The date at the top of this newspaper may have changed, but the story remains the same in Region 1-AA again this season.

Just after finishing off Palmetto two weeks ago, Pendleton coach Paul Sutherland noted the importance of winning the region over staying unbeaten in the regular season.

“We’re concerned with winning Region 1-AA, and we know right where that road goes through,” he said.

Sutherland didn’t need to say the team, everyone already knew, it was Abbeville.

With combined records of 9-1, Abbeville and Pendleton are again expected to play an unofficial region championship game on Oct. 17 at Abbeville. That was the sentiment this summer, and five non-region games only cemented those thoughts.

PRE-REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR

While Pendleton seniors Tye Burke, C.J. Gleaton, Harold Robinson and John Michael Gibson have all had their share of standout performances this season, Abbeville’s bruising junior fullback Dureal Elmore has been the most valuable player so far with an area-high 722 yards. Take Elmore out of the Panthers’ backfield and opponents can zero in on the speed option game of quarterback Jimmy Thackson and tailback Jeffrey Ford.

PRE-REGION COACH OF THE YEAR

It’s a toss up between Abbeville’s Jamie Nickles and Sutherland. Nickles has coached the Panthers to 27 straight regular season wins, and weathered the non-region storm of replacing talented linebackers Damarque Paul and Toquavius Gilchrist. But let’s give it to Sutherland for going 4-1 against an upgraded schedule, and helping his Bulldogs to four wins despite averaging nearly three turnovers per game, and a minus-7 turnover margin.

TALKING TITLE

Besides the two heavyweights, none of the other teams have asserted themselves as potential upset candidates when P-town and A-town are on the schedule. So barring a devastating injury, or penalty/turnover meltdown, the winner of the Oct. 17 marquee game will wear the crown for the seventh straight season.

BEST OF THE REST

In the preseason, Walhalla vowed to run the ball and stop the run better than it had in recent memory. At 2-3, the Razorbacks have had mixed success with that. They’ve developed senior Meeshon Thompson and junior John Sharpe as versatile threats out of the backfield. But they’ve also given up 43 and 33 points to Pickens and West-Oak. For the second straight season, they’ll likely have an early first-place showdown with Abbeville at home next week. This time, can they close the deal?

Emerald, which was an unknown in the preseason as the region’s newest member, has struggled to 1-4 against a top-notch schedule. Liberty, which has won two of its last three, and Crescent, which has battled a long list of injuries, are both 2-3 and likely fighting with Emerald for the final playoff spot.