Prep Football: Playoff picture slowly coming into focus
By DOUG GORMANdgorman@newnan.com
With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, playoff scenarios are starting to pan out for area high school football teams.
In the six-team Region 3-AAAAAA, both East Coweta and Newnan are very much in the playoff hunt. But much like last season, first place is unlikely to be on the line unless the two locals get help elsewhere.
The Panthers took advantage of five East Coweta turnovers last Friday night to win 28-24.
With the victory, Langston Hughes (7-1 overall) moved to 3-0 in the region. The Panthers' schedule has worked in their favor as they finish the year with games against Tri-Cities and Westlake. So far, Tri-Cities (3-5) has won only one league game this year, a 21-14 decision over winless Westlake (0-8).
Friday night East Coweta plays at Douglas County, while Newnan takes on Tri-Cities. A win by both teams should assure each a playoff berth.
It will also set up an interesting story line when the two teams renew their rivalry in the final game of the regular season as the winner should secure second place and home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
A year ago, East Coweta rallied from 19 points down in the first half to beat Newnan 28-25 for the Indians' first victory over the Cougars in eight tries.
In Region 4B-AAAAA, the Northgate Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with a 27-10 win over Starr’s Mill last Friday. It was Northgate’s first victory following a pair of subregion losses.
Northgate head coach Tommy Walburn’s team has to win its final two games.
The Vikings and McIntosh are each 1-2 in the subregion with the winner securing the third seed heading into the 4-AAAAA crossover game against the second seed.
For the Vikings to make it back the playoffs for the second straight time, they would have to win the crossover game.
With its victory over Drew, Mundy’s Mill currently holds down that position .
Both The Heritage School and Trinity Christian are close to clinching GISA playoff bids.
The Hawks scored on their first four positions Friday night and beat Westminster 49-14 to improve their record to 8-0 overall and 3-0 in Region 2-AAA. It’s the best start in school history for the program that jumped to GISA Class AAA from Class AA last year.
The Hawks could officially clinch a playoff bid at home with a victory against Tattnall Square.
Trinity Christian, which made the jump from eight-man football last year when it joined the GISA, is still in the playoff chase. The Lions kept their playoff hopes alive with a 33-14 victory over Mount de Sales in a rare Saturday night game. The win moved Trinity Christian to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in Region 2-AAA.
The Heritage Christian School football team will also be headed to the playoffs in their ICSGA eight-man league after clinching a North region title, the first in school history.
J.D. Farlow set the pace the Crusaders’ 68-36 victory over Praise Academy on Friday night.
