WEEK 11: Regular season finales for some, beginning of playoffs for others

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

Posted 7:25PM on Friday 7th November 2014 ( 10 years ago )

As we've talked about all week on accessnorthga.com, the final week of the regular season in the 2014 high school football season is upon us. For some area schools, it will be the final game. For others, it could be just the beginning of the playoffs. Only a handful of teams have actually clinched playoff berths in their respective region. More than a dozen area teams in over half-a-dozen regions are still alive to qualify for the state playoffs. Region 7-AAA could go down to the final second and to the exact margin of victory before the four team are revealed. Region 8-AAAAA knows half of its playoff teams but it could come down to min-playoffs to decide the other. Rabun County in Region 8-AA, Jefferson in Region 8-AAA, and North Gwinnett in Region 7-AAAAAA just need to win to capture region titles. Strap yourselves in because it could be a wild ride. For a look at all of the night's contests involving area teams, simply scroll down. And be sure to check back with Access North Georgia and our <a href="http://www.accessnorthga.com/s15-football-central.php">Friday Game Night</a> page throughout the night for score updates and game stories and video highlights. You can also check for scores and highlights on our Twitter feed <a href="https://twitter.com/">@FridayGameNight</a> HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR Nov. 7 BANKS COUNTY at EAST HALL -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: East Hall Stadium, Gainesville -- RADIO: 102.9 FM -- BANKS COUNTY (5-4, 2-3 Region 7-AAA): Lost 23-7 to West Hall last week. -- EAST HALL (5-4, 3-2 Region 7-AAA): Beat Fannin County 38-20 last week. -- NOTABLE: East Hall leads series 15-1-1. The Vikings won 33-7 last year. ... It's pretty simple for both teams. The Leopards must win or they are out of any playoff scenario. The Vikings are essentially in BUT a Franklin County win by exactly six points could throw things into a wild points differential tiebreaker. ... East Hall is hitting its stride at the right time. The Vikings have won three straight behind Devin Watson and the offense, which has averaged 38 ppg during the streak. The Leopards have allowed just 22 ppg on the season. ... Banks County will need big games from Malcolm Mitchell and the offense against an East Hall defense that is yielding 27 ppg on the season. BUFORD at STEPHENS COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: The Reservation, Toccoa -- BUFORD (9-0, 6-0 Region 8-AAAA): Beat Madison County 44-0 last week. Ranked No. 1 in Class AAAA. -- STEPHENS COUNTY (7-2, 5-1 Region 8-AAAA): Lost 21-14 in OT to North Oconee last week. -- NOTABLE: Buford leads the series 2-0 but the two teams have not met since 1949, a 27-0 Buford win. ... The Wolves will win the region title with a win. Despite the loss last week, the Indians can still win the region with a win and a North Oconee loss to Madison County. ... It will be a tough task for the Indians. Buford is riding a 34-game win streak (not counting). The Indians are just 2-2 at home this season but one came in a 2-point loss and another in overtime. ... It's a battle of the two highest-scoring teams in the region. Stephens is averaging 35 ppg but Buford has allowed just 52 points (5.7 ppg) on the season. Buford has scored 405 points (45 ppg) while the Indians have yielded just 18 ppg on defense. CHATTAHOOCHEE at HABERSHAM CENTRAL -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Raider Stadium, Mt. Airy -- RADIO: 99.3 FM -- CHATTAHOOCHEE (2-7, 2-6 Region 6-AAAAAA): Lost 20-9 last week to Lambert. -- HABERSHAM CENTRAL (1-8, 1-7 Region 6-AAAAAA): Beat North Forsyth 32-7 lst week. -- NOTABLE: Chattahoochee won only previous meeting 65-48 in the 2011 playoffs. ... The Raiders finally put an end to their longest losing streak in school history (21 games) last week. They have a solid chance to now start a win streak and build for next season. ... Both offenses have averaged roughly the same all season (17 ppg) while Chattahoochee has given up 33 ppg on defense to Habersham's 40 ppg on the season. ... Habersham has not won back-to-back games since 2011. CHESTATEE at MONROE AREA -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Legion Field, Monroe -- CHESTATEE (1-8, 0-6 Region 8-AAAA): Lost 28-17 to North Hall last week. -- MONROE AREA (0-9, 0-6 Region 8-AAAA): Lost 51-22 to White County last week. -- NOTABLE: Monroe Area leads series 4-0. The Hurricanes won 28-21 last year. ... A battle to stay out of last place in the region as both teams seek their first region win of the year. ... The War Eagles' offense has improved the last half of the season averaging 25 ppg over their past four games after scoring just 38 total points