jjohnson@heraldsun.com; 419-6667
The PAC-6 playoff picture will become clearer as teams continue to jockey for position in the standings with three games tonight.
Southern (8-1, 4-0), which sits atop the conference, has gotten through the most difficult portion of its league slate -- but danger still lurks, according to Spartans coach Adrian Jones.
"We can't let up," said Jones, whose team plays host to East Chapel Hill. "They won and they're going to be on an emotional high."
East Chapel Hill (1-7, 1-2) broke a 24-game losing streak after beating Northern last week thanks to a 50-yard field goal with 25 seconds left. Wildcats coach Darien Harris said he hopes the good feeling of winning will carry over against Southern.
"We have a tall task but we've been getting better as the season has gone along," Harris said.
If the Wildcats are to pull off the upset, they will have to play a mistake-free game and keep Southern's explosive offense off the field. The Spartans, with a victory, will clinch no less than a tie for the PAC-6 title.
The inside track to second place in the PAC-6 will be on the line as Riverside (4-4, 2-1) travels to Hillside (5-3 ,2-1).
The Hornets have won two straight league games since dropping their opener to the Spartans. Hillside dispatched Jordan last week and is getting ready to take on the remaining one-loss team in the conference.
Riverside coach Todd Spell said he and his team know the importance of this game when it comes to the standings and playoff assignments.
The Pirates certainly don't want to drop another game after being dominated by Southern in their last outing.
"When we have the opportunity to score, we have to score," Spell said. "Hillside doesn't have many weaknesses, especially on defense. We've got to be better than we were last week."
Jordan (5-4, 2-2) travels to Person (3-5, 1-2) in a game that pits teams looking to bounce back from losses. The Falcons were beaten by Hillside, while Person has had a week off since also losing to Hornets.
Person coach Don Donevan said his team has used the extra time to get back healthy and his lineup should be at full strength.
The Carolina 6 3-A race also is shaping up and Orange (5-3, 2-0) will have a chance to stay at the top of the league when it travel to Southern Vance (3-5, 0-2). The Panthers are coming off against a strong performance against Oxford Webb.
Chapel Hill (3-5, 1-1) will visit Oxford Webb (3-5, 1-1) in a matchup of teams with identical records.
"It's a big game for both teams," Chapel Hill coach Issac Marsh said. "The winner will get closer to making the playoffs and the loser will have some more work to do. I don't look at it as a must-win game but winning it will help us reach the playoffs."
Another battle of Orange County will take place when Cedar Ridge (6-2, 1-0) hosts Carrboro (3-5, 0-2) in a Carolina 9 1-A/2-A matchup.
The Red Wolves took care of business last week against winless and struggling Granville Central, while Carrboro found itself in a track meet with Northwood before losing as Charger running back Shannon Peppers scored seven touchdown and rushed for 414 yards.
Cedar Ridge coach Lou Geary said he is wary of Carrboro's passing game, led by quarterback Derek Bryant. But Carrboro coach Jason Tudryn said he is concerned about Cedar Ridge's power running game and his team's poor tackling against Northwood re-emerging.
A Cedar Ridge victory keeps the Red Wolves in the conference race, while a Carrboro win would help the Jaguars inch closer to their first state playoffs berth.
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