The Newton Rams and Alcovy Tigers begin their postseason journeys this week, kicking off Week 11 football action this Friday.
Newton finished as the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AAAAAA with a 49-30 victory this past Saturday, clinching a home playoff game in the opening round.
The Tigers will hit the road for their opening-round contest, traveling to Powder Springs to take on the Hillgove Hawks. Alcovy finished third in the region after falling 22-8 to region champion Lovejoy in the final game of the regular season.
Rams vs. Indians
While Newton will host its opening-round opponent, Region 4-AAAAAA did the Rams no favors, sending the McEachern Indians to Sharp Stadium this Friday.
The Indians finished 8-2 overall with a 6-2 mark in region play. McEachern spent much of the season at No. 2 overall in the state poll, marching its way to a 7-0 record before falling to ranked North Cobb 28-26.
The Indians dropped two of their final three games to the Warriors and to Hillgrove, falling to No. 3 in the region.
The Indians were ranked eighth in last week's Associated Press Class 6A Poll.
Tigers vs. Hawks
The Tigers will travel an hour to Powder Springs to take on the 7-1 Hillgrove Hawks.
The Hawks won their final four games of the regular season, and have tallied wins over Marietta
and McEachern this season.
Hillgrove finished second in Region 4 to North Cobb. North Cobb handed the Hawks their lone loss of the season on Oct. 11 in a 27-17 home game.
The Hawks have averaged more than 40 points a game this season in their nine wins.
Region contests
The Lovejoy Wildcats and Luella Lions will also represent Region 2 in the postseason.
The Wildcats will host Marietta in the first round of the state playoffs at home.
Marietta earned the No. 4 seed in Region 4, finishing with an 8-2 record. The Blue Devils reeled off six wins to close the season, including a 24-21 win over region leader North Cobb on the road.
Marietta fell to Hillgrove and McEachern in back-to-back weeks in September.
The Lions take on Region 4 leader North Cobb.
The Warriors dropped just two games this season, the first coming to Walton in non-region play, and the second to Marietta. North Cobb's defense has allowed just three opponents to score over 20 points a game this season.
The region title was the first for the Warriors since 2007 when they earned the top seed in Region 5-AAAAAA.
Region 8-AAAA
Monroe Area, Chestatee, Lanier and Stephens County will represent Region 8-AAAA in the state playoffs this season.
Monroe Area earned its second consecutive region title in 2013 and will host Banneker in the opening round.
Chestatee will host Region 6 No. 3 seed Grady, while Lanier will travel to Carver.
Stephens County, which earned the final playoff spot over Eastside in the region, will travel to Marist, the No. 1 seed in Region 6.
Game times are set for 7:30 p.m.
