Playoff preview: Five area teams enter the playoffs as No. 2 seeds. How far will they go?

Last year RCHS earned the No. 2 seed in its region and then proceeded to advance all the way to the state finals, where they took a hard-fought loss to Hillcrest Evergreen and finished as class 3A’s state runner up.

This year the Tigers, and four other area teams, will try to follow that same formula as all five playoff teams enter the postseason as No. 2 seeds from their respective regions and will begin the playoffs at home this Friday.

But the playoffs, in their cold, cruel fashion, always let us know that not all No. 2 seeds are created equal. So let’s take a look at each team, who they play in the first round and how their brackets set up for a potential deep playoff run.

Region 2, No. 3 Brantley (7-3) at Region 4, No. 2 Wadley (7-2)

Wadley and Brantley have played once in their history, a 21-20 Wadley victory in the second round of the 2007 playoffs. Incidentally, that game was the last playoff victory for Wadley for eight years until the 2015 team reached the third round under former head coach Ken Fordham.

Bracket outlook: The 1A South just might be the most competitive, up-for-grabs bracket in the state. Of the eight 1A South teams playing at home in the first round Friday, Wadley is the only one not ranked in the ASWA top 10. To illustrate just how deep that half of the bracket is, consider that the two teams that have combined to win the last four 1A state championships–Maplesville and Sweet Water–are playing in the first round. Wadley should have little trouble getting out of round one for the fourth straight year, but after that every week will be a test. Wadley’s potential path to the state finals after round one could be No. 4 St. Luke’s, No. 2 Linden, and No. 1 Lanett.

Analysis: There’s just too many good teams in the south. I know one of them has to emerge, and Wadley is as capable as any of them. But it might be too much to ask this team to win three straight games against top-four opponents.

Region 8, No. 3 North Sand Mountain (8-2) at Region 6, No. 2 Ranburne (8-2)

North Sand Mountain is making its fourth straight playoff appearance, the longest stretch of consecutive playoff appearances in school history. The school has won just three playoff games in its history and has never advanced beyond the second round.

This game won’t be a gimme for Ranburne as the Bison took Collinsville to overtime before losing that game, and they scored the most points that Fyffe has given up all year in a 42-26 loss to the top-ranked Red Devils.

Bracket outlook: The two big dogs in the bracket—Fyffe and Ohatchee—are on the opposite side of the bracket from Ranburne, so the Bulldogs won’t see either of those teams until the state semifinals if they get that far. Ranburne’s side is manageable, so if the Bulldogs get hot they have as much chance as anyone to emerge and reach the final four.

Analysis: I can see Ranburne winning three playoff games, and once you get to the state semifinals anything can happen (just ask RCHS.) But beating Ohatchee or Fyffe in the semis seems like a long shot.

Region 8, No. 3 Lauderdale County (4-6) at Region 6, No. 2 RCHS (9-1)

RCHS has the unusual distinction of being ranked No. 1 in the state without even being the No. 1 team in its region. That shouldn’t make much of a difference this week as RCHS’s recent track record of first-round success will attest.

RCHS is making its fifth straight playoff appearance, and in each of the previous four years the Tigers have won their first-round playoff game by an average score of 46-7.

Another good sign? The Tigers are at home where they are currently riding a 6-game postseason winning streak.

Bracket outlook: RCHS should be fine in the first two rounds. If the Tigers win this week they’ll be on the road, probably at Geraldine, in round two. After that we’ll find out real quickly if this year’s RCHS team has what it takes to reach the state finals for the second straight year.

Fultondale gave RCHS all it could handle in round two last year, and the Wildcats will most likely be the Tigers’ round three opponent should they make it that far. Survive that and there’s the very real possibility of another state semifinal rematch with Piedmont. It’s also very likely that RCHS’s first-round game will be its only home playoff game this year. That’s an added degree of difficulty in an already tough bracket.

Analysis: That potential Fultondale-Piedmont double dip in rounds three and four is a major hurdle, but if any team has the talent to clear that hurdle it’s RCHS.

Region 2, No. 3 Trinity (4-6) at Region 4, No. 2 Handley (5-5)

Handley gets a decent first-round draw with a winnable game at home against Trinity. And then…. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but if Handley wins its first-round playoff game against Trinity the Tigers’ second round game will be against (drum roll) UMS-Wright! In Mobile! (Unless of course the defending state champions, who are the owners of a 14-game winning streak and have allowed just 21 points all year somehow lose to 4-6 West Blocton in the first round.)

Bracket outlook: If it seems that Handley cannot make a postseason appearance anymore without having to make the trip to the dreaded private school of the south, that’s because it’s true (almost). Five of Handley’s last six playoff appearances as a member of class 4A have included a trip to play the Bulldogs in Mobile. But Handley fans, before you pick up your pitchforks to raid the AHSAA offices with your charges of conspiracy let me call for a reasonable assessment of the situation.

If Handley had been anything but the two seed out of its region it would stand a very good chance of actually hosting UMS-Wright if their paths crossed later in the playoffs. But as the two seed, Handley landed in the one spot in the bracket where they have no chance of playing the Bulldogs at home.

This is not the daunting south bracket that Handley deftly navigated in its magical 2016 season. But UMS-Wright sure looks like a team on a clear path to its second straight state title game.

Analysis: Handley is building toward something good, and winning a playoff game a year after going 2-8 is a huge step in the right direction. But UMS-Wright appears destined for greatness, and Handley just isn’t back at that level (yet).

Region 7, No. 3 Corner (6-4) at Region 5, No. 2 Central-Clay (7-3)

A person who knows football in Clay County recently told me that he believes Central can win the north and go all the way to the state finals. The way the Vols have been playing since their loss to Mortimer Jordan (four wins, two shutouts, 14 total points allowed) it’s not a stretch to envision Danny Horn’s team making a deep run.

Bracket outlook: Taking a look at the north bracket, basically three teams stand out as possible spoilers to Central’s hopes, and Central can play two of them at the most.

The first is Etowah, which is undefeated and enters the playoffs ranked No. 1 in the state in class 5A. Central and Etowah are on a collision course for a showdown in round three with a decent chance that that game is in Lineville.

If Central survives that they could be looking at a state semifinal rematch with either Jasper or Mortimer Jordan, two of the three teams that beat the Vols this year. But both of those losses came before Horn shuffled his lineup and inserted Boyd Ogles at quarterback, freeing Javon Wood to play more defense. Central seems like a different team since that switch, and neither of the losses to Jasper or Mortimer Jordan were blowouts. So the Vols would have to feel pretty good about their chances in a rematch with either team.

Analysis: If the Vols get past Etowah in round three their chances of reaching the state finals skyrocket. Of all the teams in the area Central’s combination of overall team quality and bracket manageability give them the best shot of making it to Auburn.