The final week of the regular season begins on Monday and Tuesday for northeast Georgia area baseball teams. Several region champions have already been determined, as well as several other teams already clinching playoffs.
But there is plenty of drama left to watch this week as nearly a dozen area teams face crucial series to either secure playoff berths or region titles.
Region 8-3A has completed its region schedule with Cherokee Bluff finishing second, Jefferson third, and West Hall fourth behind region champ Oconee County.
Gainesville has clinched a playoff berth in Region 7-5A and can still claim the region title with some help.
In Region 8-4A, Flowery Branch has secured a playoff berth. In Region 6-3A, North Hall has clinched a spot and is still in the running for the region title.
In Region 8-A Division 1, Banks County and Rabun County both have secured playoff berths. The Leopards will play for the region title this week.
As for the rest, it will be a fight to the finish for nearly a dozen more teams.
Buford in Region 8-6A has clinched a playoff berth and can secure the region title with a pair of wins over Dacula as the two arch-rivals open a three-game series on Monday in Dacula. The Wolves (21-6, 13-2 Region 8-6A) lead Mill Creek (14-11, 12-3 Region 8-6A) and own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Hawks. Two wins over the Falcons would seal the deal for the Wolves.
But Dacula (15-10, 10-5 Region 8-6A), which is riding a season-high six-game win streak, also is still alive for a region title if the Falcons can sweep Buford and have Collins Hill sweep Mill Creek in their series.
In Region 8-5A, Habersham Central (15-11, 5-5 Region 8-5A) and Jackson County (13-12, 4-6 Region 8-5A) are locked in a four-way duel with Clarke Central (12-13, 4-6 Region 8-5A) and Apalachee (7-17, 4-6 Region 8-5A) for the final two playoff spots. The Raiders travel to last-place Alcovy (1-21, 0-10 Region 8-5A) while the Panthers head to Apalachee on Monday. They will switch on Wednesday to close out the season.
In Region 7-5A, the Red Elephants (12-13, 10-5 Region 7-5A) are tied for second with Johns Creek (17-7, 10-5 Region 7-5A) and those two teams will battle it out this week, beginning on Wednesday in Alpharetta. Both teams trail Roswell (18-8, 11-4 Region 7-5A) by just a game for first place. If Gainesville can sweep the Gladiators and get a Chattahoochee (8-13, 4-11 Region 7-5A) sweep of Roswell, they can win the region.
Back to 8-4A, Flowery Branch (14-9, 8-4 Region 8-4A) sits in second place behind North Oconee (21-6, 10-2 Region 8-4A) and is just one game ahead of third place Walnut Grove (17-9, 7-5 Region 8-4A). The Falcons have a chance to claim the title but would need to sweep the Warriors and have Eastside (8-16, 4-8 Region 8-4A) sweep the Titans. The winner of the Branch-Walnut Grove series will be no worse than second place.
Also in 8-4A, East Forsyth (16-10, 6-6 Region 8-4A) needs one more win to clinch a playoff spot and can finish third with a sweep of Madison County (5-22, 1-11 Region 8-4A) and Walnut Grove dropping two games to Branch.
In Region 6-3A, three teams -- North Hall, Pickens, GAC -- have clinched playoff berths and all three can still claim the region title. The Trojans (19-6, 15-3 Region 6-3A) and Dragons (23-4, 15-3 Region 6-3A) are tied for first with North Hall owning the head-to-head tiebreaker over both Pickens and GAC.
North Hall takes on arch-rival Chestatee (6-21, 5-13 Region 6-3A) with the War Eagles probably wanting nothing better than to knock the Trojans out of a title shot. Pickens takes on GAC (16-8, 13-5 Region 6-3A). The Spartans can win the region with a sweep of the Dragons and a Chestatee sweep of North Hall. Pickens can win the title with a sweep and two losses by North Hall while the Trojans can clinch with two wins over Chestatee and a loss by Pickens.
Meanwhile, Dawson County (14-13, 9-9 Region 6-3A) and Lumpkin County (16-11, 9-9 Region 6-3A) will duke it out for the final guaranteed playoff spot in 6-3A. The Indians have won 6 of their last 7 to get back in the playoff race.
In Region 8-A D1, Banks County (22-5, 16-2 Region 8-A D1) led the region the entire season until last week and now sits 1-game back of Providence Christian (21-5, 17-1 Region 8-A D1) as the two teams open a three-game series on Tuesday in Lilburn. They will close out the season with a doubleheader on Friday in Homer. The winner of the series will take the title.
In Region 7-2A, Union County is locked in a four-way battle with Ringgold, Sonoraville, and Coahulla Creek for the final two playoff spots. The Panthers (13-10, 9-5 Region 7-2A) sit third at the moment and will close out their region schedule on Friday with a doubleheader at first place Rockmart (19-5, 11-1 Region 7-2A).
Ringgold (13-9, 7-5 Region 7-2A) and Coahulla Creek (7-15, 7-6 Region 7-2A) play each other while Sonoraville (8-17, 6-5 Region 7-2A) still has games left with Coahulla Creek and Rockmart this week.