in their first five games. ... Both teams have struggled on defense. Chestatee has given up 40 ppg while the Hurricanes have yielded 36 ppg on the season. FANNIN COUNTY at FRANKLIN COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Ed Bryant Stadium, Carnesville -- FANNIN COUNTY (4-5, 2-3 Region 7-AAA): Lost 38-20 to East Hall last week. -- FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-6, 1-4 Region 7-AAA): Beat Johnson 14-13 last week. -- NOTABLE: Fannin County won the only previous meeting 15-12 in 1995 in Blue Ridge. ... Both teams are still mathematically alive for the playoffs but the loser will be out for sure. The Rebels can get in but must win and get either an East Hall win or a Banks County win by two points or less. ... Franklin can get in with a win by seven or more points and a Banks County loss. The Lions would be eliminated with a win by 5 points or less, however. ... The Rebels have allowed the most points of team in the region (255) but Franklin has the lowest scoring offense in the region (14.5 ppg). GAINESVILLE at FLOWERY BRANCH -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Falcons Field, Flowery Branch -- RADIO: 1240 AM -- GAINESVILLE (7-2, 7-1 Region 8-AAAAA): Beat Loganville 20-7 last week. -- FLOWERY BRANCH (5-4, 4-4 Region 8-AAAAA): Beat Salem 7-6 last week. -- NOTABLE: Gainesville leads series 8-3, The Red Elephants won 55-45 last year. ... Fans were hoping this season finale would be for the region title. Instead, it has the Falcons in a must-win situation to stay alive for a backdoor entrance into the playoffs. Gainesville already has clinched the No. 2 seed. If the Falcons win and get a Winder-Barrow win over Heritage and Salem and Clarke Central both lose, they will sneak in as the fourth seed. ... Both teams come in hot, each on three-game win streaks. The Falcons have done it with defense, allowing just 21 points over the past two games. Gainesville is the highest-scoring team in the region at 34 ppg. ... Flowery Branch has had trouble at home, going just 1-3 this season. The Falcons are 2-1 vs. the Red Elephants in their last three meetings at Falcons Field, however. GREENE COUNTY at RABUN COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Frank Snyder Stadium, Tiger -- GREENE COUNTY (5-4, 4-1 Region 8-AA): Beat Social Circle 52-3 last week. -- RABUN COUNTY (7-2, 5-0 Region 8-AA): Beat Washington-Wilkes 22-7 last week. -- NOTABLE: Greene County leads series 3-1. Rabun County won 40-14 last year. ... This we know. If Rabun wins, it clinches the region title -- which would be the team's first since 1998. If Greene County wins and Washington-Wilkes defeats Union County, Greene County will win the region. After that, there are several possibilities but we know both teams already have clinched playoff berths. ... The Wildcats have been tough at home in the Lee Shaw era, going 12-3 at Frank Snyder Stadium since 2012. The Tigers are just 5-10 on the road in that same span. ... Both teams are allowing right at 20 ppg on defense but only Union County has scored more points than either team in the region. ... Charlie Woerner has been a tough matchup for everyone in the region and if he has another big game the Wildcats could be hoisting their first region title in 16 years and first ever solo title (the 1998 crown was shared with GACS and Commerce). HERITAGE, CONYERS at WINDER-BARROW -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: W. Clair Harris Stadium, Winder -- HERITAGE, CONYERS (3-6, 3-5 Region 8-AAAAA): Lost 29-15 to Clarke Central last week. -- WINDER-BARROW (5-4, 5-3 Region 8-AAAAA): Lost 21-10 to Lanier last week. -- NOTABLE: Heritage leads the series 6-2. The Patriots won 23-13 last year and have won four straight over the Bulldoggs. ... The Bulldoggs face a simple task: win and they are in the playoffs for the first time since 2003 as either the third or fourth seed, depending on Friday's action. They could still get in with a loss but would need help. ... The Patriots have played better than their record, losing three games by a touchdown or less despite allowing 26 ppg on defense. ... Winder ran into a stout Lanier defense, which snapped the Bulldoggs' run of five games with 24 or more points. Cece Green ran for nearly 150 yards last week but 64 came on the first play of the game. JEFFERSON at HART COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Pete Herndon Stadium, Hartwell -- JEFFERSON (9-0, 5-0 Region 8-AAA): Beat Oconee County 28-16 last week. Ranked No. 4 in Class AAA. -- HART COUNTY (9-0, 5-0 Region 8-AAA): Beat Morgan County 40-14 last week. Ranked No. 7 in Class AAA. -- NOTABLE: Series tied 1-1. Jefferson won the last meeting, 57-29, in 2011. ... This is the way you want to end the regular season. It's a winner-take-all showdown for the region title. The loser will be the No. 2 seed. ... It's also a matchup of