Alcovy did its part last week, now it will look to matchup against Lovejoy and await Druid Hills and Rockdale to determine its fate.

The Tigers defeated Rockdale 17-8 last week to earn a spot in the Class AAAAAA playoffs and now travel to Lovejoy today, facing a team which has also sealed its postseason positioning.

The Wildcats (8-1, 5-0 Region 2-AAAAAA) went through region play unbeaten and are a No. 1 seed in the playoffs and currently ranked seventh in the state. Newton is locked in at No. 2, and Alcovy is the other team with a definite spot in the postseason.

Rockdale and Druid Hills are both tied with three region losses a piece, making the regular season finale at Rockdale a win-or-go-home game.

If Rockdale were to win, it would be a fourth seed behind Alcovy. If the two teams both have three losses, Alcovy would be seeded higher due to the Tigers win last week. If Druid Hills comes away a winner and Alcovy falls to Lovejoy than it would leapfrog the Tigers, who lost to Druid Hills 28-21 on Oct. 26.

While all the drama is unfolding at Rockdale, though, Alcovy will have its sights solely set on Lovejoy.
"It's the next game on the schedule," Alcovy coach Kirk Hoffman said. "What we're going to do is treat it that way and try to get ready to play that game."

With no postseason implications at stake, Hoffman said he thinks both teams will still treat today's game with 100% participation.

"They're going to come in with the full compliment," Hoffman said. "I've known coach Hughes a long time and he has the same approach we do - prepare for the next game.

"We've preached all year that the next game is the most important game, and it's the next game so it's what we're focusing on."

The Wildcats, who reached last year's Class AAAA championship game are winning this year by an average of 42.7-6.7. They had three straight shutouts before beating Newton 51-6 last week. In Lovejoy's five region games it has won a total of 260-9 and has only lost to Colquitt County this season.

"Lovejoy is ranked and they're a good team for a reason," Hoffman said. "I think they've got eight or nine Division I's; they're the real deal."

Offensively, Lovejoy has a running back who will play at Georgia Tech next year and several receivers over 6-foot-2, who it likes to spread the ball around to. On defense, the Wildcats hustle to the ball and are big up front.

"We 're going to have to control the football, and we have to play outstanding defense," Hoffman said. "We can't afford any mistakes or mistackles."