Upsets rare so far in 4-A football playoffs

There weren't too many surprises in the first round of the 4-A football playoffs - home teams won 15 of the 16 games. However, those results left some big-time matchups in the second round.

None of the six Triangle teams still alive in the 4-A has fewer than nine wins, and the PAC-6, Tri-Nine and Greater Neuse River conferences have two teams remaining apiece.

Southern Durham has more playoff wins (22) since 1972 than the other five teams combined (21), despite the recent successes of programs such as Harnett Central, Athens Drive and Southeast Raleigh.

The final 4-A game features New Hanover and, for now, Fayetteville Terry Sanford.

Because of a judge's ruling last week, Terry Sanford played in the first round of the 4-A playoffs despite the NCHSAA's ruling that the Bulldogs were to forfeit all of their wins and be dropped from the playoffs for using an ineligible player this season.

Terry Sanford defeated Fayetteville rival Pine Forest 48-29. Here are the rest of the 4-A matchups this week, as well as some others to watch:

4-A playoffs

Durham Hillside (9-3) at Middle Creek (11-1)

Sixth-seeded Durham Hillside (9-3) will travel to third-seeded Middle Creek (11-1). The Mustangs have not lost at home all season.

The Hornets' defense, led by 360-pound defensive tackle Eric Young, has given up just 4.3 points a game in its past eight games, with no team scoring more than 12.

Middle Creek's defense also has been on a hot streak, giving up 13.8 points a game in the past five. The Mustangs' offense will put Hillside to the test, however, because junior quarterback Garrett Leatham has thrown for more than 3,400 yards this season. Leatham has attempted 333 passes and completed 62 percent, with 32 touchdowns.

Middle Creek has never advanced past the second round.

Hillside junior quarterback Vad Lee, who has offers from North Carolina and Duke, has attacked opposing defenses through the air and on the ground.

Southeast Raleigh (10-2) at Harnett Central (12-0)

These two Greater Neuse River Conference foes met just three weeks ago, with Harnett Central beating the Bulldogs with surprising ease on the road, 36-22.

Now the No. 2-seeded Trojans get No. 7 Southeast Raleigh at home with a lot more on the line. The second round has been a problem for Central. Its all-time playoff record is 4-11, with all four wins coming since 2005 and all occurring in the first round.

The Bulldogs feature talented seniors Gabe Henderson and Kendall Moore, but the Trojans match that talent with quarterback Brian Taylor and a group of playmakers on offense and in the secondary.

8-Athens Drive (9-3) at 1-Southern Durham (11-1)

Speaking of rematches, this is one from last year's 4-A playoffs, when then-14 seed Athens Drive (now No. 8) and third-seeded Southern Durham (now No. 1) met in the first round.

Athens Drive took a 7-0 first-quarter lead into the dying minutes of the contest, until Southern's Tony Creecy took over. The wide receiver got free for a 23-yard reception that set up a Southern 1-yard touchdown run two plays later, then caught a two-point conversion attempt as he fell out of bounds for an 8-7 lead with a little over four minutes left.

The Spartans' only blemish on their record came in a 10-0 loss at Wake Forest-Rolesville.

The Jaguars have won six of their past seven.

4-AA playoffs

Garner (7-5) at WakeForest-Rolesville (12-0)

Eighth-seeded Garner was able to run past Wakefield in the first round, and its reward is a date at No. 1 seed Wake Forest-Rolesville. Nobody's defense has been as good as the undefeated Cougars, who posted their seventh shutout of the year last week against Clayton.

That's not good news for a Trojans team that has averaged 14.4 points per game and has been outscored this season.

Fuquay-Varina (10-2) at Southern Pines Pinecrest (10-2)

No. 4 Pinecrest may have doubled the school's playoff win total last week, but these Patriots have been a tough out for nearly every team they've played.

The No. 5 Bengals' running game was good enough to get out of the first round, but now a road test awaits Ryan Habich's team in the second round.

Junior fullback Cory Hunter is 7 yards from 2,000 rushing yards this season to go along with 31 touchdowns. In the past two years, Hunter has 51 rushing touchdowns and 3,881 yards.

Leesville Road (9-3) at Fayetteville Britt (11-1)

For the third straight year, No. 11 Leesville Road travels to Cum berland County in the playoffs.

The Pride, which held off conference rival Broughton last week, split their Fayetteville-area appearances in each of the past two years, both against Hope Mills South View.

No. 3 Britt, which lost in overtime, 48-42, to Terry Sanford, is coming off a 63-34 pummeling of Panther Creek in which the Buccaneers were up 28-0 at halftime without their starting quarterback.

Others to watch

3-A playoffs

Rocky Mount (7-4) at South Johnston (11-1)

No. 8 Rocky Mount, last year's state champion, will give No. 1 South Johnston, which barely made it by the 16th seed in a 10-7 win, another tough test at home.

2-AA playoffs

Pittsboro Northwood (11-1) at South Granville (9-3)

No. 5 Northwood has dominated for most of the season, but the Chargers will face a stiff second-round test, as they must hit the road despite losing just one game.

No. 4 South Granville's senior running back, Ian Bosley, is on the cusp of history. Bosley has 5,795 career rushing yards, and another 33 will put his name in the top 20 in the NCHSAA record book.

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