7-AAA Weekly Report

This is the last week of regular season in 7-AAA which means a lot of things can and will happen tonight. You have several things happening in the third and fourth place positions. Dawson County clinched the program’s first region title last Friday and will close the regular season with a non-region trip to Johnson-Gainesville. East Hall clinched the No. 2 seed after the win against Fannin last week. Franklin County (3-2) can clinch the No. 3 seed with a win over Fannin County (2-3) tonight. If Franklin County beats Fannin County, Fannin County could still take the No. 4 seed if Banks County (2-3) falls to East Hall. Banks County would have to beat East Hall and Fannin County beat Franklin to force a three-way tie with Fannin and Franklin at 3-3. West Hall sits at 2-3 with wins over Banks and Fannin entering its final game versus Lumpkin County. If Franklin beats Fannin and Banks falls to East Hall, then Franklin will take the No. 3 seed and West Hall would own the tie-breaker for the No. 4 spot.

Dawson is slated to play either Ringgold or North Murray, depending the outcome of tonight’s head-to-head match-up. East Hall will play Sonarville in Gainseville and well Calhoun and Adairsville is up in the air at this moment. One of four teams could face either in the first round.

Full Bracket for Region AAA Play-Offs

TeamFYNSports Game of the Week

This is the most important game this year for the Rebels. It is the defining moment in 11 seniors careers as they have never been to a playoff game as a team. The Rebels have a chance to rewrite last years final game against Franklin whom won in the final minutes, earning them fourth seed in the first round of playoffs. This year Franklin travels the long distance to Blue Ridge, GA. home of the Fannin Rebels. The Rebels are a much better team as i have stated in the past repeatedly, but so is Franklin. Franklin is 3-2 in region play and Fannin is 2-3, which is a tough spot for both teams. Here is the breakdown on both teams.

Fannin averages 33 points per game to Franklin’s- 26

Franklin is 2-2,21-40 in away games and Fannin is 1-3,31-28 at home

Fannin is stronger in the first half avg. 19 points to 11, but Franklin has a slight edge in the second half, 13-11

Franklin beat Fannin last year, 21-14 to get the fourth spot in the region.

This will be just their second meeting between these teams. Franklin is 1-0 against Fannin

Fannin is 58-63 overall and Franklin is 49-73-1 overall

Since 2004 (MAXPREPS) both teams have not won in the playoffs, Fannin 0-3 – Franklin 0-4

One team propels itself into the playoffs the other is in the playoffs, but vying for that third spot. Nobody wants fourth as that is certainly the hardest spot, No. 1 seed Calhoun, in the first round. Franklin is a 4 point favorite and has a 58.8% chance of winning based on the Maxwell Week 12 Projections.

The next Game is the Co-Game of the Week, pitting the Banks County Leopards and East Hall Vikings. The Leopards are in a must win game as East Hall has secured its second place finish. The game is Banks to win or lose and it can determine the outcome of the entire 3 and 4 spots in the region. East Hall is on the up-swing and Banks has struggled since winning against the Rebels losing the last two games to Dawson, 45-0 and West Hall, 27-21.

The last of the region games goes to the West Hall Spartans at the Lumpkin County Indians. West Hall owns its fate in region 7-AAA with a win. If Lumpkin finds away to stop the Spartans rush, then they have a chance to upset the tie-breaker for the fourth spot. With nothing to lose look for the Indians to play tough, hard and aggressive as they attempt to spoil West Halls chances at a playoff spot.

Dawson, having won its first Region Championship has a non-region game against Johnson-Gainesville on the road. This is the first time Dawson County has won the Region title in its schools history. Coach Sid Maxwell is in his first year as head coach for the Tigers.

7-AAA Stat Leaders

David Sauls