Mill Creek's Trajen Greco helped lead his team to a victory over then-No. 1 Buford in Class 7A; Portal's Elijah Coleman makes an impact in all three aspects of the game, and Pierce County's Caden McGatha, Providence Christian's Christian Quinton and Trion's Toby Maddux put up big numbers in the running game.

Defending Class 7A champion Mill Creek is No. 1 for the first time this season after beating previous No. 1 Buford 31-24 Friday. Mill Creek has been ranked No. 1 once previously. That was after winning the 7A state championship last year. The Hawks’ only 2022 loss came against Buford, which started No. 1 this season because of its wealth of high-end talent that includes five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is committed to Georgia.

Brody Hannah’s 553-yard passing effort helped deliver Loganville to a 51-50 comeback victory over Clarke Central last week. It also put Hannah in the GHSA lead for passing yards this season with 2,264. His teammate and favorite target, Ahmed Souare, who had 290 yards receiving, broadened his lead. He’s now at 1,115 yards after eight games. Lumpkin County’s Mason Sullens continues to lead in rushing with 1,302 yards.

The headline game for Week 9, and perhaps the season, will take place Friday night when Buford travels to Mill Creek for a Region 8-7A showdown. It will be the 10th regular-season game in GHSA history between No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the highest classification. Mill Creek was involved in the most recent one in 2021, when the Hawks lost to No. 1 Collins Hill, the eventual Class 7A champion.

Four weeks remain in the regular season. Below are the Maxwell Ratings’ chances of each team winning their region. Teams with less than a 0.1% chance are not included. Here are some of the more intriguing region races and Maxwell favorites.

Quarterbacks Rodge Waldrop of Brookwood School in Thomasville, Devin Edmonds of Jones County and Brody Hannah of Loganville combined for more than 1,600 passing yards in Week 8, and Columbia's Jadan Baugh and Valdosta's Eric Brantley made an impact on both sides of the ball in big region victories.

Calvary Day, a GHSA member since 1988, is No. 1 in football for the first time. The Cavaliers (7-0) of Savannah are on top of the Class 3A rankings this week after previous No. 1 Cedar Grove lost for the fifth time Friday. The latest came against Carver of Montgomery, Ala., 13-9. Cedar Grove’s previous losses had been to top-10 opponents from the highest classification, one in Florida. Carver is 4-2 but unranked in Alabama’s Class 6A.

Northeast Georgia is home of the GHSA’s leading rusher, passer and receiver after seven weeks of the regular season. They are Lumpkin County’s Mason Sullens (1,119 yards rushing), Prince Avenue Christian’s Aaron Philo (2,180 passing) and Loganville’s Ahmed Souare (825 receiving). Sullens took over the rushing lead with a 200-yard effort in a 30-21 victory over Wesleyan last week.

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.

The Georgia High School Associated approved a reclassification framework for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years on Monday. The big change is that private schools in classes 3A to A will play for one state championship in all sports, separate from public schools. They will continue to play in regions with public schools during the regular season.

The GHSA’s executive committee on Monday approved NIL deals for high school athletes and a plan that will have private schools in classes 3A, 2A and A competing in private-only state playoffs beginning in 2024-25. Both were expected.

Private schools in classes 3A-A will be playing for state championships separate from public schools beginning in 2024-25 if the Georgia High School Association’s executive committee approves the plan today in Macon. The GHSA’s reclassification committee voted 12-2 on Sunday to recommend the plan to the 75-member executive committee, which can make it official.

David Eziomume of North Cobb is the GHSA’s new leading rusher after a 326-yard performance in a victory over Milton last week. Eziomume has rushed for 933 yards in five games. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back is committed to Clemson. Prince Avenue Christian’s Aaron Philo (1,926 passing yards) and North Murray’s Judson Petty (707 yards receiving) maintained their leads.

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 Georgia High School Association is discussing again a plan that would have private schools playing for their own state championships separate from public schools in classes 3A to A. GHSA reclassification committee chairman Curt Miller, who pushed hard for a similar plan two years ago before compromising, made the motion to discuss the idea Tuesday in Thomaston at a GHSA reclass meeting.

Douglas County's James Johnson scored three touchdowns and had eight tackles in a victory over defending Class 6A champion Hughes; Jefferson's Sammy Brown does a little big of everything in a Region 8-5A win over Clarke Central; and Worth County freshman Lyndon Worthy passes for 409 yards and six touchdowns against Terrell County.

Coffee’s football team is No. 1 for the first time, and Calvary Day made a bid to do the same but remained No. 2 in the AJC rankings this week despite No. 1 Cedar Grove losing for the fourth time.. Coffee is on top of the Class 5A rankings after previous No. 1, Ware County, the defending champion, lost to Class 4A’s No. 4 team, Bainbridge, 35-21 last week.

Aaron Philo, the reigning GHSA passing leader, is back on top of the GHSA’s passing leaderboard through five weeks. The Prince Avenue Christian quarterback passed for 408 yards in a 58-18 victory over Eagle’s Landing Christian last week. That was his fifth career 400-yard passing game and boosted him into first place with his season total of 1,520.