Just as it did in the former Peach Blossom 3A Region a year ago, Friday night's game between Greer and Blue Ridge could determine the region champion and top seed from the conference heading into the Class 3A playoffs.
Blue Ridge (9-0, 6-0) travels to Greer (7-2, 5-1) to renew their annual rivalry, while Greenville (6-3, 5-1) hosts Eastside (3-6, 2-4).
According to Pickens High School Principal and Region Coordinator Marion Lawson, three championship scenarios – two simple and one more complex – are still in play. The three-team tiebreak is the secondary scenario because a point-evaluation system for the first tie-break would also leave the three teams tied at the top, Lawson said.
Here are the championship scenarios:
1. A Blue Ridge victory will complete a perfect regular season and the TIgers will win the Region II-3A title outright.
2. A Greer victory coupled by a Greenville loss would hand the Yellow Jackets the region championship because of the head-to-head victory over the Tigers.
3. If Greer and Greenville both win, a tiebreak as instituted by the region constitution naming the champion by virtue of fewest points allowed among the three teams involved in the tie. Greenville has given up 35 points in its games against Blue Ridge and Greer. Greer gave up 24 points to Greenville. Blue Ridge gave up 7 points to the Red Raiders.
So, Greer would need to defeat Blue Ridge, but would need to score no fewer than 28 points, while giving up no more than 10 in order to win the region title.
Blue Ridge could lose the game and still win the championship if the Tigers stay within 18 points of Greer and give up 28 or fewer points to the Yellow Jackets.
Greenville would win the championship with a Blue Ridge loss and if the TIgers score more than 10 points, while the Yellow Jackets score more than 28.
Meanwhile, Southside (4-5, 3-3) and Pickens (4-5, 3-3) meet at Pickens to determine fourth place and which team gets the region's final playoff spot.