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Week 10 of the high school football season has plenty of intriguing matchups and many of the local teams are contending for region crowns coming down the stretch of the season.

If Week 9 was any indication, fans are in for an entertaining finish to the season. Last week’s action was highlighted by great games between Brunswick and a Richmond Hill; Savannah Christian and Calvary; Country Day and Aquinas; and South Effingham versus Benedictine.

But now, as the calendar turns to November, the contenders will start to be weeded out by each other in a number of big-time rivalry games scheduled across the city over the next two weeks.

Jenkins and Johnson kick off the local slate Thursday night at Memorial Stadium with kickoff of the battle between 2-2 Region 3-4A teams scheduled for 7 p.m.

Here’s a look at four of the biggest games in the area scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6.

ISLANDS at NEW HAMPSTEAD (Pooler Stadium)

Off to its best start in program history, Islands (4-0, 1-0) enters the pivotal Region 3-4A game against the Phoenix (4-0, 0-0) ranked as the No. 8 team in this week’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class 4A poll.

The Sharks and Phoenix were both off last week with scheduled byes. The game will be televised as the WSAV-CW Friday Night Blitz Game of the Week. WSAV Sports Director Greg Talbott will be on the play-by-play duties.

IHS receivers Langston Lewis and John Dickerson have three touchdown catches each and quarterback Jadon Adams is off to a great start in his senior campaign for the Sharks.

Adams leads the team in rushing with 310 yards and five scores to go along with 518 yards and eight touchdowns (one interception) passing. Islands is allowing just six points per game through four contests.

NHHS will look to win its opening region game of the schedule and the No. 9 (MaxPreps) Phoenix have also had a dominating defensive effort through their first four games. New Hampstead has surrendered just five points per game on average.

SAVANNAH COUNTRY DAY at CALVARY DAY

The Hornets (3-3, 1-0) pulled off another improbable comeback victory last week over previously unbeaten, and Class A Private’s No. 6 team, Aquinas (7-1, 0-1). SCDS won 29-28 after trailing 28-14 with just over four minutes remaining in the game at Saunders Field.

Quarterback Barry Kleinpeter three for four touchdowns, including the eventual game-winner with 50 seconds to play. 

With the win, Country Day is tied atop Region 3-A Private (4 team region) with Savannah Christian (7-1, 1-0), while Aquinas and Calvary Day (4-4, 0-1) are one game back. The Hornets play at Calvary Friday, and wrap the regular season with a potential Region championship on the line at SCPS on Nov. 20.

The Cavs lost a heartbreaker to the Raiders last week at home, but the emergence of freshman quarterback Jake Merklinger along with the return of injured defensive tackle Fuchess Lewis makes Calvary a threat every week down the stretch.

The rivals have split games over the last two seasons. Last year, SCDS won 49-14 over the Cavs, avenging a 27-0 shutout loss in 2018.

BEAUFORT (SC) at BENEDICTINE (Memorial Stadium)

Likely one of the highest scoring matchups slated for Week 10, Benedictine (6-2) hosts Beaufort (4-1) in a battle of Georgia versus South Carolina. It’s BC’s final scheduled game of 2020 thanks to SCCPSS policies preventing the schools from playing non-SCCPSS teams like BC.

Ranked No. 5 in Class 4A by the AJC this week, the Cadets won 39-25 over South Effingham last week and the offense is averaging 37.1 points per game through eight contests. All nine of the ranked teams playing in Class 4A last week won. No. 8 Islands (4-0) was idle.

The Cadets racked up over 450 yards of offense versus the winless Mustangs — they did so having run just 39 plays from scrimmage. Quarterback Holden Geriner and receiver Trent Broadnax continue to lead one of the best offensive attacks in all of South Georgia.

Last week, Geriner threw for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a rushing score. Broadnax tallied six receptions and a touchdown with 122 yards.

Beaufort is No. 8 in South Carolina’s 4A, classification, according to the latest MaxPreps computer rankings. The Eagles score an average of 41.4 points per game and allow just 13.4. They suffered their only loss of the season thus far last week.

RICHMOND HILL at GLYNN ACADEMY

Alone atop the region standings after knocking off Brunswick last week, Richmond Hill (7-1, 4-0) can clinch its second straight Region 2-6A championship with a victory on the road over Glynn Academy (5-2, 3-1) Friday night.

The Wildcats are ranked fifth in Class 6A this week and they have rattled off six consecutive victories. Prior to last season, RHHS hadn’t won a region crown since 1996.

Glynn is tied in second with Brunswick, but holds the tiebreaker over the Pirates thanks to a head-to-head win on Oct. 6. If Glynn were to win, and Brunswick were to win, all three teams contending in 2-6A would have critical season finales on Nov. 13.

Follow Travis Jaudon on Twitter @JaudonSports and contact him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.

Photo Savannah Country Day website https://www.savcds.org