Believe it or not, we’re now in the ninth week of the high school football season. The playoffs begin three weeks from this Friday, and we’re now starting to get a feel for which area teams will be among those in the postseason.

But there’s still plenty to be determined between now and then.

This week we have some huge matchups. Some of them will potentially determine region championships. Others will determine which teams stay alive in the playoff hunt. Things will certainly come into sharper focus following Friday night.

Speaking of a sharper focus, yours truly posted his third undefeated mark of the season last week in picking area games. I went 6-0 to improve to 33-12 overall on the season. Not bad considering the dismal start I had at the beginning.

Can I pick perfectly for another week? Let’s see ‘What In The World Is Shannon Fagan Thinking?’

Gaylesville (3-3, 1-3) at Ragland (2-6, 2-3)

The Trojans should be coming into this one fairly healthy following a bye last week. Meanwhile, Ragland has been limping of late. The Purple Devils have lost four in a row, including last week’s 32-20 setback at Appalachian.

However, the Purple Devils are playing at home, and they haven’t lost to Gaylesville since a 6-0 decision back in 2010. I’ll go with the home team here.

The pick: Ragland.

Appalachian (4-3, 3-1) at Cedar Bluff (3-4, 1-3)

Cedar Bluff has had Appalachian’s number through the years on the football field. In their 19 meetings, the Eagles have won just three times.

Speaking of struggling, the Tigers have the past two weeks. They’ve been outscored 100-19 in losses at Spring Garden and at Woodville.

Appalachian still has an outside chance of winning Class 1A, Region 8, but the Eagles need to win out and have some help for that to happen. Here’s thinking they’ll continue to keep things interesting atop the region with a tough win over the Tigers.

The pick: Appalachian.

Piedmont (7-1, 5-0) at Vincent (2-5, 1-4)

Piedmont has already clinched another playoff berth, but still needs wins over Vincent and next week at Wellborn to win the Class 2A, Region 6 championship.

Knowing what’s at stake, I don’t expect the Bulldogs to look past the Yellow Jackets.

The pick: Piedmont.

Sand Rock (3-4, 2-3) at Pisgah (4-3, 4-1)

Since beginning the season at 0-2, the Eagles have won four of their last five. The lone loss during that stretch was at top-ranked Fyffe.

Sand Rock is coming off a drilling to the Red Devils and has lost three of its last four. Going to a tough environment like Pisgah isn’t the best way for the Wildcats to shake off their recent woes.

The pick: Pisgah.

Collinsville (6-1, 5-0) at Fyffe (7-0, 5-0)

Both teams have already secured playoff berths, and the winner of this one will take the region championship.

The Red Devils simply play at another level than most other teams. Discipline is the key. They’re not going to beat themselves.

In last week’s 54-0 victory at Sand Rock, Fyffe committed just one penalty, and that was in the game’s closing minute with reserves playing.

Collinsville has had several great teams over the past few years, but always seems to have Fyffe standing in its way from winning region championships. It’s the same thing again this year.

According to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society website, Collinsville’s last win over Fyffe came back on Sept. 9, 1983. That’s 26 straight meetings.

One would think that streak has to end at some point, and this is probably the best team Collinsville has had in recent years, but as I said earlier, Fyffe simply plays at another level.

The pick: Fyffe.

Good Hope (6-1, 5-0) at Cherokee County (4-3, 4-1)

This is a revenge game for the Warriors. Good Hope held on and won last year’s nail-biting first-round Class 4A state playoff battle 28-26 to advance to the second round. The Raiders eventually lost in the third round to Plainview 28-7.

Speaking of Plainview, that’s the Raiders’ only loss this season (31-24), and the Class 3A top-ranked Bears are undefeated (7-0).

Since that loss in their season opener, the Raiders have won six in a row, including last week’s 21-0 victory over Fairview.

In that game, Parker Johnson ran for 145 yards and a touchdown and Karson Hollis added two rushing scores.

The Warriors have a solid offensive combo themselves in quarterback Tatum Perry and running back Jayshawn Stroup, with the latter running for 208 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 49-14 win at Sardis.

Whichever defense slows the other’s down has the best shot to win this one. With two shutouts already this season, and only allowing six points to Sardis two weeks ago, I’ll give the edge to Good Hope to win a close battle in this week’s Foothills Tractor Mahindra Game of the Week.

The pick: Good Hope.