By Steve Carter
Tift County at Lee County
Series Record: Tift leads 3-2
This season: It will be the Region 1-AAAAAA opener for both teams. Both teams will enter the game with perfect 5-0 records. Both teams made the state playoffs in 2014, and both hope to make return trips. It will be the first region game for Tift under new coach Ashley Anders.
Westwood School at Tiftarea Academy
Series Record: Westwood leads 9-18
This season: Tiftarea has been competitive in every game this season, but still only sport a 1-4 record after a 43-29 loss last week to perennial power, Deerfield. Westwood from Camilla will come into the contest with a 3-3 mark. Deerfield is one common foe between the two schools. Westwood fell 51-26 to Deerfield.
Brooks County at Berrien High
Series Record: Brooks leads 7-30-1
This season: Brooks will come into Nashville with a 1-0 mark already in region play, while it will be the first league game of the year for Berrien. After surprising the state in 2014 with a playoff run, Berrien has only one win on the year, but the young Rebels have been competitive after a 1-3 start to the season. Clinch is one common opponent between the schools, having defeated Brooks 33-20 and garnering a 55-21 win over Berrien.
Cook High at Tattnall County
Series Record: Cook leads 1-0
This season: New Cook head coach Bobby Jones has his Hornets at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in sub-league play as they prepare to make the long trip to Reidsville. Tattnall comes into the game with a 3-2 mark, 0-2 in sub-regiom play.
Fitzgerald at Thomasville
Series Record: 9-12-2
This season: Fitzgerald is a sparkling 5-0 on the year and are ranked second in most state Class AA polls. Thomasville garnered its first win of the year last week, 20-7 over Seminole. Fitzgerald's two closest games have been 21-point wins over Worth County, 48-27, and over Irwin County, 35-14. Thomasville on the other hand has only scored 39 points this season. However, Fitzgerald has lost its' last three meetings in Thomasville.
Irwin County at Charlton County
Series Record: Tied 18-18
This season: Irwin fresh off of a 35-28 win over Telfair is having a season similar to the team's state title game run last season as the Indians were also 3-1-1 and 2-0 in the region at this point last season. Irwin's D.J. Pollard is putting up all-state numbers on both sides of the ball averaging over 150 yards per game rushing, while also being one of the team's leading tacklers. Charlton has a 3-1 record on the year, and are 1-1 in Region 2-A. However, the Charlton Tribe will be coming off the worst loss ever for a coach Rich McWhorter team to a Class A school, 44-0 last week to Turner. Due to a scheduling quirk this will be Irwin's first trip to Charlton since 2012.
Lanier County at Turner County
Series Record: Turner leads 7-2
This season: The Turner County Rebels are the surprise team in state Class A this season with a 5-0 mark. Fresh off of a 44-0 thumping over Charlton, Turner is 2-0 in league play, as well. Turner coach Ben Simmons, who didn't get the job until April, has the Rebels at No. 1 in the state Class A Public School Power Rankings, which will determine the state playoff field at the end of the season. Lanier will come into the game with a 0-4 mark, 0-2 in the region. Randolph-Clay is the one common foe of both teams. Turner garnered a 31-6 win over Randolph, while Lanier fell 42-0.
Dougherty County at Worth County
Series Record: Worth leads 17-10
This season: Worth County will go into sub-region play with a 2-2 overall mark. After close games against AA power Fitzgerald and AAAAAA power Lee County, coach Jason Tone's Rams have won two in a row, 44-0 over Crisp and 28-15 over Cairo. Dougherty is 3-1 on the year, the one loss coming to Crisp, 33-7.
