Already nearing the midway point of the regular season, high school softball will continue this week with a number of intriguing matchups.
No. 5 Buford (6-6, 0-1 6-AA) will host the Buford Invitational Tournament starting Wednesday at Buford City Park.
The tournament will last through Saturday and will pit the defending Class AA champions against Jefferson (6-10, 4-1 8B-AA), winners of three in a row.
The Lady Wolves will also face No. 3 Union County (9-1, 4-0 8A-AA) in the final game of the tournament.
Lumpkin County will play one game this week, on Thursday, against Class AAA No. 1 Walnut Grove, which is a perfect 17-0 on the season.
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: Gainesville, which has been a surprising success thus far, will look to continue its good work on Thursday.
The Red Elephants (12-5, 2-0 8-AAA) will host Lanier and Meadowcreek in a tri-match.
No. 8 West Hall will play two tri-matches this week.
It will host region foes Walnut Grove and Chestatee on Tuesday, and will face East Hall and Jefferson on Thursday in Jackson County.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: North Hall, which lost at Jefferson 38-28 in its opener on Friday, will travel to take on Class AAA No. 4 St. Pius X in Atlanta on Friday where highly touted running backs Imani Cross of North Hall and Geno Smith from St. Pius X will be looking to lead their teams to victory.
In North Hall's opener, Cross rushed 23 times for 222 yards and four scores in a losing effort.
Meanwhile, Smith, considered one of the top defensive back recruits in the country, recently committed to the University of Alabama.
Buford, already off to a fast start in its quest for a fifth consecutive Class AA state title, will face Yulee (Fla.) High at Tom Riden Stadium.
ATLANTA BRAVES: The Braves will travel to Philadelphia today to begin a six-game road trip.
It will take on the Phillies today through Wednesday, and, after a day off, will begin a three-game series at St. Louis on Friday.
Derek Lowe (9-12, 4.52 ERA) is scheduled to take on Cliff Lee (15-7, 2.59 ERA) in the series-opener today.
ATLANTA FALCONS: The Falcons will kick off the regular season on the road against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. It will be the Falcons first game at Soldier Field since 2005, which they lost 16-3.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Georgia Bulldogs, after losing in its season-opener, will host the No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday in Athens.
The Bulldogs will be looking to avenge a 17-6 loss in Columbia a year ago.
Georgia Tech, which won 63-21 over Western Carolina on Thursday, will travel to take on Middle Tennessee State.