Playoff implications on the line in week 11 of the high school football season. Players and games to watch.

FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH

Xzavior Bowden, Goldsboro: Bowden is breakout star for the Cougars. He ran for just 621 yards last year but has 1,584 already this year with 18 touchdowns. While going against powerhouses East Duplin, Clinton and Wallace-Rose Hill in three consecutive weeks, he still averaged 151 yards per game.

Ben Miller, Jordan: The junior quarterback has broken a school record with 2,197 passing yards this year for 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 54.4 percent of his throws.

Paul Robinson, Green Hope: The senior linebacker leads the state with 150 tackles (99 solo), which averages to 16.7 per game. He also has three rushing touchdowns, three sacks, seven tackles for loss and a blocked field goal.

Nadir Thompson, Southern Nash: The Virginia Tech recruit is in his third week back after missing five games due to injury. A state indoor track champion, Thompson is projected to play cornerback in college.

GAMES TO WATCH

Apex (3-6, 1-2) at No. 21 Garner (5-4, 3-0): This game’s on here for one reason: it’s the unofficial WCPSS Construction Bowl. Apex is in its first year at the campus of Green Level High while its old school is being reconstructed, and Garner is in its last year at South Garner while the same happens to it. There’s something unusual about having two displaced schools playing each other.

Eastern Wayne (4-4, 1-3) at J.H. Rose (3-6, 2-2): This game may not strike you as important, but the winner will sneak into the playoffs as the 2-seed from the 3A side of the Eastern Carolina 3A/4A. The loser likely stays home.

No. 10 Green Hope (7-2, 3-0) at No. 22 Jordan (5-4, 3-0): Either way, a team called the Falcons will win the Triangle 6 4A. Jordan last won a conference title in 2006, while Green Hope’s most recent one was 2014.

Princeton (6-3, 2-1) at Lakewood (7-2, 2-1): To the winner goes a first-round home game in likely the 1AA playoffs, by virtue of earning the Carolina 1A’s 2-seed.

Hillside (3-5, 2-2) at No. 15 Northwood (7-2, 4-0): Now the Big Eight 3A frontrunner, Northwood’s basically in the playoffs already with back-to-back must-wins to end the regular season. The Chargers last won a conference title in 2010, when it was 2A.

South View (7-2, 4-2) at No. 25 Overhills (6-3, 3-3): If the Jaguars win out, they’ll take the 1-seed from the 4A part of the Patriot Athletic 3A/4A. But South View won’t be easy to take down.

Ayden-Grifton (6-3, 3-1) at West Craven (5-4, 4-0): Here’s the Eastern Carolina 2A championship. Both teams are defending champs from different conferences before this year’s realignment.

AREA GAMES

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Playoff implications on the line in week 11 of the high school football season. Players and games to watch.."