The Braves and Phillies appear as though they’ll take their fight for first place in the N.L. East down to the final weeks of the season.

The Braves will host Washington in a three-game series that starts today, take Thursday off, then travel to play the Mets beginning Friday for another three games.

The Phillies, on the other hand, travel to Florida for a three-game series starting today. They’ll to take Thursday off, the host Washington in a three game series.

Both teams will need to win as many games as possible because they’ll play each other next Monday, when the Braves begin a three-game series in Philadelphia.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: After beating Apalachee in a 52-35 in a shootout Friday at Falcon Field, Flowery Branch is in the driver’s seat to compete for a region championship in its first year competing in 8-AAAA. Now at 3-0 (3-0 8-AAAA), the Falcons will travel to Cedar Shoals (1-2, 1-2) on Friday.

Other games of interest involving Hall County schools are Chestatee (1-1) at Dawson County(0-3), Gainesville (1-1) at North Hall (1-1), East Hall (1-2) at Adairsville (1-2) and West Hall (2-1) at Stephens County (2-1).
Hall County schools Johnson (0-3), Lakeview Academy (1-2) and Riverside Military Academy (1-3) are off this week.

ATLANTA FALCONS: A week after taking on an inexperienced quarterback in Pittsburgh’s Dennis Dixon, the Falcons defense now takes aim at Cardinals first-year starter Derek Anderson, who beat out the recently traded Matt Leinart during training camp. The game, slated for 1 p.m. Sunday, will be the Falcons’ home opener.

The last time these two teams met was in a 2008 Wild Card playoff game in Arizona, and the Cardinals won 30-24, eventually advancing to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals also beat the Falcons 30-27 in overtime in 2007 in Arizona.

The two teams last played at the Georgia Dome in 2006, and the Falcons won 32-10.

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA: Coming off a tough 17-6 loss to Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina team in their SEC opener, the Bulldogs will host No. 12 Arkansas (2-0) at Sanford Stadium in Athens.
Georgia beat the Razorbacks 52-41 last year in Arkansas.

GEORGIA TECH: The Jackets, who were upset 28-25 by Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., travel to Chapel Hill to play North Carolina in their ACC opener.

Georgia Tech beat the Tar Heels 24-7 last year in Atlanta.