This is when high school football gets fun

Long before I even considered moving to Macon several years ago, I heard about the Northside-Warner Robins rivalry.

A player at one of the high schools I covered at a previous stop had lived in Warner Robins before moving with his family to Florida. His mother, who was not shy about sharing her opinion on a number of things, made it clear that the Northside Eagles were a part of her family, even though her family was no longer in Georgia.

The mother told a story or two about how the city just about shuts down when Northside and Warner Robins meet, how the game means so much to two programs that have found so much success at the state level.

I haven’t had the opportunity to go to that game yet, and I won’t see this year’s regular-season meeting. I’ll be covering another game with significant implications, FPD at Tattnall Square, while the big game at McConnell-Talbert Stadium is played. But the passions of both of the fan bases cannot be doubted.

It’s a big deal. It’s one of the top sporting events in this state below Interstate 20, joining the likes of Valdosta-Lowndes as a must-see activity.

Let’s face it, if something isn’t fun, it isn’t worth doing. And rivalries like this one are really, really fun.

What makes this game even more interesting is that it will be for a share of first place in GHSA Region 2-AAAAA. The four Middle Georgia teams in the region -- Northside, Warner Robins, Houston County and Jones County -- entered the week tied for first at 4-1. By the close of business Friday, two teams will sit at 5-1, while two more will be 4-2, potentially tied with Evans and/or Lakeside-Evans for third.

Playoff spots won’t be won or lost this week. But the race should be a bit more defined as teams enter the final three weeks of the regular season.

Meanwhile, the FPD-Tattnall rivalry isn’t quite as heated -- both teams also have rivalries with Stratford and Mount de Sales -- but their first meeting since 2009 likely will have postseason implications.

With a win, seventh-ranked Tattnall takes command of the GHSA Region 7A-A race with two games to play while remaining undefeated. An FPD win, however, would create a logjam atop the sub-region standings at 2-1.

Let’s not forget games like Upson-Lee at Mary Persons, West Laurens at Baldwin and Jackson at Peach County. Those aren’t rivalries per se but important games nonetheless. The first two are key Region 2-AAAA contests, while Peach County’s home game is likely the lone potential trap game remaining prior to the Oct. 31 showdown between the undefeated Trojans and unbeaten Westside.

There’s also a big game in Savannah, where No. 3 Benedictine hosts second-ranked Vidalia in a Region 2-AA showdown.

It’s definitely a fun week to be a high school football fan ... and you don’t even have to be an Eagles fan or a Demons fan to enjoy it.

Contact Ron Seibel at 744-4222 or rseibel@macon.com

This story was originally published October 16, 2014 at 4:33 PM with the headline "This is when high school football gets fun ."