Playoff projections present interesting scenarios

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 8, 2013 1:48 PM

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"The day" is almost here and the speculation will end.

A majority of the automatic qualifiers and at-large recipients have been determined for the N.C. High School Athletic Association football playoffs, which kick off in one week.

The Association will reveal the seedings and first-round opponents some time Saturday afternoon.

Social media has been abuzz the past two weeks with postseason projections involving all four classifications statewide. Eight of 11 teams in the News-Argus readership area have expanded their respective seasons at least one week.

Here's a sneak peek:

It's no surprise James Kenan is the No. 1 seed in the Mideast 1-AA (large-school) pod. The Tigers are projected to play Hobbton in the opening round. In that same pod, Princeton is the No. 5 seed and home against Union, while Rosewood is slated to visit perennial power Wallace-Rose Hill.

Spring Creek returns to the postseason for the first time since 2006. The Gators are a projected 14th seed in the East pod that includes includes Tarboro, which won four straight 2-A state titles from 2008-11 and was state runner-up a year ago.

Initial projections placed North Duplin in the Midwest 1-A Region (small-school) pod, but updated seedings indicate the Rebels could receive either 10th or 11th seed in the Mideast Region. Their opening-round opponent might be either North Edgecombe or Southeast Halifax.

Now for 2-A.

Goldsboro could get seeded anywhere from 10th to 12th in the East. The Cougars' first-round opponent may be either Southwest Onslow, Wilson Beddingfield or Graham depending on the outcome of tonight's games.

County rivals Eastern Wayne and Charles B. Aycock are slated to square off in the opening round of the 3-A East. The Warriors are a projected No. 2 seed, while the Golden Falcons are 15th.