Canes, Tigers learn state playoff opponents this week; Cats, Colonels conclude seasons
As we head into the final regular season Friday night of the 2015 high school football season, the Adairsville Tigers and the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes have locked up state playoff spots.
Some mystery remains, however, in seeding positions and their opening round opponents. Results this week will decide the first round opponents as the state playoffs begin next Friday, Nov. 13.
Adairsville (8-1 overall, 6-1 in 6AAA) hosts Gordon Central (1-8, 1-6) this week as the ninth-ranked Tigers celebrate and recognize senior night.
The Tigers will be the number two seed from Region 6AAA behind top-ranked Calhoun.
Adairsville will be paired with the number three team from Region 7AAA in the first round and that opponent is most likely Franklin County. The Lions (5-4), however, must win at Fannin County Friday night to lock up that third seed.
A Franklin County loss and a Banks County win over East Hall, would cause a four-way tie for the final two state playoff spots in 7AAA and could cause an interesting event to determine Adairsville's first round opponent.
The scenario would lead to a pair of GHSA formatted mini-games involving those four tied teams at a neutral site on Monday. The two mini-game winners would advance to the state playoffs with their regular season head-to-head result determining the final seeding.
Cartersville (9-0, 6-0 in 7AAAA) travels to Pickens (8-1, 5-1) Friday night in a winner-take-all game for the Region 7AAAA title. A Cartersville loss and they will be a number two seed in the state playoffs. If Cartersville wins, Pickens falls to a No. 3 seed and Northwest will be the No. 2 seed due to their head-to-head victory over the Dragons. The winner will host the number four seed from Region 6AAAA. Cartersville, with a loss would still host the number three seed. Pickens must play an opening round road game if they lose to Cartersville.
Grady can lock up the number three seed from 6AAAA with a Thursday night victory over winless Stone Mountain.
Abrabia Mountain and Columbia play for the number four seed Saturday night at Godfrey Stadium.
Region 7AAAAA will determine its playoff seeding Friday night with a round of sub-region crossover games.
The two sub-region winners — Dalton and Kell — face off in Dalton to decide the region championship. The winner will be a number one seed in the state playoffs and the loser will be a number two seed.
Meanwhile, the second and third place teams from each sub-region also play to decide the final two state playoff slots.
Rome, who eliminated Cass from playoff contention last week, hosts Riverwood at Barron Stadium for one of those spots. Creekview hosts Cambridge in the other game with state playoffs implications. Either their head-to-head regular season result or a pre-determined GHSA tie-breaker will decide which of those two winners receives the number three seed.
Woodland and Cass will also celebrate and honor their senior players this week. Both are hosting consolation crossover opponents to conclude their 2015 campaigns.
Woodland (1-8, 1-5 in 7AAAAA-A) will host Forsyth Central (3-6, 1-5 in 7AAAAA-B). The two teams faced off September 4 with the Bulldogs taking a 39-7 victory.
Cass (5-4, 3-3 in 7AAAAA-A) hosts North Atlanta (4-5, 2-4 in 7AAAAA-B) for the first time ever.
