Jeff Hart

Despite a disappointing loss to No. 3 Pickens on Tuesday, the fifth-ranked White County girls did not let that carry over into another huge Region 7-3A showdown with No. 6 Dawson County on Friday.

Jefferson stayed perfect in Region 8-5A with a dominating 64-27 road win over Clarke Central on Friday.

Alabama wide receiver and former Buford High School standout Isaiah Bond has entered the transfer portal in the wake of coach Nick Saban's retirement.

With a new state tournament format in place, most northeast Georgia area and state wrestling teams will hold their Area Duals on Saturday.

Eleven girls teams entered the week ranked among the eight GHSA classifications. Some of the region races may be ready to take shape. But most may go down to the final week of the season. And Friday and Saturday will offer area fans plenty of crucial showdowns.

Things are really starting to heat up, and take shape, among the various regions around northeast Georgia.

Lumpkin County ran its win streak to three with a solid 53-44 road win over rival Dawson County on the road in Region 7-3A on Wednesday.

Nick Saban, the stern coach who won seven national championships and turned Alabama back into a national powerhouse that included six of those titles in just 17 seasons, is retiring, according to multiple reports.

Cherokee Bluff drained 15 3-pointers and shook off a slow start to beat Chestatee 76-64 on Tuesday night at the Lynn Cottrell Complex.

In the first major battle for first place in Region 8-4A North, Chestatee rallied from a halftime deficit to beat Cherokee Bluff, 57-48, Tuesday night at the Lynn Cottrell Complex.