Well the first round games are history, and now is when a lot of folks expect the playoffs to really begin as 8 1AA teams from around the state had opening round BYES, and several of those teams should not expect to get an easy game when they begin the playoffs with their 2nd round opponents...Let's take a look at the matchups this coming friday...
1AA West
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Top Seeded Mount Airy who is unbeaten and champ of the NWC had an extra week this season to get over their heated rivalry victory over County and NWC foe East Surry, and will host suddenly improving Polk County(8-4) who rallied to beat 9th seeded North Rowan 30-22 on friday... The Wolverines reportedly made some changes to their offense after losing to Mitchell County a few weeks back, and played unbeaten 2A Mountain Heritage tough(42-31) a couple weeks ago on the road...QB Dillion Overholt and 1,000yd rusher Elijah Sutton are dangerous offensive weapons to contain, but the Bears have some weapons themselves in Sr. QB Ian Holder and talented Jr. Wr Donovan Greene who is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses....I expect a hard fought game, but depth was a problem for the Wolverines in some of their earlier losses this season, and I expect the Bears will exploit that in this matchup, and will prevail, and advance to the 3rd round...
Back midway thru the SMC season, Swain County took it on the chin from Cherokee, but have won 6 games in a row since that time, including the stunning 29-27 victory over Murphy a couple weeks back in Bryson City...Last friday, the Maroondevils hammered(42-14) Cherryville in the first round, and will next get to face another SPC opponent in Bessemer City(10-1) who had a BYE last week in the first round....It has been a season to remember for the Yellowjackets who set a school record earlier this season for consecutive wins to start the season, and claimed a piece of the SPC title with Thomas Jefferson....The Yellowjackets have many offensive weapons, but will mainly run the ball as do the Maroondevils which will make this an entertaining game to watch if you like hard-nosed dirt in your face football....Bessemer City will have the home folks backing them, and will have a week's rest, but this will be one of their toughest if not the toughest opponents that they've faced this season, and will challenge them in the field and in the Coaches booth....Expect a tough battle between these two teams on friday with turnovers likely playing a big role in the outcome....
2nd Seeded East Wilkes had a tough finish to a great season as the Cardinals lost to both Elkin and 2A Wilkes Central in their final 2 games, but still received a much needed BYE in the first round to refocus for their 2nd round tussle with East Surry who they beat(36-20) to open the 2017 season....Both Cardinal teams are tough hard nosed teams that are battle tested, and I expect a much tougher game in this second meeting between the two foes....The question is how healthy is East Wilkes and has their team confidence been shaken by what happened at the end of the season?....East Surry will certainly be motivated, and will look to eliminate mistakes, and will look to make changes in their game plan from the first meeting between the two teams back in August...Expect a down to the wire game this time around, and expect a Cardinal to emerge as the victor...
Back when the 1AA Western brackets were released, every body and their brother pointed to a possible 2nd round matchup in New London between YVC champ North Stanly and defending state 1A Champ Murphy as one of the best early matchups, and folks now have their wish as the Co-Champs of the SMC and the YVC Champs meet head-to-head this friday in a titantic clash between two talented teams...Will Murphy's defense be able to slow down RB Cameron Davis and the Comet offensive attack, and will the Comet defense be able to contain the stable of Bulldog RBs and dual threat Shrine Bowl QB Joey Curry?....Expect a standing room only crowd this friday for what portends to be one of the marquee matchups in the 1AA playoffs in the 2nd round....The winner will likely be the favorite to advance to the Western Final in a couple weeks...Get your popcorn early because this is going to be a show where you will not want to miss a play...
1A East
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For most folks around the state, the state 1AA Title is Tarboro's to lose....Afterall, the Vikings are no strangers to winning titles....It's just that they haven't won a 1AA title yet as Wallace Rose Hill and James Kenan were in their way the last 4 years in the East...Both of those teams are now in the 2A class, so many expect the Vikings to step to the podium next, and claim the Eastern 1AA's 6th straight title...The Vikings had a week to ponder that notion as they had one of the 4 Eastern BYEs last friday...This week, they will host a familiar foe as 8th seeded Riverside-Martin comes to town with hopes of scoring this time around as they were shutout(62-0) by the Vikings in their last conference meeting in Williamston...The Knghts prevailed in their first round matchup with Princeton by scoring a ton of points in the 70-51 victory, but will likely find it much tougher sledding this friday in Tarboro...
