The Post Route - Playoffs Round 1
Your guide to Madison County’s high school football games this week
Jackson Central-Merry (8-2) at Summertown (8-2)
Last meeting: First-ever meeting
Common opponents: None
Players to watch: JCM QB Terell Williams
What to know: If you told anyone inside JCM’s locker room in the summer that they’d make the playoffs but would be looking at a long trip into Middle Tennessee in the first round, they’d probably take that. But not many people would expect that situation with an 8-2 record. Summertown is a place that would fit in Region 6-2A well, except the town is probably smaller than the other small towns in the West Tennessee region. There aren’t a lot of teams in that area of the state that can pass the ball as well as the Cougars, so if the pass game is working, they’d do well to ride that to the win.
Region shenanigans: Summertown finished second in the region with two league losses. But both teams that beat Summertown failed to make the playoffs.
Up next for the winner: Will either travel to Milan or host Lewis County
Station Camp (5-5) at North Side (6-4)
Last meeting: First-ever meeting
Common opponents: None
Players to watch: North Side QB Henry Schiebout
What to know: Station Camp actually started the season 0-4 - losing to three playoff teams including the champion of their region and a pair of 5A teams - before rebounding to win five of their last six. They scored more than 30 points in four of those final six games, won another 14-7 and lost the other to their region runner-up 28-27. The Indians suffered a frustrating loss last week in which a chance to win the region championship got away from them when they lost momentum in the second quarter. They need to avoid that this week.
Defense is key: North Side’s offense gets a lot of attention because of its athletes and its average of more than 33 points per game. But defensive production may have been a hidden key this year for the Indians to win. Their 40-33 victory at South Gibson was the only time they won this year when they allowed their opponent to score more than 21 points.
Up next for the winner: Will either travel to Marshall County or host Lexington
First Assembly Christian School (3-6) at Trinity Christian (6-4)
Last meeting: Oct. 18 - TCA 42, FACS 10
Common opponents: None out of the region. FACS had one win in Division II-A West. TCA had one loss in region play.
Players to watch: TCA WR Owen Atwood
What to know: The Lions had no problem winning this matchup earlier this year, and they had no problem winning it last year on the road in Shelby County. While FACS’ players are bigger in most matchups, TCA’s coaching and multiple offensive weapons make them a threat to win big again this time and to potentially make some noise in the playoffs all month.
Previous rematch: This will be the first time in three years TCA has a playoff game that’s a rematch from the regular season. Middle Tennessee Christian played TCA twice in 2021 with MTCS winning both games.
Up next for the winner: FACS would travel to either Columbia Academy or King’s Academy. If TCA wins, they would travel to Columbia or host King’s.
Webb School (5-4) at University School of Jackson (9-1)
Last meeting: First-time meeting
Common opponents: None
Players to watch: USJ RB Noah Spencer
What to know: Webb School may have finished fifth in their region, but they also have five players who are on the radar of NCAA Division I FBS Power 4 conference schools. So while last week may have been USJ’s biggest challenge of the season at the time, they turn around and face a challenge from the east that may be bigger.
No first-round bye: Division II-AA has 16 teams in the playoffs, while Division II-A only has 12 with region champions getting a bye in the first round. That’s because TSSAA set the dividing line between the classes before they began tabulating enrollments, and there wound up being more teams in the private schools’ middle class than in A.
Up next for the winner: If Webb were to win, they would travel to Battle Ground Academy or Knoxville Webb. Since USJ is a region champion and at the top of the bracket, the Bruins will host the winner of the other two and will host until they get to Chattanooga if they keep winning.
Liberty (0-10) at Bruceton (1-9)
Last meeting: First time meeting
Common opponents: None
Players to watch: Liberty DL Immanuel Hawkins
What to know: No … Liberty (Class 3A) and Bruceton (Class 1A) didn’t make some kind of new inter-classification playoffs with one win between them. But what a lot of people don’t understand is teams that don’t make the playoffs can schedule a bowl game, no matter what their record is. That’s what Liberty and Bruceton elected to do - both programs with first-year head coaches. This week is full of opportunities for Liberty. An extra week of practice for the Crusaders, one more shot at ending their five-year-plus losing streak and one more chance to put on the pads are all in front of the Crusaders. Both teams have about the same number of players on their roster, so don’t expect Liberty to have a depth advantage because the Crusaders are two classes bigger.
Liberty bowl: This is the first time for the Crusaders to play in a bowl game.
Up next for the winner: Both teams are done after this game.
Compiled by Brandon Shields
