The Shockwave of a potential 11-team region is far Reaching

North Murray Football, Team FYN Sports

The GHSA has recently approved adding Gilmer and Pickens to the already crowded 6-AAA region. If the decision is finalized, the new region will have a total of 11 teams.

The proposed new region schools would be North Murray, Murray County, Gilmer, Pickens, Adairsville, Bremen, Coahulla Creek, Ringgold, LaFayette, LFO, & Ridgeland.

The move could force Region 6-AAA schools to play an all region Schedule, with no out of region games. The games that would be cancelled are some of the areas top rivalries.

Bartow County rivals Adairsville and Cass first met in 1956. This in-county rivalry would now be cancelled for the foreseeable future due to Adairsville having a Region only schedule.

Due to Covid, this years Heritage vs Ringgold game was cancelled. The matchup has taken place every year since Heritage High School has opened. The biggest game in Catoosa County could also be cancelled for the foreseeable future.

North Murray and Dalton have had to scrap their plans for their first ever matchup in week two of next season. A highly anticipated matchup that many projected as a new rivalry in the NW Georgia area.

Whitfield County Schools Coahulla Creek, Southeast Whitfield, and Northwest Whitfield have played against each other for the last several years. The games were relatively close to Home for Coahulla Creek, all within 16-miles of each other. Region 6-AAA school Coahulla Creek, will now replace these games with Bremen and Pickens.

Southeast Whitfield, which is a member of Region 7-AAAA, would be hit especially hard. Southeast has played at least three of the proposed Region 6-AAA schools over the past two seasons. In the seasons prior to 2020, Southeast played as many as six of the schools that will now be in the new 6-AAA. Those games will need to filled on their schedule, but will have to be filled with teams outside of the local area.

Then there comes the playoff spots. Each Region is awarded four playoff spots. If the current realignment plan is approved, Region 6-AAA would have the lowest percentage of teams eligible to make the playoffs in AAA. Regions 1 & 3, which are 5-team Regions would see 80% of their schools make the playoffs. Region 6-AAA would only see 36% of their teams qualify for the playoffs.

North Murray falls to Adairsville in final home game of the season

North Murray Football, Sports, Team FYN Sports

 

CHATSWORTH- North Murray struggled to contain a bruising rushing attack as they fall to Adairsville 47-18. The loss is North Murray’s third Region loss and the Mountaineers final home game of the season.

Adairsville opened the scoring early on a Chris Roper 71-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. A missed extra point left the score at 6-0 Tigers. The Mountaineers answered on the ensuing possession with a Seth Griffin to Judson Petty 36-yard TD pass. Griffin would connect with Petty again for a 2-point conversion. The 8-6 lead would be the only time Mountaineers would enjoy a lead.

North Murray recovered an onside kick on the kickoff but an Isaac Linley Interception and return gave the Tigers the ball in North Murray territory. Adairsville quarterback Jonathan Gough finished the drive with a short rushing touchdown a few plays later. The Tigers failed on the 2-point conversion leaving the score at 12-8.

After a North Murray punt, Adairsville put together another scoring drive. A long Chris Roper run set up a 5-yard touchdown rush for Eli Agnew. The Agnew touchdown extended the Adairsville lead to 19-8.

North Murray fumbled the ensuing kickoff, their first of two straight kickoff fumbles. The fumble set up Adairsville inside the Mountaineer 20-yard line. The North Murray defense stopped the threat when Shawn Myers picked off an Adairsville pass at the goal line and returned it to the Adairsville 23-yard line.The Mountaineers offense continued to struggle and they settled for an Owen Hannah field goal. The Hannah field goal moved the score to 19-11 with the Tigers out front.

The Adairsville offense was not struggling. Both Gough and Roper added rushing touchdowns late in the second quarter. The Gough and Roper touchdowns gave Adairsville a commanding 33-11 lead at the half.

In the third quarter, Agnew would add his second and third rushing touchdowns of the night. Adairsville headed to the fourth quarter with a comfortable 47-11 lead.

North Murray added a late touchdown when Liam Rogers took a Griffin pass 68-yards for a touchdown. The Rogers touchdown brought the game to what would be the final score at 47-18.

The loss drops North Murray to 6-3(4-3) and will travel to Lafayette next Friday. Adairsville moves to 7-2(5-2) and will host LFO next Friday.

AV   12-21-14-0–47

NM   8- 3- 0- 7–18

 

NOTES: North Murray can secure the 4th playoff spot for the region with a win over Lafayette next week. A loss to Lafayette opens the door for a possible 3-way tie between Sonoraville, Lafayette, and North Murray.

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