the two best offenses vs. the two best defenses in the region. Jefferson is averaging 44.2 ppg and yielding just 8.5 ppg while the Bulldogs are averaging 40 ppg and giving up just 11.4 ppg on the season. ... The Dragons are looking for their second region title in three years. They won the 8-AA title in 2012 on the way to the state title. JOHNSON at DAWSON COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Dawsonville -- JOHNSON (2-7, non-region): Lost 14-13 to Franklin County last week. -- DAWSON COUNTY (1-8, 1-5 Region 7-AAA): Lost 42-19 to Lumpkin County last week. -- NOTABLE: Dawson County leads series 2-0. The Tigers won last meeting 33-16 in 2001. ... Both teams just playing for pride to end the season. A young Dawson County team would like to build some momentum for next year after a disappointing season. The Knights, with a win, could better last year's win total. LAKEVIEW ACADEMY at COMMERCE -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Commerce -- LAKEVIEW ACADEMY (3-6, 3-4 Region 8-A): Lost 49-10 to Prince Avenue last week. -- COMMERCE (7-2, 6-1 Region 8-A): Beat George Walton 42-0 last week. -- NOTABLE: Commerce leads series 2-0. The Tigers won last meeting 41-0 in 2009. ... Commerce is still fighting for a region title but needs a win and a Prince Avenue loss to winless Providence to get it. ... Lakeview has a very slim shot at the Class A Private playoffs but will need an upset win and some help from others around the state. ... The Tigers are second in the region in scoring (31.1 ppg) while the Lions have allowed 28 ppg. Commerce also has given up just 10 total points over its last three games with back-to-back shutouts. LANIER at APALACHEE -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: R. Harold Harrison Stadium, Winder -- LANIER (9-0, 8-0 Region 8-AAAAA): Beat Winder-Barrow 21-10 last week. Ranked No. 6 in Class AAAAA. -- APALACHEE (1-8, 1-7 Region 8-AAAAA): Beat Cedar Shoals 28-14 last week. -- NOTABLE: Series is tied 1-1. Lanier won 42-14 last year. ... Lanier has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the region but wants to continue the momentum it has built. The Longhorns defense has been outstanding all season behind defensive end Derrick Brown, allowing just 17 ppg on the season. ... Apalachee snapped its 18-game losing streak last week and also would like to end the season with momentum for next year. The Wildcats have allowed a region-worst 325 points (36 ppg) on the season. LUMPKIN COUNTY at WEST HALL -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: West Hall Stadium, Oakwood -- RADIO: AM 550 -- LUMPKIN COUNTY (5-4, 4-1 Region 7-AAA): Beat Dawson County 42-19 last week. -- WEST HALL (8-1, 5-0 Region 7-AAA): Beat Banks County 23-7 last week. -- NOTABLE: West Hall leads series 8-5. The Spartans won 49-21 last year. ... Plain and simple. The winner wins the region title and the loser is second. Fans may want to bring ear plugs with the hard-hitting ground games that both team will feature. The Spartans feature speed on the outside with Kwon Williams and Tyquan Statham while the Indians like to pound up the middle behind Zach Matthews and Gunner Wood. ... The Spartans defense has allowed just 8.0 ppg on the season and no one has scored more than 28 points on them all season. Lumpkin is averaging just under 28 ppg on the season and has scored 27 or more in six straight games. ... West Hall is averaging 31.4 ppg while the Indians are yielding 25 ppg on defense. MILL CREEK at PEACHTREE RIDGE -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Lions Den, Duluth -- MILL CREEK (6-3, 5-1 Region 7-AAAAAA): Beat Norcross 30-0 last week. -- PEACHTREE RIDGE (7-2, 5-1 Region 7-AAAAAA): Beat Collins Hill 38-3 last week. -- NOTABLE: Peachtree Ridge leads series 5-3. The Lions won 31-30 last year. ... Both teams are in line for a region title. If North Gwinnett falls to Mountain View on Friday (which would be perhaps the shock upset of the season), the winner of this one will be the region champs. ... The teams have split the last four meetings with the road team winning all four. ... It should be a titanic battle. The Hawks are as hot as any team in the state, winning four straight by a score of 199-21, including last week's destruction of the two-time defending state champs. ... The Peachtree Ridge defense has allowed just five total points over its past two games. MORGAN COUNTY at JACKSON COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Panthers Stadium, Jefferson -- MORGAN COUNTY (3-6, 1-4 Region 8-AAA): Lost 40-14 to Hart County last week. -- JACKSON COUNTY (2-7, 1-4 Region 8-AAA): Off last week. Beat East Jackson 35-15 two weeks ago. -- NOTABLE: Morgan County leads series 4-2. The Panthers won 38-35 last year. ... It has been a tough season with injuries and inexperience in key areas for the Panthers. But a win would give them two wins