By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com 

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          Hurricanes Helene and Milton did a major job disrupting the GHSA regular-season football schedule, and thus the postseason slate, too, while the GIAA was able to avoid changes.

          So, the GIAA remains on schedule with last Friday’s end of the regular season for the split Class 4A teams, while some regions in the GHSA have cramming to do in order to get region games in by Nov. 8.

The GHSA extended the season by a week because of the massive impact on the northern and eastern part of the state.

          As far as Central Georgia teams, it forced Region 4-AAA, with six Augusta-area teams along with Howard, Baldwin, and West Laurens to make major adjustments.

          Teams in the region are forced to cram three games in eight days, on Thursday, Nov. 5 (Tuesday) and Nov. 9 (Saturday). That, after some teams went basically a month without a game.

          Making the end of the season in that region, as well as in general Class AAA, AA, and A/Division I, that much more suspenseful is the new postseason format involving convoluted power rankings, the elimination of private schools in those classes to a separate playoff bracket, and the possibility of at-large bids.

          Class AAA has four teams departing for the private-school playoffs, Class AA has three, and Class A/Division I one has 18.

          The GIAA’s change this year involved combining classifications into two for the regular season, AAA and AA, and again splitting up the two back into four for the postseason: AAAA, AAA, AA, and A.

          Overall, 10 of 16 4A teams advance, eight of 12 in 3A and AA, and four in A make the playoffs, totaling 30 of 43 teams – 70 percent – of football-playing teams in the playoffs.

          The top 10 teams make the 4A playoffs, top eight in AAA and AA, and all four teams classified for the postseason in Class A make the playoffs.

          The only GIAA games this week are the two 4A play-in games, and six AA and A games. No Class 3A games are scheduled. Class 3A playoffs start next week, with no play-in games.

          The Class 4A brackets are set, with FPD the only Macon school at home to open. The defending 4A champs are seeded first, with Tattnall fifth and Stratford sixth.

          Tattnall, which lost 27-20 in overtime to FPD for the district title, dropped a spot in the rankings, and has tough opener, facing undefeated Bethlehem Christian, which reeled off six straight shutouts in District 4 play, which included two teams in the 3A playoffs and only one 4A playoff team.

GHSA

Central Georgia teams still alive

Class 5A

          Houston County: 6-3/2-2, at Lee County, 9-0/4-0

          Is the fourth-place team.

Class 4A

          Jones County: 7-2/6-2, at Locust Grove, 3-5/3-4

          Locked in as the third seed, having beaten Hampton (6-3/5-3) to win that tiebreaker if needed.

          Perry: 7-2/4-0, at Warner Robins

          Locked in as top seed, can win the Region 1 title outright with a win over Warner Robins.

          Warner Robins: 6-3/2-2, vs. Perry, 7-2/4-0

          Third or fourth in Region 1, having lost to Benedictine (4-4/2-2) and Ware County (4-4/2-1) and losing those tiebreakers for second

Class 3A (using the playoff ranking system)

          Baldwin: 4-3/4-1, Thursday at Howard (4-3/3-2), Nov. 5 vs. West Laurens (7-1/5-1), Nov. 9 at Richmond Academy (2-5/2-3)

          Is probably in as an at-large at a minimum in a jammed Region 4 with three one-loss and two two-loss teams. The Braves are a favorite in two of the three final games, and win the tiebreaker over Westside (6-2/4-2) but lose it with Harlem (6-1/4-1).

          Howard: 4-3/3-2, Thursday vs. Baldwin, 4-3/4-1, Nov. 5 vs. Aquinas, 3-4/2-3, Nov. 9 at Westside-Augusta, 6-2/4-2

          Is on the fringe and needs to win one of the first two – both at home – to stay alive. All three are currently ranked ahead of Howard.

          Peach County: 8-1/4-0, at Monroe (3-6/2-2)

          Locked in as the top seed, wins Region 1 title outright with a win.

          Upson-Lee: 6-3/5-2, vs. LaGrange (7-2/6-1)

          Locked into at least third, but can tie for second and get the second seed with a win over LaGrange.

West Laurens: 7-1/5-1, Thursday at Westside-Augusta (6-2/4-2), Nov. 5 at Baldwin, Nov. 9 vs. Aquinas (3-4/2-3)

The Raiders are in, but who knows where? All three opponents are battling to get in, and some tiebreakers have yet to be determined. West Laurens loses the tiebreaker with Harlem

Class AA (using the playoff ranking system)

          Westside: 4-5/2-2, at Jackson, 4-5/2-2

          Locked in as the third or fourth seed, to be determined on Friday, may get a home game regardless.

