jjohnson@heraldsun.com; 419-6667
Nine area teams got enough wins during the past 12 weeks to qualify for the state playoffs, which should begin tonight for most teams despite all the rain.
Southern and Orange already postponed their home games until Saturday night. The other seven games still were scheduled to be played tonight.
Southern (10-1), which won the PAC-6, will host East Wake (4-7), which lost three of its last four games, on Saturday night at 7:30. Orange (6-5) will play its game in the 3-A playoffs at home on Saturday night at 7 against Pikeville Aycock (9-2).
Southern, led by quarterback Alan Lea and a strong defense, earned the top seed in the 4-A playoffs.
"We hope to get some sunshine on the field because it's been under water," said Southern coach Adrian Jones. "We're playing a team that has a record that doesn't show how good they are. So we are going to have to come out and play physical."
Southern did not play last Friday but the week off shouldn't affect the Spartans, Jones said.
"If anything, they'll be even more excited to play," Jones said. "We practiced just like it was a regular week and we've been preaching that penalties can come back to haunt you in the playoffs."
Hillside (8-3) enters the 4-A playoffs on a five-game winning streak since losing back-to-back games and will host Purnell Swett (9-2). Since losing to Southern 12-7, the Hornets have allowed only 10 points over their last five games, which includes three shutouts.
Person (6-5) won its last three games and will host Raleigh Athens Drive (8-3) in the other 4-A game.
Jordan (6-5) will play in the 4-AA bracket for the largest schools in the state. The Falcons made the playoffs after holding off Riverside in their regular-season finale. Jordan, which broke a three-game losing streak, will travel to Southern Pines Pinecrest (9-2).
Playing road games has become habit for Chapel Hill (5-6) late in the season. The Tigers, who are in the 3-A bracket, will play at West Brunswick (6-3). It marks the fourth time in the last five games Chapel Hill has been the visiting team.
Cedar Ridge (7-4) is another team that will have a long trip for its first-round game in the 2-AA playoffs. The Red Wolves, who go into the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, will play at Jacksonville Northside (8-3), which is on a five-game winning streak.
"We're looking forward to another game," Cedar Ridge coach Lou Geary said. "We've had two losses that could have gone the other way, but I think we'll bounce back because of our defense. They've really been holding us in and I think we'll match up well with Northside."
Northwood (10-1) will be at home against Elizabeth City Northeastern (7-4), also in the 2-AA bracket, while South Granville (8-4) has moved its game against South Lenoir to Oxford Webb tonight at 7:30 because of field conditions. The winners of those two games will meet in the second round next week.
Carrboro (4-7) earned its first playoff berth in school history and will travel to top-seeded East Bladen (10-1) in the 2-A bracket.
"Our kids are excited to be in the playoffs for the first time," Carrboro coach Jason Tudryn said. "Everybody in the school is behind us. We're ready to play and we have nothing to lose."
