It’s crunch time; do-or-die; the 11th-hour; the last gasp. Pick your cliché.
But no matter how you want to say it or frame it, the playoff fates for several Northeast Georgia-area teams will come down to the final week of the regular season of the Georgia High School football season. All-important seedings will also be finalized, which can shape a team’s playoff chances right from the beginning.
Two teams -- Chestatee in Region 8-4A and East Jackson in Region 8-3A -- both will need to win on Friday night no matter what. Jackson County in Region 8-5A can get in with a loss but would need a lot of help. A win, however, gets the Panthers in for sure. Others like Dawson County and North Hall are playing for a home playoff game in the first round.
Then there’s Commerce, which can finish anywhere from claiming the Region 8-A title to finishing in fourth depending on other outcomes.
It promises to be an action-packed final week that will also be filled with plenty of drama and tension.
Here’s what we do know about the Northeast Georgia-area teams, starting with the highest classification:
In Region 6-7A, Gainesville and North Forsyth both have been eliminated. Denmark, South Forsyth, West Forsyth, and Lambert are all in with Lambert secured as the No. 4 seed. As for the region title, Denmark wins it with a win over West Forsyth. South Forsyth wins it with a win over Forsyth Central AND a West Forsyth win over Denmark. West Forsyth can force a three-way tiebreaker with a win and a South Forsyth loss.
In Region 8-6A, Habersham Central has been eliminated, and Buford and Dacula will play for the region title. The loser will be second place. Shiloh is locked in at third, and Lanier and Winder-Barrow will play for the No. 4 spot.
Region 8-5A is complicated. Clarke Central already has claimed the region title. After that, it’s wide-open with five teams all having the ability, in several combinations, of securing one of the last three spots.
The easiest thing for Jackson County is to beat Apalachee and have Eastside beat Greenbrier, which would give Jackson County the third seed.
However, the Panthers can still get in with a loss to Apalachee and an Eastside win, which would make the Panthers fourth. If both Greenbrier and Jackson County win, it would put both teams in a four-way tie with Apalachee and Eastside. Let’s hope not for the calculator’s sake.
Jackson County would be out, however, with a loss to Apalachee and a Greenbrier win over Eastside.
Region 8-4A is simple and complicated all at the same time. What we do know is North Oconee is the champion, and Jefferson will be second based on last week’s showdown between the two. Flowery Branch is in and will claim the No. 3 seed with a win over East Hall.
From there, there are several possibilities.
If Branch loses to East Hall and Cedar Shoals beats Chestatee, the Falcons would still take third, with Cedar Shoals taking fourth in a three-way tiebreaker.
Chestatee is still very much alive, but a Flowery Branch loss would eliminate the War Eagles. Chestatee needs Flowery Branch to win and for Madison County to lose to Jefferson. If both of those happen and Chestatee beats Cedar Shoals, then Chestatee would take the No. 4 seed with Cedar Shoals being eliminated.
In Region 8-3A, it is very simple for East Jackson. If the Eagles beat Stephens County, they are in as the No. 4 seed. If they lose, they are out. As for the other three seeds and the region title, Monroe Area wins it with a win over Hart County. Oconee County wins it with a win over Franklin County AND Monroe Area loss. Hart County wins it with a win over Monroe Area AND an Oconee County loss.
Region 7-3A was settled last week. Cherokee Bluff repeats as champions, and the winner of the North Hall Dawson County game will be second. The loser takes third. White county is the No. 4 seed.
Region 8-2A is simple at the top, Rabun County has already clinched the region title. Elbert County can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over Banks County, which would give Union County the No. 3 seed, and Banks County would be fourth. However, a Banks County win over Elbert County by 12 or more points would make it a three-way tie for a second with everyone tied in the tiebreaker.
In Region 8-A Public, nothing has been settled. However, a Commerce win over Lincoln County would give the Tigers their second consecutive region title. A Commerce loss and a Washington-Wilkes win over Towns County would give Washington-Wilkes the region title and make Lincoln County the No. 2 seed.
A Washington-Wilkes win, a Lincoln County win, and a Social Circle win would give Washington-Wilkes the title, Lincoln County the No. 2 seed, Social Circle would be third, and Commerce fourth.
Greene County is still alive, and if it beats Social Circle, they would take the No. 4 seed leaving Commerce, Lincoln County and Washington Wilkes with the top three seeds depending on Friday's outcomes.
Towns County, despite one of its best seasons in recent memory, has been eliminated but can play spoiler at home against Washington-Wilkes.
Lakeview Academy was eliminated in Region 6-A Private last week with its loss to St. Francis.
In the GAPPS 8-man league with Lanier Christian, the picture is a little clearer.
Johnson Ferry Christian has clinched the region title. If the Lightning beat Fideles Christian on Friday, they would secure the No. 2 seed in Region 1-AA and play host in the first round of the playoffs.
However, if the Lightning lose to Fideles, there will be a three-way tie for second. They would play a three-team round-robin set of mini-games on Monday to decide the two playoff spots.
SCHEDULE FOR NOV. 4
Chestatee at Cedar Shoals*
King’s Ridge at East Forsyth
SCHEDULE FOR NOV. 5
Buford at Dacula* -- WDUN AM 550
Cherokee Bluff at White County*
Commerce at Lincoln County*
East Hall at Flowery Branch*
Elbert County at Banks County*
Gainesville at North Forsyth* -- 94.5 FM The Lake
Gilmer at Union County
Jackson County at Apalachee*
Lakeview Academy at Providence Christian*
Lanier Christian at Fideles Christian*
Lumpkin County at West Hall*
Madison County at Jefferson*
North Hall at Dawson County* -- 102.9 FM WDUN
Shiloh at Habersham Central*
Stephens County at East Jackson*
Washington-Wilkes at Towns County*
(* -- denotes region contest)
OFF THIS WEEK
Johnson (regular season completed)
Rabun County (regular season completed)
Riverside Military Academy (regular season completed)
