By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
Hard to believe that we are at the end of October already, with the end of the 2018 regular season for high school football nearing its conclusion.
That means postseason for some Pine Belt teams is right around the corner. Several teams from the area are already in the playoffs or in good position to make the postseason in their respective classes, while others are just playing out the string.
Here is a look at how the respective races shape up with one week remaining in the regular season for teams in Class 4A, 3A and 2A, and two weeks to play in Class 6A, 5A and 1A.
Region 3-6A
Oak Grove (7-2, 4-1) has clinched a playoff berth in its region, qualifying after two consecutive seasons on the outside looking in. The Warriors are assured of at least a third-place finish in 3-6A, but they could still finish first or second with victories in their last two games and some help from others.
First order of business for OG is to beat Pearl (7-2, 5-0) at home this week and defeat Jim Hill next week in Jackson. A win over the Pirates would put the Warriors in line for a first or second place finish, depending on what Brandon (9-1, 5-0) does the last two weeks.
The Bulldogs, who defeated Oak Grove last week 31-21, finish with a home game against Jim Hill this week then close the season with a showdown at Pearl.
If the Warriors win out and Brandon beats the Pirates next week, Oak Grove would be the second seed and would host a first-round Class 6A playoff game.
The only way the Warriors get the top seed is if they win out and Brandon loses both of its remaining games.
If the top three teams finish in a three-way tie at 6-1 in the region, Oak Grove may seriously regret giving up that last-second touchdown on a botched kickoff return at the end of last week’s game, turning a three-point loss into a 10-point defeat.
Meanwhile, Petal, after struggling for much of the season against a brutal schedule, has started to get it together and the Panthers (3-6 overall) could be on track for the No. 4 spot in the region with a win this week at home against George County.
Both the Panthers and the Rebels are 2-3 in the region, so the team that wins out will get the fourth seed and a likely trip to Gulfport for the first round of the playoffs.
Petal finishes its regular season next Thursday at home against Terry (4-5, 1-4), while George County (3-7 overall) finishes at home against Meridian (3-6, 1-4).
Bottom line, Petal controls its own destiny. If the Panthers win their last two games, they’re in, and will head into postseason with the momentum of a four-game winning streak.
Region 4-5A
Hattiesburg took most of the remaining drama out of the playoff chase in its region last week with a 49-35 win over Picayune.
The undefeated Tigers (9-0, 5-0), ranked No. 1 in the state in both the Overall Top 10 and the Class 5A rankings according to Mississippi Gridiron, close the season with games at Long Beach and at home against West Harrison, the bottom two teams in 4-5A.
In the unlikely event that Hattiesburg loses both of those games, Picayune (6-3, 4-1) could still leapfrog the Tigers into the No. 1 spot in the region.
But the Maroon Tide face a tough clash at home this week against Gautier (6-3, 3-2), which could decide the second seed, before finishing the season at Pearl River Central (3-6, 2-3), which still has an outside shot at the fourth spot in the region.
This week, PRC entertains the Tomcats (3-5, 3-2), who can clinch a playoff spot with a win.
Region 7-4A
The four playoff teams are set, but the order is not, and there are five different scenarios on how the four teams could finish, depending on how this week’s regular-season finales play out.
For the second year in a row, Sumrall (8-2, 2-2) will be playing November football, and are at home this week against Greene County (7-3, 3-1). The other region contest with playoff bearing has Poplarville (8-1, 4-0) hosting Lawrence County (7-3, 3-1).
Sumrall could finish as the second seed in the region if Poplarville defeats Lawrence County and the Bobcats win Friday by 10 or more points. The Bobcats would finish third with a win by between three and nine points, or if they win and Lawrence County wins.
If Sumrall loses Friday, the Bobcats finish fourth, and the Bobcats would also finish fourth if they win by one or two points and Poplarville wins.
Sumrall lost to Lawrence County by seven points (28-21) and Greene County defeated the Cougars 41-20 last week, so the point differential in a three-way tie at 3-2 between the Bobcats, Lawrence County and Greene County would come into play, depending on Sumrall’s margin of victory over the Wildcats.
Purvis and Forrest County AHS have been eliminated from the playoffs, and their annual rivalry game this week at Brooklyn will simply be for pride and bragging rights.
Region 7-3A
Columbia (8-1, 4-0) and Seminary (7-3, 4-0) battle it out at Seminary for the top spot in this region, with the loser finishing second.
Jefferson Davis County (6-4, 2-2) has clinched the third spot, and West Marion (7-3, 1-3) travels to Tylertown (4-6, 1-3) in a clash for the fourth seed in the region, with the loser finishing out of the playoffs.
Region 8-2A
Collins (8-1, 3-0) has clinched the top seed and Richton (7-3, 3-1) has wrapped up the second spot in this region.
North Forrest (5-6, 1-2) hosts Perry Central (3-6, 1-2) this week with the winner getting the No. 3 seed and the loser finishing fourth.
Region 4-1A
The game of the week this week is at Lumberton, where the Panthers (8-1, 4-0) host Stringer (9-1, 4-0) with the region title on the line. The loser will still get a home playoff game in two weeks, as both teams have clinched at least a second-place finish in the region.
Lumberton finishes the regular season next week at Salem, while the Red Devils close it out at home against Sacred Heart.
Resurrection (6-3, 3-2) has this week off before traveling to East Marion (4-5, 2-2) next week to more than likely play for third place in the region, with the loser finishing fourth.
The Eagles are at Mount Olive (1-9, 1-4) this week, and the Pirates, who have an open date next week, could sneak into the playoffs with a win and a loss by EM to Resurrection, provided Sacred Heart doesn’t win out.
The Crusaders (1-8, 1-3) finish the season on the road against Salem and Stringer. If they can win both, and East Marion loses both of its last two games, Sacred Heart will get the No. 4 seed. It’s not likely, but miracles do occasionally happen.
District 1-AAAA
Presbyterian Christian (1-9, 0-3) avoided a winless season last week with a big victory over East Rankin, and that likely be what the Bobcats end up hanging their season on.
PCS has been eliminated from the playoffs and finish the regular season this week at home against undefeated Madison-Ridgeland, the overall No. 1 team in the Mississippi Gridiron Little 10 rankings.
