BY JOE JOHNSON

jjohnson@heraldsun.com; 419-6667

The Southern Spartans, champions of the PAC-6, are the highest-seeded area team with the top spot in the East side of the state 4-A football playoffs, which were announced Saturday by the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

The Spartans (10-1) host No. 16 East Wake (4-7) in the first round.

"The team worked real hard for this recognition," Southern coach Adrian Jones said. "We wanted to schedule some tough non-conference games so it would help us get to this point. We have a good team, and it definitely helped that we're in a strong conference. Our games with Person and Hillside were close and I think that helped everybody."

Hillside (8-3) earned the No. 6 seed in the 4-A bracket and will host No. 11 Purnell Swett (9-2). Person (6-5) earned the No. 9 seed and will travel to Raleigh Athens Drive (8-3), which got the No. 8 seed.

"It's pretty good to be a sixth seed," Hillside coach Antonio King said. "It gives us at least one home game. It shows how tough our conference was this year. You had to fight hard in every game."

Jordan will play in the 4-AA championship bracket. The Falcons (6-5) got the No. 13 seed and will travel to Southern Pines Pinecrest (9-2).

Orange and Chapel Hill will play for the 3-AA championship.

The Panthers (6-5) are the No. 7 seed and host No. 10 Pikeville C.B. Aycock (9-2). Chapel Hill (5-6) are No. 13 and will hit the road to face No. 4 seed West Brunswick (6-3).

Southern Vance (5-6) is the No. 13 seed in the 3-A bracket and will travel to No. 4 West Craven (9-2).

Northwood, Cedar Ridge and South Granville each were placed in the 2-AA bracket. The Red Wolves (7-4), who suffered a 6-0 double-overtime loss at home to Northwood on Friday, slipped to the No. 10 seed and will travel to No. 7 seed Jacksonville Northside (8-3).

Northwood (10-1) is the No. 5 seed and hosts No. 12 Northeastern (7-4). South Granville (8-3) is No. 4 and host No. 13 South Lenoir (7-4).

Carrboro (4-7) made the playoffs in the 2-A bracket at the No. 16 seed and will travel to top-seeded East Bladen (11-0) for the first round.