TIFTON — Now that the Tift County Blue Devils have clinched the No. 2 seed, their eyes will be north, waiting to see which Region 5 team will be coming down to Devil Diamond for the first round of the state.

It might be a long week ahead in that department.

Etowah, defending Class 6A state champion has clinched Region 5. The Eagles were 15-1 in the region (23-2) as of Saturday. They had two region games remaining, a Monday doubleheader at Cherokee. The two were to play Friday, but that series was rained out. And that means chaos for Cherokee.

Not only do the Warriors have to play the doubleheader, they still have three games to against North Paulding. This is the final week of the regular season. All must be played and the North Paulding series is an important one.

Walton, North Paulding and Cherokee are assured of state tournament berths. Cherokee has nine region wins to Marietta’s six, but Cherokee won the regular season series and even if Marietta swept Walton next week and the Warriors lost all five of their remaining region games, Cherokee cannot be caught.

Through Thursday, Walton is 11-4, North Paulding 10-5 and Cherokee 9-4 in the region. Cherokee has two with Etowah and three with North Paulding to go. Walton’s remaining series is against Marietta; North Paulding’s against Cherokee.

In case of tiebreakers, Walton won all three earlier this year over North Paulding and two of three from Cherokee. The Raiders seem to have the edge to be the No. 2 seed. Who Lowndes faces will quite possibly be the team who loses the Cherokee-North Paulding series.

Overall, North Paulding is 18-6 and Cherokee is 14-11.