5th seeded West Montgomery's(10-2) first ever trip to the 1AA Eastern playoffs was a success as they shutout Rosewood 48-0, and I would be very surprised if the Warriors didn't advance past their 2nd round opponent 4th seeded Granville Central(5-6)...Jr. RB Damon Rhone has been tough for opposing defenses to stop all year, and I expect that to be the case again in this 2nd round matchup with the Panthers in Stem....The winner likely gets a 3rd round matchup with Tarboro...
In what should be a very entertaining 2nd round matchup Lakewood(10-2) will travel to face East Carteret(7-4) this coming friday in Beaufort...The Lakewood defense has been the Leopards calling card all year, and that was the case once again in the first round as they shutdown and shutout Pender County 34-0...The Mariners were the top 1A team from the split-class Coastal-Eight Conference won by 2A SW Onslow who also had a smothering defense this season, so it will be interesting to see how the BYE helped the Mariners prepare for this week's Leopard attack...
Most felt when John A. Holmes moved down from the 2A class this year, that it would be the Aces or the Vikings from Tarboro that would represent the 1AA East this year, and that appears to still be the case...Afterall, Holmes is only a year removed from playing in the 2A final last year against Reidsville... This year, the Aces only loss on the season was to their old former 2A conference foe Northeastern who is still unbeaten, and is still alive in the Eastern 2A playoffs....The Aces had a BYE this week in preparation for their 2nd round matchup with Albemarle Atheletic Confernce foe Manteo who beat AAC foe Gates County 35-13 in the first round on friday...Holmes will entertain Manteo for the 2nd time this season this week in the 2nd round after beating the Redskins 50-7 a couple weeks ago, so expect a similar result this week as well...
Well folks, that's how I see the 2nd round 1AA matchups, and welcome your comments and input as well....
Good luck to all the 1AA Playoff participants in the 2nd round!
1AA West
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Top Seeded Mount Airy who is unbeaten and champ of the NWC had an extra week this season to get over their heated rivalry victory over County and NWC foe East Surry, and will host suddenly improving Polk County(8-4) who rallied to beat 9th seeded North Rowan 30-22 on friday... The Wolverines reportedly made some changes to their offense after losing to Mitchell County a few weeks back, and played unbeaten 2A Mountain Heritage tough(42-31) a couple weeks ago on the road...QB Dillion Overholt and 1,000yd rusher Elijah Sutton are dangerous offensive weapons to contain, but the Bears have some weapons themselves in Sr. QB Ian Holder and talented Jr. Wr Donovan Greene who is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses....I expect a hard fought game, but depth was a problem for the Wolverines in some of their earlier losses this season, and I expect the Bears will exploit that in this matchup, and will prevail, and advance to the 3rd round...
Back midway thru the SMC season, Swain County took it on the chin from Cherokee, but have won 6 games in a row since that time, including the stunning 29-27 victory over Murphy a couple weeks back in Bryson City...Last friday, the Maroondevils hammered(42-14) Cherryville in the first round, and will next get to face another SPC opponent in Bessemer City(10-1) who had a BYE last week in the first round....It has been a season to remember for the Yellowjackets who set a school record earlier this season for consecutive wins to start the season, and claimed a piece of the SPC title with Thomas Jefferson....The Yellowjackets have many offensive weapons, but will mainly run the ball as do the Maroondevils which will make this an entertaining game to watch if you like hard-nosed dirt in your face football....Bessemer City will have the home folks backing them, and will have a week's rest, but this will be one of their toughest if not the toughest opponents that they've faced this season, and will challenge them in the field and in the Coaches booth....Expect a tough battle between these two teams on friday with turnovers likely playing a big role in the outcome....
