Top-ranked Irwin County and No. 5 Clinch County play Friday for a key Region 2 game and if Clinch upends Irwin, it could make for a very interesting region race.
In the Region 2 standings, Irwin and Brooks are 2-0 while Clinch is 0-1 after a loss against Brooks County 42-12 last week.
This will be the 50th edition of the rivalry which dates to 1952 when Irwin won 42-6 and then won the next 10 contests between 1952 to 1977. There was a tie in 1980 and since then, Clinch won most of the meetings to narrow the series margin to 25-23-1. Irwin defeated Clinch 42-7 in 2021 and Clinch won 13-0 in 2020.
Irwin’s Shane Marshall leads the running game with 120 carries for 1,040 yards and 16 touchdowns behind quarterback Luke Snyder, who is 39-of-67 passing for 733 yards and 11 touchdowns. Snyder adds seven rushing touchdowns. Jason Jackson has 57 carries for 626 yards and nine touchdowns to bolster the running game.
Clinch religiously prefers the run and senior quarterback Aaron Bryant has 109 carries for 745 yards and 12 touchdowns while passing for 369 yards and two touchdowns – both to sophomore Kamarion Johnson
Here are some key region matchups to focus on this weekend:
-- No. 6-ranked Greene County (5-1, 0-0) will open Region 8 play against Washington-Wilkes (3-4, 0-1).
-- No. 7 Lincoln County (6-1, 1-0 continues Region 8 play against Lake Oconee Academy (5-2, 0-1).
-- No. 9 Metter (5-1, 4-0) is tied atop Region 3 and will face McIntosh County Academy (5-2, 4-1) to further determine the pecking order of the league.
-- No. 10 Jenkins County (5-1, 4-0) is tied with Metter atop the Region 3 standings and will face Bryan County (4-4, 3-3) to stay perfect in league play.
Resting teams this week are – No. 2 Manchester and No. 5 Bowdon.
Class A Division II Top 10 Schedule
1. (1) Irwin County (7-0) vs. No. 5 Clinch County for a Region 2 game.
2. (2) Manchester (5-1) does not play.
3. (3) Brooks County (4-3) vs. Lanier County for a Region 2 game.
4. (5) Bowdon (6-2) does not play.
5. (4) Clinch County (5-1) at No. 1 Irwin County for a Region 2 game.
6. (6) Greene County (5-1) vs. Washington-Wilkes for Region 8 game.
7. (7) Lincoln County (6-0) at Lake Oconee Academy for a Region 8 game
8. (8) Trion (7-1) vs. Greenville for a Region 7 game.
9. (9) Metter (5-1) at McIntosh County Academy for a Region 3 game.
10. (10) Jenkins County (5-1) vs. Bryan County for a Region 3 game.
