Taylor County Vikings

Head coach: Chris Kirksey, 38-44, 9 seasons at Taylor County and overall.

2011 Record: 6-4 (6-4).

2012 Region: 4-AA.

Last playoff appearance: 2006, lost 40-0 to Clinch County in the first round.

State titles: None.

Returning starters: 5 on offense; 5 on defense.

Key players: DL Larry Mathews (6-2 1/2, 280, Sr.); FB/MLB Jakevis Howell (5-11, 230, Sr.); G Zeb Locke (6-0, 235, Sr.).

Outlook: After participating in the 11-team GHSA Region 4-A the past two seasons, Taylor County actually will have some non-region games this year as it moves up to 4-AA. The team isn't extraordinarily deep, with 10 seniors participating and five starters returning on each side of the ball. Mathews has offers from Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State, Georgia State and Troy, while Locke is looking at Mercer. Howell was the team's leading tackler last year.

Schedule

Aug. 31 at Irwin County 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7 Central-Talbotton 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 14 Schley County 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 Lamar County 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 Monticello 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 at NE-Macon 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Bleckley Co. 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 Putnam County 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 at Crawford Co. 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 Macon County 7:30 p.m.

SCHLEY COUNTY WILDCATS

Head coach: Josh Kemp, 28-16, 4 seasons at Chattahoochee County and overall.

2011 Record: 5-5 (4-5).

2012 Region: 4-A.

Last playoff appearance: 2008, lost 34-13 to Wilcox County in the second round.

State titles: None.

Returning starters: 4 on offense; 3 on defense.

Key players: QB Jack Peevy (6-3, 205, Sr.), RB Tra Minter (5-9, 180, So.)

Outlook: Josh Kemp takes over the program after a couple of years as an assistant first at Carver then at Schley County. With some good skill players returning, the Wildcats have a good chance at returning to the playoffs. Kemp's teams at Chattahoochee County loved to throw the ball. With Peevy back at quarterback, Schley County's offense should be high-powerered.

SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 Miller County 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 14 at Taylor County 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Terrell County 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 Hawkinsville 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 at Marion County 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 Greenville 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 Brookstone 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 at C.-Talbotton 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 Pacelli 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 at Dooly County 7:30 p.m.

MANCHESTER BLUE DEVILS

Head coach: Greg Oglesby, 120-56-2, 15 seasons at Manchester and overall.

2011 Record: 4-6 (3-4).

2012 Region: 5-AA.

Last playoff appearance: 2010, lost 44-8 to Calhoun in the first round.

State titles: 1997.

Returning starters: 4 on offense; 7 on defense.

Key players: QB/FS Demien Turner (6-0, 170, Sr.), TE/DE Tra Bryant (6-2, 240, Sr.); LB Quintavious Martin (6-0, 220, Sr.)

Outlook: Manchester returns some talent, especially on defense. Linebacker Quintavious Martin had 89 tackles and four interceptions, while free safety Demien Turner had 35 tackles and seven interceptions. With Carver out of Region 5-AA, the race for the top spot is wide open. There is no reason the Blue Devils can't capture the title.

SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 at C.-Talbotton 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7 Greenville 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 14 Spencer 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 at Bowdon 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 Temple 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 at Heard Co. 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 Bremen 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 Kendrick (K) 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 Chatt. Co. 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 Jordan 7:30 p.m.

MARION COUNTY EAGLES

Head coach: Mike Swaney, 21-3, two seasons at Marion County and overall.

2011 Record: 11-1 (10-0).

2012 Region: 4-A.

Last playoff appearance: 2011, lost 10-7 to Bremen in the second round.

State titles: none.

Returning starters: NA.

Key players: DeMarquez Mallard, DeQueszman Kelley, A.J. Wells, James Taylor

Outlook: Swaney has led the Eagles to two straight Region 4-A titles, and they have to be the heavy favorite to win the title once again.

SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 Terrell Co. 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7 Kendrick (M) 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Miller Co. 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 Greenville 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 5 Schley Co. 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 at Pacelli 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Dooly Co. 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 Brookstone 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 Hawkinsville 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 Central-Talbotton 7:30 p.m.

STEWART COUNTY KNIGHTS

Head coach: Travis Terry, 3-26, three seasons at Stewart County and overall.

2011 Record: 2-8 (0-7).

2012 Region: 1-A.

Last playoff appearance: none.

State titles: none.

Returning starters: 7 on offense and 6 on defense.

Key players: QB Drexler Jenkins (6-1, 185, Sr.), OT Kelsey Campbell (6-1, 250, Sr.)

Outlook: Terry is in his fourth season of starting the program at Stewart County after Stewart-Quitman school ceased to exist. He has gone from zero wins to one win to two wins in the first three years. With 13 starters returning including quarterback Drexler Jenkins, who passed for 1,814 yards and 16 TDs a year ago, this might be the year the Knights make a run at a playoff berth.

SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 at Chatt. County 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Thomasville 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 14 at Pacelli 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21 Randolph-Clay 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28 Baconton 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 at Seminole Co. 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 Mitchell County 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 at Miller County 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 at Terrell County 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 Calhoun County 7:30 p.m.

EUFAULA TIGERS

Head coach: Dan Klages, 100-49, 13 seasons at Eufaula and overall.

2011 Record: 10-2 (6-1).

2012 Region: AHSAA Class 5A Region 2.

Last playoff appearance: 2011, lost 51-14 to Hueytown in second round.

State titles: 1981.

Returning starters: 3 on offense and 3 on defense.

Key players: RB/LB Xavier Woodson (6-1, 205, Sr.), OG Richard Kelly (5-10, 305, Sr.); RB Thomas Ford (5-10, 180, Sr.); DE Lonnie Helton (6-3, 218, Sr,)

Outlook: Eufaula lost a lot of talent off last year's team, which advanced to the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs. But the Tigers don't rebuild, they reload and should make another run at a region title.

SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 at Abbeville 8 p.m.

Sept. 7 BTW 8 p.m.

Sept. 14 at Marbury 8 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Russell County 8 p.m.

Sept. 28 Enterprise 8 p.m.

Oct. 5 Valley 8 p.m.

Oct. 12 at Carroll-Ozark 8 p.m.

Oct. 19 Rehobeth 8 p.m.

Oct. 26 Ben Russell 8 p.m.

Nov. 2 at Charles Henderson 8 p.m.

-- Kevin Price, The Telegraph