on top in a three-way tie, Heritage must defeat Cedartown by 11 or more points. Heritage would also be No. 1 with a win and Pickens win and will be no worse than the No. 3 seed. Northwest is second with a win or Heritage loss, and Central-Carroll (4-5, 1-3) is fourth with a win versus Ridgeland (1-8, 0-4) or a Pickens loss.

REGION 7-AA

The winner of the Dade County (7-2, 4-1) at Fannin County (8-1, 5-0) game is the region champion. A possible three-way tie exists for second, third and fourth, but Dade County coach Jeff Poston said his Wolverines already own the tiebreaker.

A Fannin win over Dade and a Pepperell (4-5, 3-2) win over Coosa (1-8, 1-4) would leave Dade, Pepperell and Chattooga (5-4, 4-2) with the same record in league play. In such a case, the 7-AA tiebreaker is wins against nonregion opponents plus all the wins the defeated nonregion opponents have earned, in which case Dade has a huge edge with nonregion wins over Gordon Lee as well Alabama's North Sand Mountain and Tennessee's South Pittsburg.

Pepperell, which owns a win over Chattooga, is the third seed with a win over Coosa, with Chattooga the fourth seed. A Pepperell loss gives Chattooga the third seed and Pepperell would be fourth.

REGION 6-A PUBLIC

Bowdon (8-1, 4-0) has clinched the region championship, and the winner of Friday's game between Gordon Lee (5-4, 2-2) and Trion (8-1, 3-1) is the No. 2 seed. Mount Zion-Carroll (5-4, 1-3) would be the third seed with a win over B.E.S.T Academy (1-7, 0-4) and a Trion win and the fourth seed with a win or a loss by Armuchee (5-3, 1-3) to Bowdon.

REGION 7-A PRIVATE

Darlington (9-1, 4-0) is the region champion and Mount Paran Christian (5-4, 2-1) the No. 2 seed. The winner of Christian Heritage (3-6, 1-2) at North Cobb Christian (3-6, 1-2) is No. 3, with the loser No. 4.

REGION 7-AAAAA

There is no drama in this region as Cartersville (9-0, 5-0), Calhoun (8-2, 4-1), Blessed Trinity (6-4, 3-2) and Cass (5-5, 2-3) are set as seeds one through four, respectively. The Purple Hurricanes locked up the championship last week with a 21-14 win over Calhoun.

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / North Murray football team captains walk onto the field for the coin toss before a Sept. 24 home game against GHSA Region 6-AAA opponent Sonoraville. North Murray is trying to secure the region's last available spot in the state playoffs in the regular season's final week.