By By Adam Robinson – Sports editor
It is playoff time in the state of Alabama. Do or die. Win or go home.
W.S. Neal is the No. 3 playoff seed from region one and will be traveling to Heflin this week to take on 9-1 Cleburne County, the No. 2 seed in region three.
T.R. Miller is the No. 4 playoff seed in region one and will be traveling to Roanoke to take on Handley, the No. 1 seed in region three. Handley defeated Cleburne County in week nine 24-14 to earn them the region championship as Cleburne County took second.
Before I take an overall preview of the playoffs, I want to say something about the traveling distances for both our area teams, which seems really ridiculous for a first round playoff game.
I know we can do nothing about it, and the AHSAA has done their best to make the regions as fair as possible, but to make two very south Alabama teams travel way far north is pretty wild.
Cleburne County and Handley are both in region three with other playoff teams in the same region like Elmore County and Beauregard.
It would only seem fair that region one would be paired with region two, and region three with four and so on. If that was the case, W.S. Neal will be traveling to Trinity this week and T.R. Miller would be traveling to Andalusia. I know that the farther each team would make it in the playoffs, it would be possible for them to have to travel and face these teams anyways, but at least that would be later in the playoffs. Cleburne County is about the northern most team in the south division. Travel distances for our area teams this week are, according to Yahoo!, 262.5 miles for W.S. Neal and 201.2 for T.R. Miller. That is about a four and a half hour trip for the Eagles and a three and a half hour trip for the Tigers.
Anyway, enough of that soap box, about the playoffs:
Next game possibilities: W.S. Neal would travel to Oak Grove or face Andalusia at home. T.R. Miller would be at home regardless versus Trinity or Jemison.
Records versus 3A or 4A playoff teams: W.S. Neal is 2-3 versus teams in the playoffs. W.S. Neal defeated T.R. Miller 14-8, Daleville 41-21 while losing to Atmore 20-13, Opp 16-14, and Thomasville 42-20.T.R. Miller is 0-5 versus playoff teams. T.R. Miller lost to 3A qualifier Clarke County 36-7, 4A opponents Thomasville 42-23, Trinity 27-20, and W.S. Neal 14-8.
Home and away records: Neal is 4-2 at home this year and 2-2 away. Miller is 2-3 at home and 3-2 away.
Undefeated playoff teams: Two teams are undefeated in the playoffs this year with Central Tuscaloosa and North Jackson both 10-0.
Losing record teams: Daleville is the only team in the playoffs with a losing record of 4-6. T.R. Miller and Oneonta are the only two teams in the 4A bracket with the same amount of wins and losses as they are both 5-5.
I wish everyone the best of luck this week and until Sunday, God Bless!