Best Sub .500 Team in Each Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we hit crunch time in Region play there are several teams that played brutal non region schedules and as a result are under .500. Look for these teams to make a run at the postseason in the final month of the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>McEachern Indians (3-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Indians started the season at 2-4 losing to 3 of the Top 100 overall teams in the State (Newton, Langston Hughes, and Douglas Co). They opened Region 3-7A play last weekend with a 24-21 win over Harrison and are expected to compete for the Region Title in the 5 team Region. Sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='283859' first='Jayreon' last='Campbell'] led the Indians in their win over Harrison with 149 yards and 3 TDs. Cincinnati Bear Cat commit, DB Daniel James, highlights a strong senior recruiting class. Don't be surprised if you see these guys hosting a playoff game Week 1. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Northside Warner Robins (3-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> The Perineal state power is off to a 3-4 start after dropping games to some of the best teams in the State. Losses to 7A North Cobb, Houston Co, crosstown rival Warner Robins and Crisp Co. They play in arguably the toughest 6A Region in the state with 3 teams ranked in the Top 7 in the Calpreps rankings. All indications are the game verse Veterans on 10/27 will be for the 4th playoff spot in the Region. They are headlined by 4 star DB [player_tooltip player_id='321424' first='Ricardo' last='Jones'] who is committed to Clemson. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/ricardojones05/status/1674128825960001536","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ricardojones05/status/1674128825960001536 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Benjamin E Mays (2-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Raiders have 4 loses by a combined 20 points that include games against Top 100 teams Douglas Co and Rabun Gap. After going 0-3 in non Region play, Mays has opened Region play 2-1 with their only loss coming 21-20 to #3 ranked Creekside. They are on the road at Villa Rica this Friday in what could be a winner gets a home playoff game battle. They are headlined by big 6'4 240 UGA commit DL [player_tooltip player_id='851054' first='Quintavius' last='Johnson'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Whitewater (3-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After finishing the regular season 8-2 in 2022. the Wildcats are off to a tough start in 2023 sitting at 1-3 in Region play. They have 2 games in front of them, North Clayton and Riverdale, that they will have to win if they want to set up a final week showdown with Starrs Mill for the final playoff spot. They are lead on offense by a trio of RBs and QB Jason Bryant that split carries. They have combined for 150 carries for 1300 yards and 17 TDs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cedar Grove Saints (2-5)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thats right, the Cedar Grove Saints. The same Saints that have 5 championship appearances in the last 7 years? Yes. Cedar Grove stepped up and played a brutal National schedule in '23. 2 out of state losses to Monarch (FL) 50-42 and Alabama power Carver-Montgomery 13-9. Their 3 in state losses all came to Top 50 programs, Mill Creek, Colquitt Co, and Westlake by a combined 34 points. They are still ranked in the Calprep power rankings as the #4 team in AAA and #1 in the AJC. They start Region play in a tough 4 team Region that includes two other teams ranked in the Top 10, Carver-Atlanta and Sandy Creek. Don't be surprised if you see the Saints in the Benz in December. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2A </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ELCA (2-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ELCA proved they would play anybody, any size, with their non region schedule. They started the season 0-4 with losses to State powers Calvary Day, Prince Ave Christian, Blessed Trinity and Bainbridge. They have kicked it up a gear in Region play outscoring their two opponents 67-14 and sit tied for the Region lead. Headlining an always great recruiting class for ELCA is 6'8 OT [player_tooltip player_id='896587' first='Favour' last='Edwin'] who is P5 bound and DB [player_tooltip player_id='325155' first='Brandon' last='Hood'] who holds offers from Tennessee, Louisville, Coastal Carolina among other. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooks County (1-5)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans are sitting at 1-5 with all 5 loses coming against higher classification teams and 4 are ranked. They have loses to (AAA) Thomasville, (AAAA) Wayne Co, (6A) Thomas Co Central, (AAAA) Bainbridge and (AA) Cook. The Trojans still have one non region came left, this one against last years Semifinal team Early Co, before starting Region play verse Irwin Co. Brooks Co has the potential to host a playoff game at 3-7, and be a team nobody wants to face in the post season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->