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From the Sidelines Blog: First-round playoff projections
by Jim Alred
2 years ago | 2402 views | 3 3 comments | 14 14 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Eleven local teams have reached the state playoffs with many facing daunting tasks on Friday night. Here's my take on who goes home early, and who stays in.

Winning easy: Calhoun

The Yellow Jackets have done it all year and Avondale doesn't have the horses to beat this team.

Winning close: Ridgeland, Darlington and Dalton

All three teams face tough first-round draws. However all three should be good enough to advance, if they don't make crucial mistakes.

Possible Upsets: Chattooga

The Indians speed and athleticism will test Lovett, but remember the Lions beat Buford this year. Buford is better than Chattooga.

Recipe for a Chattooga win is no mistakes, no missed extra points and a whole lot of luck.

Going home: Armuchee, LFO, Ringgold, Pepperell, Trion, NW Whitfield

Talk about a murders' row of opponents.



Armuchee gets a home game and has to face a good Westminster team. Westminster is better than Chattooga, who won at Armuchee earlier this season. The Indians' defense is going to have to show up big, and kicker Tommy Harris will have to have a huge night for the Indians to win.

LFO plays at state and nationally ranked Gainesville. The good news is at the end of the playoffs, LFO will be able to say they lost to the eventual state champions.

North Hall is another good team from Region 7-AAA that has played tough competition. I think Ringgold can keep it close, but won't win.

Pepperell travels to play at Buford. Do I really need to say anything else?

Trion has to go to Lincoln County. Word is the Red Devils aren't as good as usual this season. Bad news is they're still going to win big over Trion.

NW Whitfield plays at SW DeKalb in what we could call the compass bowl. SW may not be as good as advertised but good enough to score a lot of points on LFO.

I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see more than five local teams advancing, and I wouldn't be surprised if fewer than three were left in the playoffs come Saturday morning.

Remember, you can find video coverage of playoff games here, and we'll break everything down on the Saturday edition of Gridiron Central.
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Comments
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IndianFan
|
November 15, 2009
well folks here we are again, lookin back at jim's predictions and knowing all along he was right. let me get this out there though, congratulations to all our greater rome area teams, i truly believe that you have made 7-aa a region to contend with out there now. lets see another great season next year.

oh and jim, thanks for all the great videos and stories on here. look forward to the rest of the school year
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jalred
|
November 12, 2009
Definitely don't think you're crazy IndianFan. Yes, 6-AA is brutal and Avondale can play them close. However, I saw how Calhoun handled Westminster last year in the playoffs. I think Region 6-AA's top three are very good, but it falls off a little at the No. 4 spot this year.

On the flip side, Chattooga has got to be the best No. 4 seed in the AA playoffs. Dangerous, hungry and out to prove something. I'll be interested to hear the updates from Lovett.

jim

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IndianFan
|
November 12, 2009
ok jim, i totally agree with you on these except for one. dosent it seem like i always have just the one thing to argue over? anyway the calhoun team this year may not get past the first round as easy as some may think. now, before we go sayin ol indian fan is crazy, just remember this: we are talking about 6-AA here. i believe, and i may be way off base here, but some of the worst teams in that region could hang with the best team in ours. that usually spells just a better competitive field for the participants. i mean hey what do i know? lets just see what happens friday night. either way good luck to all northwest ga teams.
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