MOULTRIE — This week’s Region 1-AAAAA schedule gets a head start when Tift County travels north to meet Northside at 7:30 tonight at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.

With three teams sharing the stadium, it has been necessary for three Saturday games and the one Thursday game to be scheduled.

Warner Robins met Beach on Saturday, Sept. 13, and played Coffee on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Houston County will play host to Colquitt County on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Tonight’s game is important for both the Eagles and Blue Devils, who are tied for second in the Region 1-AAAAA standings with Coffee at 3-1.

Coffee will play at Valdosta as part of the three-game Friday schedule that also includes Colquitt County at Warner Robins and Houston County at Lowndes.

Northside and Tift County should be well-rested and they prepare for a game that could clinch a playoff berth.

Both teams were off last week and are coming off victories in their Oct. 10 games.

Northside edged Coffee 17-14 in Douglas and Tift County defeated Colquitt County 37-20 in Tifton.

The Eagles are ranked No. 5 in The Associated Press Class AAAAA poll and are No. 4 in The Georgia Football magazine all-classification poll.

Northside’s lone loss came at Lowndes by a 24-7 score on October 3.

Tift County has lost twice, losing to Lowndes in the region and, in surprising outcome back on Sept. 5, falling to Class AA Brooks County.

The Blue Devils are averaging 317.1 yards of offense in all their games and 341.3 in region games.

With his 160 yards passing in the victory over Colquitt County, Malcolm Dixon became the fourth straight Tift County quarterback to throw for more than 1,000 yards.

In 2005, Scott Shuman passed for 1,119 yards and the next season Sean Baxley passed for 1,939 yards. Last year, Nick Prostko threw for 1,378 yards.

Dixon has 1,003 yards passing, second in the region to the 1,436 owned by Colquitt County’s John Michael Harrison.

But yards and points are likely to hard to come by against a Northside defense that features likely All-State performers in defensive tackle Abry Jones and linebacker Eric Fields.

The Eagles have allowed just 84 points in seven games. Three of those games were against defending state champions.

Northside has been able to move the football much of the season as well and features Region 1-AAAAA’s leading rusher Xavier Bacon, who has 868 yards and 10 touchdowns to his credit.

Valdosta hopes to bolster its dwindling playoff hopes when it plays host to Coffee on Friday.

The Wildcats are 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the region and have lost three of their last four games.

Another loss could end Valdosta’s bid for a return to the postseason.

Coffee is coming off its first loss of the season, a 17-14 defeat at the hands of Northside in a game marked by Trojan turnovers.

The Trojans lost two fumbles and quarterback L’Shaun Smith threw two interceptions.

Coffee also missed two 34-yard field goals, gave up a kick return for touchdown and had a kick blocked.

Houston County has three more shots at its first region victory of the season, but it would be a monumental upset if it came on Friday.

The Bears, 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the region, will travel to Martin Stadium to meet unbeaten and top-ranked Lowndes.

The 7-0 Vikings are coming off a 14-7 victory over crosstown rival Valdosta and could be looking ahead to the Halloween night meeting with Coffee in Douglas.

Warner Robins, 2-2 in the region, still has a shot at claiming a playoff berth and can help itself by knocking off visiting Colquitt County on Friday.

The Demons played last Friday and rushed to a 24-7 victory over Houston County.

Colquitt County, 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the region, will be out to end a four-game losing streak.