2nd Seeded East Wilkes had a tough finish to a great season as the Cardinals lost to both Elkin and 2A Wilkes Central in their final 2 games, but still received a much needed BYE in the first round to refocus for their 2nd round tussle with East Surry who they beat(36-20) to open the 2017 season....Both Cardinal teams are tough hard nosed teams that are battle tested, and I expect a much tougher game in this second meeting between the two foes....The question is how healthy is East Wilkes and has their team confidence been shaken by what happened at the end of the season?....East Surry will certainly be motivated, and will look to eliminate mistakes, and will look to make changes in their game plan from the first meeting between the two teams back in August...Expect a down to the wire game this time around, and expect a Cardinal to emerge as the victor...
Back when the 1AA Western brackets were released, every body and their brother pointed to a possible 2nd round matchup in New London between YVC champ North Stanly and defending state 1A Champ Murphy as one of the best early matchups, and folks now have their wish as the Co-Champs of the SMC and the YVC Champs meet head-to-head this friday in a titantic clash between two talented teams...Will Murphy's defense be able to slow down RB Cameron Davis and the Comet offensive attack, and will the Comet defense be able to contain the stable of Bulldog RBs and dual threat Shrine Bowl QB Joey Curry?....Expect a standing room only crowd this friday for what portends to be one of the marquee matchups in the 1AA playoffs in the 2nd round....The winner will likely be the favorite to advance to the Western Final in a couple weeks...Get your popcorn early because this is going to be a show where you will not want to miss a play...
1A East
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For most folks around the state, the state 1AA Title is Tarboro's to lose....Afterall, the Vikings are no strangers to winning titles....It's just that they haven't won a 1AA title yet as Wallace Rose Hill and James Kenan were in their way the last 4 years in the East...Both of those teams are now in the 2A class, so many expect the Vikings to step to the podium next, and claim the Eastern 1AA's 6th straight title...The Vikings had a week to ponder that notion as they had one of the 4 Eastern BYEs last friday...This week, they will host a familiar foe as 8th seeded Riverside-Martin comes to town with hopes of scoring this time around as they were shutout(62-0) by the Vikings in their last conference meeting in Williamston...The Knghts prevailed in their first round matchup with Princeton by scoring a ton of points in the 70-51 victory, but will likely find it much tougher sledding this friday in Tarboro...
5th seeded West Montgomery's(10-2) first ever trip to the 1AA Eastern playoffs was a success as they shutout Rosewood 48-0, and I would be very surprised if the Warriors didn't advance past their 2nd round opponent 4th seeded Granville Central(5-6)...Jr. RB Damon Rhone has been tough for opposing defenses to stop all year, and I expect that to be the case again in this 2nd round matchup with the Panthers in Stem....The winner likely gets a 3rd round matchup with Tarboro...
In what should be a very entertaining 2nd round matchup Lakewood(10-2) will travel to face East Carteret(7-4) this coming friday in Beaufort...The Lakewood defense has been the Leopards calling card all year, and that was the case once again in the first round as they shutdown and shutout Pender County 34-0...The Mariners were the top 1A team from the split-class Coastal-Eight Conference won by 2A SW Onslow who also had a smothering defense this season, so it will be interesting to see how the BYE helped the Mariners prepare for this week's Leopard attack...
Most felt when John A. Holmes moved down from the 2A class this year, that it would be the Aces or the Vikings from Tarboro that would represent the 1AA East this year, and that appears to still be the case...Afterall, Holmes is only a year removed from playing in the 2A final last year against Reidsville... This year, the Aces only loss on the season was to their old former 2A conference foe Northeastern who is still unbeaten, and is still alive in the Eastern 2A playoffs....The Aces had a BYE this week in preparation for their 2nd round matchup with Albemarle Atheletic Confernce foe Manteo who beat AAC foe Gates County 35-13 in the first round on friday...Holmes will entertain Manteo for the 2nd time this season this week in the 2nd round after beating the Redskins 50-7 a couple weeks ago, so expect a similar result this week as well...
Well folks, that's how I see the 2nd round 1AA matchups, and welcome your comments and input as well....
Good luck to all the 1AA Playoff participants in the 2nd round!
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