Maybe the GHSA schedule-makers had a premonition this was going to happen. Or maybe this was just a case of blind luck.

Either way, the circumstances surrounding tonight’s showdown in Shannon could not have been scripted more perfectly.

In the final regular-season game for both teams, the No. 2-ranked and undefeated Model Lady Devils are hosting the No. 6-ranked Armuchee Lady Indians at 7 p.m. in a 7-AA South contest that will feature all sorts of intriguing context.

For instance:

 The pursuit of perfection: The Lady Devils (23-0, 9-0) are looking to complete an undefeated regular season, which would be — according to team historians — the first in school history. Obviously, Armuchee (22-2, 8-1) would love nothing more than to be the team that prevents it.

 The subregion title is resting in the balance: If the Lady Devils win, they will be the South champs, and would have the top seed for next week’s region tourney. If Armuchee wins, it would create a two-way tie, and a coin flip on Sunday afternoon would determine the top seed.

 The ever-important Floyd County bragging rights are at stake: Although most of the players from the two teams are close friends, they take great pride in gaining the upper hand in the smack-talking war.

So, when you add in those three elements, it’s clear that tonight’s game is going to raise the bar in terms of adding intensity to this already-heated rivalry.

“I think it’s going to be a great experience for all of us,” said Armuchee sophomore guard Kelcey Akridge. “It’s very exciting just to be in this situation, and to be playing in a game like this.”

Although the town of Shannon hasn’t officially been shut down for tonight’s game, it might feel that way to anyone who doesn’t attend. The lines at the local grocery stores and gas stations are likely to be quite short for a good part of the evening.

“Our community is in an uproar,” said Model coach Sally Echols, using the term in a positive sense. “I’ve been hearing about this game for days and days. It’s definitely on people’s mind in this community, and I’m sure the same is true in Armuchee.”

With so much hype surrounding the game, the players are doing their best to scale back their emotions in fear of getting too amped up.

“In some ways, it’s been a little difficult to block out all the other stuff and concentrate on the game itself,” said Model guard Rachael Turrentine. “But Coach Echols always does a great job of keeping us focused. We’re pumped up and ready to go, but we are focused, too.”

Model has owned the series in recent years, winning 12 of the past 13 meetings between the teams, including defeating the Lady Indians 59-42 three weeks ago at Armuchee.

But if that has taken any of the gumption away from the rivalry, no one has noticed.

“It’s Model-Armuchee, and it’s always going to be intense,” said Echols. “It’s just a good, heated rivalry. The girls (from each team) hang out together all the time and they are very close. But I think that just makes them play all the harder and makes the competition that much stronger.”

Echols has seen this rivalry from several different perspectives — as a fan, a player and a coach — and she said tonight’s game has all the elements to be a truly special event.

“I remember my freshman year (at Model), we played Armuchee in a game that was similar to this and the place was just packed,” she said, “and I know it’s going to be that way (tonight), too.”

Turrentine said school spirit was rampant at Model this week, and Akridge said the same was true at Armuchee.

“There were posters up all over the place, and everyone was talking about it,” Turrentine said. “I think people can’t wait for it to start.”