to finish the season for some momentum for next year. ... The Bulldogs have lost four straight and defense has been the issue. they have allowed 41 ppg during the losing streak. ... The Panthers' spread offense had its best game of the season two weeks ago. When they score 31 or more points they are 6-0 over the past two seasons. MOUNTAIN VIEW at NORTH GWINNETT -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Tom Robinson Memorial Stadium, Suwanee -- MOUNTAIN VIEW (3-6, 2-4 Region 7-AAAAAA): Beat Duluth 28-20 last week. -- NORTH GWINNETT (7-2, 5-1 Region 7-AAAAAA): Beat Meadowcreek 50-6 last week. Ranked No. 5 in Class AAAAAA. -- NOTABLE: North Gwinnett leads series 4-0. The Bulldogs won 40-7 last year. ... The Bulldogs need to win to capture the region title. The Bears, who have won two straight, have something to play for in that a win would give them their most wins in a season and also throw a monkey-wrench in the region standings. ... A North Gwinnett loss would hand the region title to the winner of the Peachtree Ridge-Mill Creek game and knocked the Bulldogs to second place. ... The Bears, however, face an offense that has scored 171 points in the last three games (57 ppg). Mountain View is allowing 29 ppg on the season. NORTH FORSYTH at ALPHARETTA -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Alpharetta Stadium, Alpharetta -- NORTH FORSYTH (1-8, 1-7 Region 6-AAAAAA): Lost 32-7 to Habersham Central last week. -- ALPHARETTA (8-1, 8-0 Region 6-AAAAAA): Beat Northview 17-0 last week. -- NOTABLE: Alpharetta leads series 6-0. Alpharetta won 45-6 last year. ... North Forsyth is trying to finish the season on a high note after a disappointing campaign. The Raiders have struggled on offense all season, scoring just 67 points (7.4 ppg) and Alpharetta comes in with the stingiest defense in the region, allowing just 74 points (8.2 ppg) on the season. RIVERSIDE MILITARY at SOCIAL CIRCLE -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Social Circle -- RIVERSIDE MILITARY (2-7, 1-4 Region 8-AA): Lost 42-27 to Union County last week. -- SOCIAL CIRCLE (0-9, 0-5 Region 8-AA): Lost 52-3 to Greene County last week. -- NOTABLE: Series is tied 7-7. Riverside won 56-14 last year. The eagles have won three straight in the series. ... The Eagles were officially eliminated from the playoffs last week but have played much better than their record. They have lost three games by a field goal or less. ... Both teams have struggled on offense all year, averaging less than 13 ppg each. However, only Oglethorpe County has allowed more than the 314 points (34 ppg) by Social Circle. Riverside has allowed the second-fewest points in the region (154). WASHINGTON-WILKES at UNION COUNTY -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: Mike Colwell Memorial Stadium, Blairsville -- WASHINGTON-WILKES (6-3, 3-2 Region 8-AA): Lost 22-7 to Rabun County last week. -- UNION COUNTY (8-1, 4-1 Region 8-AA): Beat Riverside Military 42-27 last week. -- NOTABLE: Washington-Wilkes lead series 3-0. The Tigers won 41-10 last year. ... Both teams have already clinched playoff spots. Union County's hope of a region title is still alive but the Panthers will need to beat the Tigers by 12 or more points and get a Greene County win over Rabun by 12 or more points to force a three-way tie and a coin flip for the region title. ... This should be an interesting matchup with the region's best offense vs. the regions toughest defense. The Panthers are averaging 42.4 ppg while the Tigers are yielding just 13.1 ppg and no more than 22 points in any game this season. Union County has scored at least 28 points in every game and 42 or more six times this season. WHITE COUNTY at NORTH HALL -- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. -- WHERE: The Brickyard, Gainesville -- RADIO: wrwh.com -- WHITE COUNTY (5-4, 3-3 Region 8-AAAA): Beat Monroe Area 51-22 last week. -- NORTH HALL (9-0, 6-0 Region 8-AAAA): Beat Chestatee 28-17 last week. -- NOTABLE: The series is tied 21-21. The Warriors won 21-7 last year. ... One of the best rivalries in north Georgia will certainly get a boost with White County on the verge of the state playoffs. The Trojans would love nothing more than to give White County a loss and make it sweat (they are tied with Madison County but have a head-to-head tiebreaker over Madison). ... If the Warriors win they will be the fourth seed regardless of what happens. ... On paper it looks like a mismatch with White County averaging 29 ppg while North Hall is allowing 42 ppg on the season. And, the Warriors are coming back-to-back 50-point games. ... White County is 10-12 all-time but just 1-9 since 1989 at The Brickyard.

Gainesville's Mikey Gonzalez, left, looks to avoid a tackler during a game played earlier this season. / photo: David Weikel

http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/11/281534