Now that region play is in full swing, the races for playoff berths and region titles are heating up. Region 7-5A has two blockbusters on the schedule this week (Calhoun at Hiram and Cass at Cartersville) that will shape the playoff picture. Other big games in Week 8 include Lowndes at Valdosta, Walton at North Cobb and Benedictine at Burke County.

It's still early in region play, but several Week 7 games will have a huge impact on who wins 2023 region championships. Among those games this week are Newton vs. Grayson in Class 7A; Lee County vs. Houston County and Roswell vs. Blessed Trinity in 6A; Cartersville vs. Calhoun and Ola vs. Warner Robins in 5A; North Oconee vs. North Hall in 4A; and Appling County vs. Pierce County in 2A

The top two teams in Class A-Division I will meet for their Region 6 opener when No. 2 Macon County travels to No. 1 Schley County; Douglas County and Hughes will try to establish themselves as the front-runner in Region 5-6A; and first-year Lowndes coach Adam Carter will face his former team when the Vikings travel to Grayson for a non-region Class 7A game.

Two pairs of unbeaten Class 7A teams will square off in Week 5 when Westlake travels to Newton and East Coweta visits Lowndes. Other top games include ACE Charter against Northeast in a game that will establish the team to beat in Region 2-2A, Marist against Blessed Trinity in a 6A battle of Catholic schools, and Stratford Academy against St. Anne-Pacelli in a rematch of last year's GIAA Class 4A championship game.

The matchup of top-ranked teams Ware County of Class 5A and Benedictine of Class 4A is the headliner for Week 4 of the season. Other top games on the schedule this week include Milton vs. Roswell in a north Fulton rivalry, Marist vs. Woodward Academy in a Class 6A private-school battle, and Lee County vs. Colquitt County in a showdown for south Georgia supremacy.

Creekside will take on the challenge of facing the nation's No. 1 team when it travels to California to face Mater Dei in a Saturday night game. Big rivalries also take top billing in Week 3, with Northside facing Warner Robins, Troup playing Callaway, and Athens Academy taking on Prince Avenue Christian.

GHSF Daily previews 10 of the most intriguing games each week throughout the season. The Week 2 headliners include Thomasville and Thomas County Central renewing a city rivalry in which the teams are separated by just one victory; Walton faces Brookwood and Mill Creek meets Norcross in two top-10 Class 7A battles; and Calhoun takes on Carver of Atlanta to kick off the two-day Great Atlanta Bash.

GHSF Daily previews 10 of the most intriguing games each week throughout the season. The Week 1 headliners include Buford and Colquitt County taking on prominent out-of-state opponents, Class 6A champion Hughes visiting 7A runner-up Carrollton, and several top-10 opponents matched up in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.