Playoff picture no where near clear heading to Week 9

[DevilMan03]

Playoff picture no where near clear heading to Week 9

By Douglas Fritz

Press Sports Writer

dfritz@johnsoncitypress.com

Feeling a little uncertain about how things will shake out for the 2010 high school football playoffs?

 

There are many people with that same mindset — including fans, players, coaches and sports writers.

 

Just how uncertain is it? Consider this: Of the 55 teams in Class 6A, only Memphis Kirby, McMinn County, Hunters Lane and Bolton have been completely eliminated from the playoff picture.

 

There are 32 teams with four wins and 32 playoff spots. Nineteen other teams could reach four wins by the end of the regular season. And teams that already have five wins can’t even get comfortable because 46 teams either have five wins or could still get there.

 

That picture is from just one out of six classifications across the state. In each classification, six wins still looks like the prime number to reach. Here’s a brief look at where some of the local teams stand heading into Week 9 action:

 

Class 6A

 

D-B is the No. 1-ranked playoff team in the state through eight weeks. With two more wins, the Indians would wrap up home-field advantage throughout Quadrant No. 1.

 

Science Hill currently ranks sixth in the Northeast eight-team grouping, behind D-B, Maryville, Hardin Valley, Bearden and Sevier County. A loss to D-B would greatly diminish the Hilltoppers’ chances of a home playoff game.

 

Class 5A

 

There are still some things to shake out, but Tennessee High and Boone are currently No. 2 and No. 3 in the local eight-team grouping. Both are strong candidates for a home playoff game.

 

David Crockett needs a win over Sullivan South or Daniel Boone to have a realistic chance to make the playoffs.

 

Class 4A

 

Greeneville is currently the No. 1 ranked team among all qualifiers statewide. The Greene Devils can wrap up home field throughout Quadrant No. 1 by winning their last two games.

 

Class 3A

 

West Greene is the surprise leader among the local pairings. The Buffaloes can actually lock up the top seed in Quadrant No. 1 by beating Chuckey-Doak on Friday.

 

Chuckey-Doak is currently No. 2, followed by Sullivan North and then five-win teams Elizabethton, Happy Valley, Austin-East and Gatlinburg-Pittman.

 

Pittman looks like a good bet to get to seven wins along with North. And if South Greene beats Claiborne on Friday, it guarantees either the Rebels or Black Knights will join the seven-win club.

 

Class 2A

 

Hampton has secured home-field advantage throughout Quadrant 1 while Unaka will have a good shot at playing at home in the first round if it wins its last two games.

 

Class A

 

Cloudland currently sits at No. 4 in the first quadrant, good enough for a first round home game.

 

• Greeneville’s do-it-all senior William Carmichael just seems to get better as the season goes along.

 

In Friday night’s 58-13 win over Chuckey-Doak, the quarterback carried 15 times for 343 yards and scored five touchdowns. He was also 2 of 7 passing for 40 yards, caught a 25-yard pass, and added 15 return yards — giving him 423 all-purpose yards.

 

For the season Carmichael has racked up 1,846 all-purpose yards, including 1,121 rushing. He has accounted for 22 touchdowns, including 16 on the ground.

 

Greeneville, the No. 1-ranked team in the state in Class 4A, is 4-0 in the Blue Ridge Conference and 8-0 overall. The Greene Devils play at Grainger on Friday, and then close with a home game against Claiborne.

 

• The Region 1-AAA volleyball tournament was played Monday night with Dobyns-Bennett and Sullivan South entering as the favorites to advance to Thursday’s sectionals matches.

 

As for the Region 1-AA event, it will be held tonight at South Greene with District 1 champ Sullivan East taking on West Greene at 5 p.m. District 2 winner South Greene will play Sullivan North at 6:30.

 

The winners will meet at 8 p.m. for the championship.

 

• The Big Eight Conference cross country meet will be held on Thursday in Bristol.

 

All area prep runners are closing in on their big day, which is the regional meet. That is scheduled for Oct. 29 at Daniel Boone.

 

• Football games of the week — Science Hill at Dobyns-Bennett, Tennessee High at Daniel Boone, Happy Valley at Hampton, West Greene at Chuckey-Doak, South Greene at Claiborne.

 

Hilltoppers vs. Indians — Most folks around the area know all about The Streak, D-B’s 16 straight wins over Science Hill that began in 1995. And Stacy Carter’s teams are 0-4 against the Indians.

 

However, for Science Hill’s two-game losing streak this season is something the Hilltoppers really want to shake as well.

 

Vikings vs. Trailblazers — It might be easy to look at this game and think Boone would be a solid favorite based on how it has been playing recently.

 

However, the Trailblazers shocked the Vikings in the playoffs last year, ending their No. 1 ranking and a run at as Class 5A state championship. Revenge will be a huge motivation for Tennessee High.

 

Warriors vs. Bulldogs — People might view Hampton as the favorite, but its powerful offense might not have the ball very often if its defense can’t stop Happy Valley’s tough triple-option attack.

 

Buffaloes vs. Black Knights — Both teams got hammered by 45 points in their matchups with Greeneville (55-10 and 58-13, respectively). But Doak will be just six days removed from that beating while West Greene is riding the high of a 49-35 win over South Greene.

 

Rebels vs. Bulldogs — It’s a very important game for South Greene in terms of playoff positioning, and it’s also a very tough road chore.

 

• Pick of the week — Happy Valley 33, Hampton 30.

 

The Warriors wanted respect, and they’ve earned it. Now they’ve got to prove they can handle the pressure of being expected to win. Ball control and sound defense are the keys to knocking the Bulldogs from the ranks of the undefeated.

 

Picks record: 7-1.

 

• Player of the week — Heath Haden of Sullivan South.

 

Haden brought back good memories in a bad way for Science Hill’s Stacy Carter.

 

Playing against his former head coach, the senior quarterback cut loose for 165 yards on 34 carries and scored two touchdowns in his team’s 28-21 win over the Hilltoppers. Haden also completed 5 of 12 passes for 105 yards, including a 61-yard bomb for a touchdown.

 

• The Hogs Award — Hampton Bulldogs.

 

Clearing holes that allowed two running backs to go over the century mark, the BullHogs’ offensive line crumbled Unaka’s defense.

 

The line helped produce 398 yards on 46 carries, an average of 8.6 per attempt. The Bulldogs’ big guys also pass protected well enough to allow a completion percentage of 67 (2 for 3).

 

• Defensive unit of the week — Dobyns-Bennett Indians.

 

In a 54-7 drilling of David Crockett, the Indians’ defense allowed just 126 yards of total offense and held the Pioneers to 74 yards on 33 rushing attempts.

 

The Tribe’s defense also recovered a fumble and forced five punts.

 

• This Week in Prep History — October 22, 1999.

 

Senior quarterback Mack Greene went 6 of 10 passing for 125 yards and three touchdowns as Cloudland whipped West Greene, 57-19.

 

It gave the Highlanders their first undefeated regular season since 1991.

 

• Sullivan South uses its road win over Science Hill to surge four spots to No. 5 in this week’s Prep Top 10.

 

Team W-L Prv

 

1. Greeneville 8-0 1

 

2. Dobyns-Bennett 8-0 2

 

3. Daniel Boone 6-2 3

 

4. Elizabethton 5-3 5

 

5. Sullivan South 4-4 9

 

6. Tennessee High 6-2 6

 

7. Science Hill 5-3 4

 

8. Happy Valley 5-2 8

 

9. Hampton 8-0 7

 

10. Sullivan North 6-3 10

 

(tie) West Greene 7-2 nr