Class A Division I (using the playoff ranking system)

          ACE Charter: 6-3/5-3, vs. Washington County, 5-4/5-3

          Locked in as at least an at-large team, but clinches fourth and automatic spot with a win. Has a shot at a home game with a win, and some help.

          Bleckley County: 2-6/1-6, at Central, 0-7/0-6

          The Royals, because of the huge number of vacancies in the class, are likely in as an at-large team, although a bad loss and other results could kill that.

          Dodge County: 8-1, 7-1, vs. Dublin, 9-0/8-0

          Locked in a top-3 spot, third with a loss to Dublin (loses tiebreaker with Northeast.

          Dublin: 9-0/8-0, at Dodge County, 8-1/7-1

          Locked in as the first or second seed in region.

          East Laurens: 3-5/2-5, vs. Northeast, 7-2/7-1

          The Falcons, because of the huge number of vacancies in the class, are a fringe team that may fall out with a big loss and other results.

          Jasper County: 6-2/3-1, at Lamar County, 7-2/4-1

          Locked in somewhere, first with a win and fourth with a loss, winning the tiebreaker with Social Circle (6-3/4-1) and losing it with Putnam County (5-5/4-2), so is either first or a good seed at fourth.

          Lamar County: 7-2/4-1, vs. Jasper County, 6-2/3-1

          Locked in at first, second, or third, first with a win and Social Circle loss, second with a win and Social Circle win, third with a loss and Social Circle win.

          Northeast: 7-2/7-1, at East Laurens, 3-5/2-5

          Locked in a top-3 spot, most likely second (wins tiebreaker with Dodge County, loses with Dublin).

          Putnam County: 5-5/4-2, regular season done

          Locked in at third or fourth, wins tiebreaker for third with Jasper County if the Purple Hurricanes lose.

          Southwest: 2-6/2-5, at Jefferson County, 0-7/0-6

          The Patriots, because of the huge number of vacancies in the class, are a fringe team that’s out with a loss, and probably needs some help with a win.

          Washington County: 5-4/5-3, at ACE, 6-3/5-3

          Clinches fourth and automatic spot with a win, but appears safely in the playoffs anyway.

Class A/Division II

          Hancock Central: 4-5/2-2, at Glascock County, 2-6/1-2

          Locked in as third or fourth seed, depending on this week’s result.

          Hawkinsville: 6-3/3-2; at Dooly County, 0-8/0-4

Locked in at third or fourth, outside shot at second. The Red Devils lose a tiebreaker with Wheeler County and win it with Treutlen.

          Macon County: 5-4/4-1, at Taylor County, 7-2/4-1

          Locked in anywhere from first to fourth, thanks to win over first-place Schley County, which is done (6-4/5-1). Wins the tiebreaker with Schley County with a win, drops to third with a loss, and fourth with a loss and a Marion County win, losing the tiebreaker with Marion County.

          Taylor County: 7-2/4-1, vs. Macon County

          Locked in at second or third, depending on this week’s result, second with a win, third with a loss. Only region loss is to Schley County.

          Wilkinson County: 5-4/3-1, vs. Twiggs County, 2-6/1-2

          Locked in as a second or third seed, loses tiebreaker with Region 5 leader Johnson County and wins won with third-place Hancock Central.

GIAA pairings

Class 4A

Play-in/’First round’, Friday

10. Mount de Sales, 3-7, at No. 7 St. Anne-Pacelli, 4-5

9. Strong Rock, 4-6, at 8. George Walton, 6-4

Second round

Strong Rock/George Walton winner at 1. FPD, 9-1

5. Tattnall, 7-2, at 4. Bethlehem Christian, 10-0

MdS/SAP winner at No. 2 Bulloch, 9-0

6. Stratford, 7-3 at 3. Brookstone, 6-3

Class 3A (Central Georgia tentative pairings)

8. John Milledge, 2-8, at 1. Westfield, 8-2

Class AA (Central Georgia tentative pairings)

8. Central Fellowship, 3-7, at 1. Southwest Georgia, 7-1

5. Trinity Christian, 6-4, at 4. Gatewood, 3-5

7. Rock Springs, 8-2, at 2. Brentwood, 8-1