By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

A winning road trip has the LaGrange Grangers in prime position to snare a playoff spot.

LaGrange secured road wins over Chapel Hill and Cedartown last week to improve to 5-2 in Region 5-AAAA, and it sits alone in third place with a two-game lead over the fourth-place team.

The region’s top four teams will make the state playoffs, and the first and second-place teams will host a first-round series.

The Grangers faced a challenging non-region schedule, and they struggled.

After losing to McIntosh on March 10, LaGrange was 2-12 overall, but it had yet to begin the all-important region schedule.

Starting with a 1-0 victory over Cedartown on March 13, LaGrange has won five of its past seven games to climb near the top of the region standings.

While the Grangers had their difficulties early in the season, head coach David Smart felt those games served as solid preparation for the region schedule.

“We talked a lot about that, and how it’s the pre-region schedule, and how it prepares you,” LaGrange Smart said. “Hopefully we garnered a lot of lessons from that. I think we’re better for it. We played some really good teams, and we beat some really good teams. So everything situates you for right now.”

Right now, the Grangers are a near-lock to make the playoffs one year after making it all the way to the state semifinals.

LaGrange’s only two region losses came on the road against Cartersville and Troup, the region’s top two teams.

LaGrange has five region games remaining as it looks to sew up a playoff spot.

LaGrange plays three non-region games this week before returning to region competition on Monday with a home game against Troup.

Troup, meanwhile, has already wrapped up a playoff spot, and it is in position to compete for a third straight region championship.

Troup is 7-1 in the region, with its lone loss coming at home to Cartersville.

Central-Carroll is in fourth place at 4-4, Cedartown is in fifth place at 2-6, and Sandy Creek and Chapel Hill are both 1-7.

LaGrange and Troup both play three games this week, all against non-region competition.

LaGrange is on the road against Greenbrier today and it will host Starr’s Mill today.

LaGrange finishes the week with a game at Starr’s Mill on Friday.

Troup hosts Harris County on Wednesday, Shaw on Thursday, and Mount Paran on Friday.

REGION STANDINGS

Overall record first, followed by region record

Cartersville          18-5, 7-0

Troup                     15-5, 7-1

LaGrange              7-16, 5-2

Central                  12-9, 4-4

Cedartown            8-12, 2-6

Sandy Creek          7-11, 1-7

Chapel Hill             9-14, 1-7