High school football playoffs a mess to untangle

The final week of region play for Alabama High School Athletic Association tams has arrived, and there’s still plenty of playoff berths and playoff positions up for grabs within Wiregrass regions.

Ten AHSAA teams have clinched a playoff spot, but only three know their seed for the postseason.

Those already in the playoffs are Eufaula in Class 5A, Andalusia in Class 4A, Straughn, Pike County and Daleville in Class 3A and Elba, Houston Academy, Houston Academy, New Brockton and Goshen in Class 2A.

Of those, only Pike County, Daleville and New Brockton have a firm picture on their playoff situation.

Pike County clinched the top spot in Class 3A, Region 2, and Daleville has clinched No. 2 in the same region. Both will be at home in the first round of the playoffs.

New Brockton, in Class 2A, Region 2, has finished fourth and will have to play at Region 1 winner Leroy in the opening round.

The other seven teams are still jockeying for positions.

In addition, Wiregrass teams Dothan, Enterprise, Opp, Ashford, Wicksburg, Abbeville, Geneva, Headland, Geneva County, Providence Christian and Ariton are all still in battles for playoff spots.

In Class 6A, Dothan or Enterprise will make the playoffs, and both could if things land right.

Dothan must win this week over Northview to stay in contention. A loss and Dothan is eliminated.

If Dothan (3-3 in region) wins and Enterprise (3-3) loses to Russell County, the Tigers are in the playoffs and Enterprise out.

If Dothan and Enterprise win, but Opelika (4-2) upsets top-ranked Auburn, Dothan is out, losing a two-way head-to-head tiebreaker to Enterprise.

However, if Dothan and Enterprise win and Opelika loses, all three teams are tied for the final two spots (at 4-3) and it will eventually be decided by tiebreaker M in the AHSAA rulebook — the team whose defeated opponents have the most victories.

This tiebreaker wouldn’t be decided until the final week of regular-season play next week as those games count toward the tiebreaker.

In Class 5A, Eufaula has wrapped up a playoff spot but has to wait until Friday to find out what seed it will be. The Tigers can be no worse than third, but a win Friday against Charles Henderson will give them first or second depending on the outcome of the Tallassee-Valley game.

In Class 4A, Region 1, all four teams are decided with the order still up in the air. The four teams are Thomasville, UMS-Wright, Jackson and Andalusia.
Wiregrass representative Andalusia will on the road in the opening round either as a No. 3 or No. 4 seed depending on play this week.

Class 4A, Region 2 is a logjam with even a five-way tie still possible.

Opp can secure a spot with a win over Catholic. St. James and Alabama Christian also control their destiny.

Ashford can put itself into a tie for a playoff spot with a win over St. James. The race would then go to tiebreakers. The Yellow Jackets would be tied with at least two teams, maybe more, depending on other games Friday.

In Class 3A, Region 1, the four teams are all secured as T.R. Miller, Straughn, Luverne and Bayside Academy are in.

The order will be determined mostly by Friday’s Luverne-Straughn game. Straughn, with a win, would finish first. A loss and it would be second or third depending also on how Bayside does against Central Hayneville.

The 3A, Region 2 race has Pike County and Daleville secured at No. 1 and No. 2, but any one of five teams could land the final two positions.
The five are Wicksburg, Geneva, Abbeville, Headland and Slocomb.

Wicksburg and Geneva control their destiny, needing only to beat Daleville and Pike County, respectively.

However, if one or both lose, the scenarios are endless depending on how the Abbeville-Headland and Slocomb-Dale County games come out.

In 2A, Region 2, New Brockton is locked in at No. 4, but the top three spots are still undecided.

Elba can secure first with a win over Houston County, but if the Lions win, the race could end in a three-way tie if Houston Academy beats Barbour County. It would then go to a tiebreaker that won’t be decided until next week.

In Class 2A, Region 3, Wiregrass representative Goshen plays for second place Friday against St. Jude. The winner will be second and loser third.
In Class 1A, Region 2, Geneva County (4-2), Providence Christian (4-2) and Ariton (3-3) are in a battle with McKenzie (5-1) for the final three spots behind Brantley (6-0).

Four scenarios exist. If McKenzie beats Providence and Geneva County beats Ariton, McKenzie (6-1) is two, Geneva County (5-2) three and Providence Christian (4-3) fourth with Ariton (3-4) out.

If McKenzie and Ariton win, then McKenzie (6-1) is No. 2 and the other three teams tied at 4-3 with it going to next week’s tiebreakers.
If Providence beats McKenzie and Geneva County wins, McKenzie (5-2) wins second in tiebreakers and Geneva County (5-2, beat Providence) third and Providence fourth.

However, if Providence beats McKenzie and Artion beats Geneva County, then Providence (5-2, beat McKenzie) finishes second, McKenzie (5-2) is third and Ariton (4-3, beat Geneva County) fourth with Geneva County (4-3) out.