The regular season begins for a number of area football teams at 7:30 p.m. Friday — a week before most teams in the state are set to begin. East Hall travels up to Dawsonville for a very early Region 7-AAA opener against former Region 8-AA North rival Dawson County, West Hall heads to Billy Ellis Memorial Stadium at Johnson High for the annual Battle of Oakwood, and Towns County crosses the border to play rival Hayesville High (N.C.). All games are rematches from last season. In 2011 the Tigers defeated the Vikings 49-7 in Dawsonville, the Spartans held off the Knights 35-21 at West Hall Stadium and Hayesville took down the Indians 21-6 in Hiawassee.