By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

No team has given the Troup Tigers more trouble of late than the Shaw Raiders.

Troup hasn’t beaten Shaw this decade, and that includes some heart-breaking setbacks.

A year ago, Shaw scored on a two-point conversion to win 8-7 in overtime.

This looks like the year for Troup to turn the tables on its rival from Columbus, though.

It’s been a miserable season for the Raiders, who not only are sitting at 1-6, but underwent a coaching change when Scott Newman resigned the day after a tough loss to Northside.

Friday night at Kinnett Stadium, Troup will try to keep Shaw reeling when the two teams clash in a Region 2-AAA game.

Troup (4-3 overall, 2-1 in region play ) was off last week while Shaw (1-6, 1-3) was thumped by Carver 41-0.

Troup needs to beat Shaw this week and Kendrick the following week to secure a playoff spot and possibly set up a showdown for La-Grange on Nov. 6 for homefield advantage in the state playoffs.

Also this week, LaGrange (6-1, 3-0) will go for its seventh straight victory when it hosts Region 2-AAA foe Columbus Friday night.

It will be the Grangers’ homecoming.

It doesn’t figure to be much of a test against a Columbus team that has struggled.

The Blue Devils (1-6, 1-3) went the first six weeks without a victory before beating Kendrick 31-12 last week.

LaGrange, meanwhile, has had things on cruise control since losing to Newnan 26-15 in the season opener.

Things get a lot more difficult for the Grangers after this week.

LaGrange visits Carver on Oct. 30 before facing Troup.

The Carver game, which will be played at Memorial Stadium, figures to be a showdown between the two remaining unbeaten teams in the region.

Carver plays struggling Kendrick this week.

In Region 5-AA, the Callaway Cavaliers return from their off week to host Crawford County Thursday at Callaway Stadium.

The Cavs went into their week off riding a hot streak.

After losing their first two games, the Cavaliers have won five straight in Region 5-AA, all in blowout fashion.

In their last game, the Cavaliers (5-2 overall, 5-0 in region play) blanked the Lamar County Trojans 44-0 in a matchup of previously unbeaten teams in the region.

This week’s game doesn’t figure to offer much of a test for Callaway.

Crawford County is 2-6, although it had won two in a row before losing to Lamar County 28-7 last week.

Callaway is trying to win its second straight region title.

In private-school football, the Lafayette Christian School Cougars will wrap up their regular season Friday night at Cross Pointe Christian Academy in Williamson.

Dawson Street Christian School will play its third straight road game when it visits Sherwood Christian in Albany.