Murphy: It doesn't take rankings to know who's good

If there's one thing I've never understood the need for in high school football, it's rankings.

Gainesville's Watson picks up his first offer

Murphy: Wolves show moxie in hard fought win

To be a champion, you have to know you can win. It takes bravado to make the big play when the game is on the line, as well as overcoming the odds when the chips are down.

Holloway: Winning Buford's way

BUFORD - Jess Simpson prefers to win games. He's not shy about it, he doesn't apologize for it. Just ask him.

Zopf: Wolves are more bite than bark

Here's a little tip for all the Facebooking football players out there: It's never a good idea to send trash talk to an upcoming opponent, especially when that opponent is the three-time defending champions.

Murphy: Lakeview's season was 1 to remember

It was a little more difficult to decipher what the most compelling local story to the high school football season was this year over most.

Holloway: Fans please stop the crying

Four local football teams will play tonight in the second round of the state playoffs. Chances are, at least one will lose. There's no shame in that.

Murphy: Warriors enjoying feel-good season

It's always fun to watch the reaction of a team experiencing success in the playoffs that isn't used to playing once the regular season is complete. This year, that team is White County.

Holloway: Early take on how our local teams will fare

It's been a good run for football in Northeast Georgia. In the last three years, Hall County has sent four teams to the semifinals, Jefferson has won two region titles, Commerce keeps getting to the playoffs, and Buford, well, Buford has been Buford. But like good things do, it's coming to an end - for everybody, of course, except Buford. For the rest of the area, the offseason's coming early this year. It's already come ...

Clausen: County's best is still The Branch

The regular season is over and only two Hall County teams move into the playoffs. Gainesville is the Region champ in 8-AAA and Flowery Branch as a No. 2 seed in 8-AAAA.

Murphy: Red Elephants can still hang with best

It was pretty obvious that Friday's Region 8-AAA title victory for Gainesville was especially sweet. Not many people were going to bet money when the season started that the Red Elephants would be the ones hoisting the region title trophy like they did.

Holloway: Red Elephants, Warriors have come a long way

Gainesville had to overcome the loss of about 99 percent of its offense and 3/4 of its defense.

Krohn: Falcons enjoy underdog role

Before the football season even started, Flowery Branch was written off and given the "rebuilding year" label, despite reaching the Class AAA state semifinals last year and the finals in 2008. Not only did the Falcons lose all their top playmakers from 2009 to either graduation or transfer, they were moving up a classification and into Region 8-AAAA, headed by Apalachee, Clarke Central and Rockdale County.

Cochran: Gladiators' playmakers too much for Falcons

At the end of the game, it is going to come down to each teams' playmakers. Very few teams have better playmakers than Clarke Central this year.

Clausen: Flowery Branch stays on top of the county's ratings

At the end of week 10, all Hall County teams have played nine games and had a bye week. Region 8-AAA teams Gainesville and Johnson have play-in games, with Gainesville at White County for the region title and the top seed in the Class AAA playoffs. Johnson plays Stephens County and if the Knights win, they become a No. 4 seed.