Week 10 saw several area teams solidify their playoff positioning while others were dealt some serious blows with just two weeks left in the 2022 season.
Every region involving our 26 teams covered by AccessWDUN was in play last week.
Here’s a look at how things stand in the regions involving our area teams:
REGION 8-7A
No. 1-ranked Buford (8-0, 3-0 Region 8-7A) clinched a playoff spot with its demolition of Dacula and is the only team in the region to do so. The Wolves can clinch the title with a win over Mountain View (5-3, 2-1 Region 8-7A) on Friday.
The Bears, who are tied with Mill Creek (7-1, 2-1 Region 8-7A), and control their own destiny. If they can beat Buford and Mill Creek over the final two weeks they will win the region.
Mill Creek can still win the region if it wins out and Buford loses out.
REGION 8-6A
No. 5 Gainesville (8-0, 4-0 Region 8-6A) and North Forsyth (6-2, 4-0 Region 8-6A) have clinched the top two spots in the region and will play for the region title on Friday at City Park. The loser will be the No. 2 seed.
The other two spots are up for grabs. Jackson County (3-6, 2-3 Region 8-6A) is still alive but will need help. The Panthers will need to beat Gainesville in two weeks and have Shiloh lose out to get in. Habersham Central (2-6, 0-4 Region 8-6A) was eliminated with its loss to North Forsyth last week.
REGION 8-5A
Jefferson (6-2, 4-0 Region 8-5A) and Loganville (8-1, 4-1 Region 8-5A) have clinched the top two spots. The Dragons, who hammered Loganville 42-6 last week, can clinch the title with a win over Heritage-Conyers on Friday.
Flowery Branch (2-6, 0-4 Region 8-5A) was eliminated last week when Winder-Barrow (5-3, 2-2 Region 8-5A) and Clarke-Central (4-5, 3-2 Region 8-5A) both won.
Winder-Barrow, Clarke-Central, and Eastside (5-3, 2-2 Region 8-5A) are battling for the final two spots.
REGION 8-4A
Here is what we know for sure. North Oconee (8-0, 6-0 Region 8-4A) clinched the title last week with its win over Walnut Grove (6-2, 4-2 Region 8-4A). Chestatee, Cherokee Bluff, and East Hall have been eliminated.
It gets complicated from there.
Madison County (5-3, 4-2 Region 8-4A) jumped into a second-place tie with Walnut Grove and the two teams’ will meet in Danielsville on Friday. But they are part of a group of five teams that are within one game of second place. Madison County would claim the No. 2 spot with a win while Walnut Grove would have to win out.
Cedar Shoals (4-5, 4-3 Region 8-4A), North Hall (3-5, 3-3 Region 8-4A), and East Forsyth (5-3, 3-3 Region 8-4A) all are still alive and within striking distance. East Forsyth clinches if they get wins over Chestatee and North Hall. They are out if they lose both.
Cedar Shoals is in with a win plus any of the following: an East Forsyth loss; Walnut Grove beats Chestatee; Madison County beats Walnut Grove; or East Hall beats Madison County.
The Trojans can clinch a spot if they win out. However, a loss to either Cedar Shoals or East Forsyth eliminates them.
It will be a wild finish for sure.
REGION 7-3A
There will be a Region 7-3A title game in Dahlonega on Friday. However, only Dawson County (7-2, 5-0 Region 7-3A), which already has clinched a home playoff game, can win the region title outright.
Lumpkin County (7-1, 3-1 Region 7-3A) can win the title if it beats the Tigers and West Hall the following week.
After that, the scenarios are almost endless. Despite its loss last week to Lumpkin County, White County (3-5, 1-3 Region 7-3A) is still alive. The Warriors can clinch a playoff spot with wins over Pickens (3-5, 2-2 Region 7-3A) and Gilmer (5-4, 2-3 Region 7-3A) the final two weeks.
But the Dragons, Bobcats, and Wesleyan (3-5, 2-2 Region 7-3A) are also still very much in the playoff pitcture.
Like Region 8-4A, this one will be a wild finish also.
REGION 8-2A
Union County (7-1, 3-0 Region 8-2A) and Fellowship Christian (5-3, 3-0 Region 8-2A) remained atop the standings after last week.
However, the Panthers have the toughest road left. They travel to Athens Academy (6-2, 2-1 Region 8-2A) and then Fellowship to close out the regular season. They can clinch a home playoff game with a win on Friday and the region title if they can win out. But they also could drop to third if they lose out.
Banks County (4-4, 0-3 Region 8-2A) is still alive but would be eliminated with a loss to Fellowship on Friday.
East Jackson (4-4, 1-2 Region 8-2A) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Providence Christian (2-6, 0-3 Region 8-2A) on Friday.
REGION 8-A DIVISION 1
The entire four-team region will advance to the playoffs and ends their regular seasons on Friday. No. 3 Rabun County (9-0, 2-0 Region 8-A Division 1) can clinch the title with a win over Commerce (6-3, 1-1 Region 8-A Division 1). The Tigers can win the region with a win and an Elbert County (8-1, 1-1 Region 8-A Division 1) loss to Athens Christian (3-5, 0-2 Region 8-A Division 1).
REGION 8-A DIVISION 2
Towns County (3-5, 1-2 Region 8-A Division 2) got back in the playoff race snapping a 9-game region losing streak to Warren County (2-6, 0-2 Region 8-A Division 2). The Indians are one of five teams still alive in the playoff race.
But Towns County does have the toughest finish with games against Washington-Wilkes (6-2, 2-1 Region 8-A Division 2) and Lincoln County (6-2, 3-0 Region 8-A Division 2).
