For Georgia’s high school softball teams with high expectations, region tournaments are about one thing.

“Survival,” sums up Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe coach Tony Ellis, whose senior-laden lineup is experienced in postseason play. “I just want to get to the next tournament. It would be nice to win the region championship — don’t get me wrong — but as long as we advance, I’ll be happy.”

LFO and the rest of suddenly loaded Region 6-AAA begin play today at Cartersville’s Dellinger Park, where only four teams will move on to the sectional round. With five teams from the region ranked in the coaches’ state top 10, at least one strong team will be left out.

“This region is insane,” said Ridgeland coach Scott Harden, whose 21-8 seniorless-team is the north sub-region’s third seed. “No one would be surprised if we have all four teams advance from the north side. Top to bottom it’s tough. Everyone knows about Ringgold and LFO, but no one wants to play LaFayette, and Heritage has surprised everyone this year.

“Look at Southeast (13-12, north sixth seed). They’ve beaten the heck out of everybody else they’ve played outside the region.”

By winning the regular-season titles, second-ranked Ringgold (21-8) and eighth-ranked Central of Carrollton (20-7) earned byes until Monday’s second round and need to win just one game to earn a sectional berth.

“It does take some of the pressure off of them having to win just one game,” Ringgold coach Vince Phillips said. “But the girls would like to win the region. It’s more of a pride thing now because the ultimate priority is to make the top four.”

n Region 7-AAAA at Twin Creeks Park in Woodstock: The top seeds from the north and south sub-regions are Sequoyah (19-7) and Allatoona (15-13), respectively, but the hottest two teams come from Whitfield County.

North second seed Northwest Whitfield is just 15-11-1 on the season, but the Lady Bruins have won 13 consecutive games. Dalton (15-9) won 13 of its final 14 games to earn the north’s No. 3 seed, and after a year’s absence, Bob Brotherton’s squad also is prepared for a long postseason run.

n Region 7-AA at Hamilton Crossing Park in Cartersville: Though this region is subdivided, coaches elected to seed teams from one through 10, with the top two seeds earning byes until Monday’s second round. That’s good news for top seed Calhoun, which at 25-3 and ranked second in the state has had little trouble with region foes. The Lady Yellow Jackets, who narrowly missed making the sectional field last year, are hoping to make their first trip to Columbus and the final eight this time around.

A quartet of potential all-state players power Calhoun: pitcher Maddie Monroe, infielders Christine Olney and Bre Johnson and catcher Karavin Dew.

n Region 6-A at Alto Park in Rome: Another team with state-title hopes, Gordon Lee, is primed to win another region title. The Lady Trojans, 26-5 and second-ranked, breezed through their region slate and defeated several high-ranked bigger teams during the regular season.

Coach Dana Mull’s team receives a bye until Monday night’s second round and is riding a 22-game winning streak. Unlike the other three tournaments, the 6-A event does not start until Monday.

All conclude with finals Thursday.

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