When the Bowdon High School football team visits Bremen on Friday night, the two teams will be playing for the Region 6-A championship in the season finale as each comes in with a perfect 5-0 mark in region play.

And perhaps more important to both teams’ further aspirations, the game will also determine who the Red Devils (9-0, 5-0 Region 6-A) and Blue Devils (8-1, 5-0 Region 6-A) host in the first round of the state playoffs. Both have home-field in the first round locked up, as the winner of Friday’s contest will host Landmark Christian of Region 5 and the losing team will entertain Holy Innocents next week.

But with the intensity level expected Friday night in the perennial rivalry game, Bremen coach Ricky Tolleson said the postseason is essentially starting a week early for the pair of Region 6-A powers.

“Realistically this is the first round of the playoffs,” Tolleson said.

And Bowdon coach Dwight Hochstetler said the region championship being on the line just adds more fuel to a game that already means so much.

“You always want your rivalry game to mean something,” Hochstetler said. “And this just puts the icing on the cake.”

Tolleson is not sure if the timing of the game -- it is Game 10 for the third season in a row -- is helpful for either team as they head into the playoffs. Hochstetler expressed similar reservations because of all that goes into the rivalry and how that can take a lot out of a team before the playoffs.

But that kind of timing allows for a buildup of momentum towards the game among fans. It’s something Tolleson said can be seen simply by stopping in at the local coffee shop, grocery store or Wal-Mart.

“It’s great for the communities. It’s great for football in general,” Tolleson said. “I know our town’s excited.”

While Bowdon has returned to form this year after a pair of losing seasons, the Blue Devil coach suggested it was injuries rather than a lack of talent that contributed to those prior Red Devil struggles.

“They’ve been very, very healthy (this year),” Tolleson said. “And they’ve met the challenge every week.”

Hochstetler even said he has been amazed by how well his young team has performed.

“We’re shocked that we’re 9-0,” Hochstetler said. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the efforts that our kids have given.”

The Bowdon coach just hopes his players don’t end up putting so much emotion into this week that they are off-kilter heading into the playoffs.

“We don’t want to be on cloud nine or in the bottom of the pit (after the Bremen game),” Hochstetler said. “We want to try to be even stevens and learn from this game and go into next week.”

Don’t mistake that for some kind of playing down of this week’s game. While the Red Devils’ 21st-year head man doesn’t want his team to have a hangover effect from the game, he’s still just as excited as anyone about the consummate rivalry matchup this Friday. He knows it’s essential to come in ready for the battle that is sure to be a tough one.

“(Our players) know if we don’t show up ready to play, Bremen can embarrass us,” Hochstetler said.

And as the Region 6 No. 1 seed for the playoffs is on the line, Tolleson said the stakes of the game are no surprise for him.

“When Bowdon and Bremen play, it’s usually for something big,” Tolleson said.

Further down the line in Region 6-A, Darlington, Gordon Lee and Trion are poised to battle it out for the final two playoff spots out of 6-A. Darlington, which visits Trion this week, would clinch third in 6-A with a win. Meanwhile, Gordon Lee could clinch the fourth spot with a Darlington win. If the Trojans win, though, and the Bulldogs knock off the visiting Tigers, a three-way tie and a muddled playoff picture would emerge.

But around here, the most important game will take place at Bremen. Both teams will surely be ready for a game that fans have been awaiting all year, as both schools have moved into the top 10 in the state. They will be looking to guarantee themselves an additional home playoff game. But win or lose, both teams will still be in a good situation heading forward.

“It’s not a do-or-die situation,” Hochstetler said.