Class A-3A Blog: Seven private schools still fighting region titles

As the regular season nears the playoffs, the teams that will play in the Class A-3A playoffs are finding their place in the region hierarchy. As of now, seven teams in the class are in first place in their regions and have a chance to claim a top-eight seed that comes with a region title.

In Class 3A Region 6, Greater Atlanta Christian is tied with North Hall with a chance to claim sole possession of first place. North Hall will be a tough task for the Spartans. The Trojans are led by quarterback Alex Schlieman, who has been throwing the ball all over the field, passing for nearly 2,000 yards on the season. GAC will need to rely on quarterback Michael Miller. The sophomore signal-caller has been a dual threat all season, throwing for over 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 479 yards and six touchdowns.

In Region 8-2A, Hebron Christian looks to be in the driver’s seat for its first-ever region title. The Lions stand as the only 2-0 team in region play. However, two big hurdles remain. On October 24, they will face Franklin County, who, outside of a loss to Stephens County, is undefeated. The last game of the season will be the Lions’ biggest, as they face Prince Avenue. Hebron lost last year’s regular-season matchup but came away with the victory in the state finals.

In Region 3 Class A-Division I, Savannah Christian stands tied with Toombs County for the top spot in the region. The Raiders still have two extremely tough tests in Swainsboro and Toombs County, which have a combined 12-2 record this season. With Swainsboro’s only loss coming to Toombs County. The two programs have reached the championship game in three straight seasons, with Toombs County being the defending Division I champion.

In Region 5 Class A-Division I, four teams remain undefeated in region play. In Sub-Region A, Fellowship Christian and Wesleyan both stand at 2-0 in region play. In Sub-Region B, Landmark Christian and Whitefield Academy are both 1-0. The region is composed entirely of private schools. Fellowship Christian, the defending champion, is 5-1 with its only loss coming to Hebron Christian. Landmark Christian has the best record at 6-0 but has played a much easier schedule than others in the region.

Athens Academy is the last team in the private class currently in first place in its region. The Spartans are 6-1, with their only loss coming to Aquinas. They are tied with Rabun County, with a head-to-head matchup set for October 31. Last year, the game came down to the wire, with the Spartans pulling out a 34-28 win. However, the Wildcats are much improved, sitting at 7-0 after going 6-4 last season. The matchup will decide the region and could be one of the biggest games of the year.

Class A-3A top 10 schedule

No. 1 Hebron Christian on bye.

No. 2 Prince Avenue on bye.

No. 3 Fellowship travels to Mount Pisgah.

No. 4 Calvary Day heads to Islands.

No. 5 Holy Innocents travels to region leader Carver-Atl.

No. 6 Savannah Christian heads to Vidalia.

No. 7 Aquinas hosts Harlem in a key region game.

No. 8 GAC hosts 3A power North Hall.

No. 9 Lovett on bye.

No. 10 Whitefield Academy hosts B.E.S.T. Academy.

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