After three decades in the playoff wilderness, Hillcrest is hunting a title

What's the old saying about buses? You wait for one forever and then two come along at the same time?

That's the what life is like for the Hillcrest High football team these days. And their last couple of bus rides have been pretty special.

The Vikings (8-4) take on Lake County (10-2) Friday at Melrose in the Class 1A quarterfinals. It's the first time Hillcrest has been this far in the postseason since 1985, when a Vincent Moore-led team won the Class AAA state championship.

That was also the last year the program so much as won a playoff game. They broke the drought by beating South Fulton 18-8 in the first round two weeks ago before outdoing themselves last Friday with a 6-0 road win at Dresden.

It was the first time since 2011 that the defending state champs were shut out, a span of 89 games.

"It felt a lot better coming home with a win than (riding) three hours with a loss," said running back Montrell Polk.

Added standout senior wide receiver Paul Todd, "We're just going with the flow. Enjoying the ride."

Last year's ride was a lot bumpier as the Vikings finished 1-10. Now in his third season, 26-year-old head coach Lorenzo Barnes said the extra work his team has put in is paying off. Especially last week.

"It starts with Saturdays," he said. "There's a full load of film study Saturday. We approach every game the same. It was just another week for us.

"(Dresden) was really the first time we had traveled all season. I think the farthest before was to (ECS). We just wanted to make sure the kids stayed focused. They wanted to win as much as the coaches did."

Polk said they went into that game believing they could win.

"We wanted to exceed expectations and succeed in what we did," Polk said. "For me, it was about buying in. We all had to play our roles so what could succeed."

Hillcrest's defense, in particular its massive front four, has been crucial to much of that success over the past two weeks. Javonte "Too Tall" Garrett — who is versatile and athletic enough to have played quarterback, running back and tight end at other points this season — is 6-7, 285. He's joined by Jaylyn Rogers (6-4, 275), Jerren Jordan (6-3, 250) and Derrick Polk (5-11, 295).

"We've been blessed to get a multitude of big guys at the same time," Barnes said. "The're hard to move off the ball."

Offensively, Montrell Polk and Kristof Smith, who scored the only touchdown at Dresden, are a solid tandem in the backfield. De'Favus Ross is the quarterback and his primary target is Todd, a sure-handed 6-1, 185-pound senior who finished third in the state in the high jump last spring and will represent the team in this year's AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School all-star game.

"Paul is one of the best receivers in Memphis hands down," Barnes said. "The reasons he doesn't get as many catches is people like to double and triple-team him. Last week, he got single coverage and we have to take advantage of that.

"Ross is very smart. As far as knowing the offense, we're blessed to have a very smart quarterback."

Lake County will present a similar test to Dresden. The Eagles are a run-first team with several playoff trips to their credit. But, as Todd says, don't sleep on the Vikings.

"Our confidence is through the roof right now," he said. "You can't be afraid. You've just got to play."

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.