There are no more warm-ups, no more take-backs. Starting this week every game counts.
A handful of area regions have already been at it, but now every region is in full swing -- and there are plenty of angles to cover this week.
Region 8-AAA proved the toughest in all of Class AAA last season -- and two area squads will kick off their 2015 8-AAA schedule with a bang this week, as cross-town foes Jefferson and Jackson County face off in a game that will air live on WDUN FM 102.9.
The Dragons (4-0) are coming off a bye week after cruising through their non-region portion of the campaign, while the Panthers (3-1) have shown that they are by no means rebuilding despite undergoing the changes a new head coach brings.
Both teams enter relying on stout run games -- Jefferson featuring sophomore Colby Wood, who has almost 800 yards rushing in four games, and Jackson County including Malik Tuck, who rushed for 351 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s overtime defeat of East Hall.
The Panthers are off to their best start since going 6-5 in 2012 but know it will take something special to knock off the Dragons -- who have not lost to the school from just down the road in seven previous contests.
Speaking of dominating, Gainesville is coming off its most lopsided victory of the young campaign after blanking Apalachee 48-0 last week. The Red Elephants (2-1, 2-0 Region 8-AAAAA) will look to extend their win streak to three straight this Friday when they travel to Conyers to face Heritage (0-4, 0-3) in a game played live on 1240 AM ESPN Radio.
Gainesville knows it needs to win to keep pace with the winner of 8-AAAAA’s big showdown of the night between Loganville and Lanier in Sugar Hill that will be broadcast live on WDUN AM 550. The Longhorns and Red Devils both enter 4-0 overall and 3-0 in region play and the winner will put themselves on the inside track -- though Gainesville and Salem (also 4-0, 3-0) will certainly have something to say about it as well. Winder-Barrow will look to knock off Salem and bust a two-game losing skid this Friday in the process. Also in 8-AAAAA, Flowery Branch (2-2, 1-2) will look to build on last week’s beatdown of Heritage when the Falcons play host to Cedar Shoals (0-3, 0-2).
The race is just beginning in Region 7-AAA, meanwhile, and Friday sees two intriguing showdowns hit the airwaves of northgeorgiasportslink.com. Defending champ West Hall (2-2) is coming off two straight defeats and will look to right the ship against a Dawson County team that is 1-2 and coming off a bye. The Tigers are under a new head coach in Sid Maxwell and will be looking for their first win over the Spartans since 2012. Up the road in Dahlonega, Lumpkin County (2-2) enters 7-AAA play on the back of two straight wins and will play host to an East Hall (0-3) team that so narrowly missed out on it first win of the season last week, falling in overtime at Jackson County. Elsewhere in 7-AAA, Franklin County (1-2) travels to battle Banks County (3-1); Fannin County is on a bye.
In Region 8-AAAA, Stephens County (2-1) travels to face North Hall (1-2), while Chestatee (0-3) plays host to North Oconee (1-2) in all four teams’ region openers.
In Region 8-AA, Union County (4-0) opens its league campaign against a much-improved Social Circle (2-1) -- a team that has already won more games this campaign than in the last four years combined.
And in Region 8-A, Commerce (2-2, 1-1 Region 8-A) plays host to Athens Christian (1-3, 0-2) looking to bounce back from a two-game skid.
WEEK FIVE AREA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, SEPT. 25
Alpharetta at Habersham Central
Apalachee at Clarke Central
Athens Christian at Commerce
Banks County at Franklin County
Cedar Shoals at Flowery Branch
Dawson County at West Hall -- Radio: northgeorgiasportslink.com
East Hall at Lumpkin County -- Radio: northgeorgiasportslink.com
East Jackson at Oconee County
Gainesville at Heritage, Conyers -- Radio: 1240 AM ESPN Radio
George Walton Academy at Towns County
Jackson County at Jefferson -- Radio: WDUN FM 102.9
Lakeview Academy at Providence Christian (at Shiloh High)
Loganville at Lanier -- Radio: WDUN AM 550
Mill Creek at North Gwinnett
North Forsyth at Lambert
North Oconee at Chestatee
Riverside Military at Johnson
Salem at Winder-Barrow
Stephens County at North Hall
Union County at Social Circle
http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/9/337184/region-showdowns-start-of-league-campaigns-feature-in-week-5