Looking over the recent Brackets in the 1A playoffs, there's some interesting first round matchups:
Of the 32 playoff teams, only 14 teams have a winning-record with 3 teams at .500, meaning 15 teams enter the playoffs with a losing-record....No reason to discuss this since it's been hashed out so many times before, but it's not a good look for the NCHSAA when basically half the teams that qualify, have losing records...
Anyway, here's some interesting statewide 1A Playoff Matchups:
East
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There's 3 first round matchups that have some intrigue to me personally:
#11 seed North Edgecombe traveling to 6-seed Pamlico County...Both teams enter the game with identical 5-5 overall records, and don't know for sure whether these two teams have played before in the playoffs or not?...
#8 seed Kestrel Heights playing a first-round playoff game at home in spite of not playing in a football conference with other 1A schools, should be concerning for 1A schools moving-forward IMO?.... #9 seed Columbia who seems to be having one of their better seasons will be the visitor for Kestrel Heights in this playoff matchup......Who wins this matchup, and what is your feeling about the NCHSAA letting a team into the 1A Football Playoffs and giving them a home playoff game, even though that team didn't play ANY Conference Football Games?
#5 Seed Manteo hosting #12 Jones Sr. is a game that seems to be a tossup too me, but how about you?
Overall, Top-Seeded Plymouth once again seems to be the heavy favorite to return to the Title game for the 4th straight season, but think that #4 Seed South Creek might just give the Vikings a tussle in the 3rd round?....#2 Southside looks to be the favorite to meet Plymouth in the Eastern Final....
West
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Right at the Top of the list of must-see first round matchups is #13 Seed Albemarle traveling to face #4 Seed Thomas Jefferson....The Bulldogs might have been a little down this year, but they are in a perfect situation to make some real noise in the playoffs...Better watch out for Albemarle in the top-half of the Bracket?
#7 Mountain Island Charter and #10 WS Prep will meet this coming friday for the first time ever, and it will also be the first time that either team has played a playoff game in school history?....Who has the edge?....It's hard too tell from the outside looking-in, but it is an intriguing matchup between the Phoenix and the Raptors?....
Which SMC school will get the first shot at the Top Seed Community School of Davidson in the 2nd round?....Will it be a rested #8 Seed Andrews who had the week off last week with their last win at home, coming 3 weeks ago against #9 Seed Cherokee who will be their opponent in the first round?
#6 Rosman will entertain the #11 Alleghany Trojans for the first time in the first round....The two teams met once before back in 1993 in the first round in Sparta with the Tigers winning that first-ever matchup 31-13...A Tiger win would likely setup a 2nd round playoff matchup at #3 Murphy who will be a heavy favorite in the first round against #14 Bishop McGuinness, and the Bulldogs just beat the Tigers 21-6 on friday in Murphy to end the Regular Season....
Overall, A Robbinsville/Plymouth rematch in the 1A Final looks like a REAL possibility heading into the playoffs...Be interesting to see if that matchup happens, or whether some team from the East or West surprises the Championship Favorites?
On a personal note: Look forward to watching the Tigers this friday in Rosman against the Alleghany Trojans...
Comments and Opinions welcomed!
Roar Tigers Roar!