A Region 5 showdown between two top-ranked teams headlines Class AAA competition Friday , when No. 5 Lovett (5-2, 3-1) heads to Alfred E. Thompson Stadium in a last-ditch effort to dethrone region leader and third-ranked Westminster (5-2, 4-0).
Westminster already has beaten the other two ranked teams in the region -- No. 7 Cedar Grove (5-2, 3-1) and No. 9 Pace Academy (4-3, 2-2).
If Westminster wins, it will be on the verge of its first region title since 2007. But that thought is a non-issue at Westminster. Coach Gerry Romberg has been preaching to his team that this game is no different from the others.
"It's just the next game, just the next game," said Romberg. "We are just trying to find a way to get a region win so we can continue our path to have a good position for the playoffs. I tell the kids that we do not get any extra points for beating Lovett or Pace. It is the same as playing the others. It just happens to be the next game on the schedule."
Lovett is coming off a 46-26 victory against Redan last week and will look to carry that momentum.
"It looks like its going to be football weather, and we will have a great rivalry game," said Lovett coach Mike Muschamp. "I think (my guys) are ready. We have had a good week of practice. It is always interesting this week as this community sort of goes into mayhem, but I believe they are focused."
Here are some of the other key games in the classification:
-- No. 1 Greater Atlanta Christian (7-1, 4-0) will head to North Hall (5-3, 2-2) for a Region 7 game. The Spartans took care of Lumpkin County last week, 49-21, after leading 42-0 at halftime. Stanford commitment Davis Mills was 7-of-10 passing for 151 yards. Kyler McMichael ran for 104 yards on six carries.
-- No. 2 Peach County (6-1, 3-0) might have a chance to shut out three teams in a row, when it plays host to winless Kendrick in Region 4 game in Fort Valley. The Trojans beat Central-Macon 48-0 and Rutland 45-0 in their last two games. Against Rutland, quarterback Antonio Gilbert was 14-of-20 passing for 264 yards and four touchdowns.
-- No. 6 Crisp County (7-0, 1-0) will play host to Cook County (4-4, 1-1) in a Region 1 game at the Cougar Den in Cordele. Last week, standout linebacker Markaviest "Big Cat" Bryant had three sacks and five tackles for losses in the 28-14 victory against Monroe.
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