Who’s in, who’s out? The playoff picture for Midlands football teams
With two weeks left in the high school football public school regular season, the playoff race is starting to take shape.
Under rules for the shortened 2020 season, only the top two teams in the regions earn automatic spots. In Class 2A and 4A, there is a chance for at-large berths because of the uneven amount of regions.
Here are the updated playoff scenarios for Midlands teams. Region records are in parentheses:
Class 5A
——Region 4——
Locks: Northwestern (3-0) has clinched the region title and Ridge View (3-1) will be the No. 2 seed.
Out: Blythewood, Rock Hill, Spring Valley
——Region 5——
Locks: Dutch Fork (4-0) has clinched the region.
In the mix: River Bluff (2-1) leads the race for the second spot and can get it with a win over Lexington on Nov. 6 or if White Knoll beats Lexington (0-2) on Friday.
Chapin (2-2) needs Lexington to beat White Knoll and River Bluff. If that happens, it will be a three-way tie for second and go to a tiebreaker.
Out: White Knoll (0-3)
Class 4A
——Region 4——
Locks: AC Flora (4-0) has clinched the region title.
In the mix: Irmo (3-1) clinches playoff spot with a win over Westwood on Nov. 6 or if Westwood loses to Dreher on Friday. Westwood (2-1) has to beat Dreher on Friday and Irmo on Nov. 6 to clinch a playoff spot.
Out: Dreher, Lugoff-Elgin, Richland Northeast
——Region 5——
Locks: North Augusta (4-0) clinched the region title.
In the mix: South Aiken (2-1) gets the second spot by defeating Aiken (0-2) on Nov. 6 or if Aiken loses to Midland Valley on Friday. Aiken (0-2) needs to defeat Midland Valley and South Aiken to force a three-way tie. Airport (2-2) is finished in region play and needs South Aiken to lose to Aiken to force a three-way tie.
The third-place finisher in the region could get one of two at-large berths in lower state.
Out: Midland Valley
Class 3A
——Region 4——
Locks: Fairfield Central (3-0) has clinched a playoff spot and can win the region against Mid-Carolina on Nov. 7.
In the mix: Chester (2-1) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Lower Richland on Wednesday.
Lower Richland (1-1) needs to beat Chester on Wednesday and Mid-Carolina on Nov. 2 to finish second.
Out: Keenan, Mid-Carolina
——Region 5——
Locks: Gilbert (4-0) has clinched the region and Brookland-Cayce clinched No. 2 seed.
Out: Strom Thurmond, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Swansea, Fox Creek
——Region 6——
Locks: Camden (4-0) has clinched the region title.
In the mix: Lake City (2-1) clinches a playoff spot by beating Manning on Friday and Marlboro County on Nov. 6.
Marlboro County (2-2) needs to beat Lake City to have a chance. Crestwood (3-2) can make it if Lake City loses both games.
If Crestwood, Lake City and Marlboro finished tied, it will go to a tiebreaker.
Out: Manning, Lakewood.
Class 2A
——Region 3——
Locks: Gray Collegiate (5-0) won the region title.
In the mix: Batesburg-Leesville (2-1) finishes second with wins over Columbia on Friday and Newberry on Nov. 6.
Newberry (1-1) is the No. 2 seed with wins over Saluda on Friday and and Batesburg-Leesville on Nov. 6.
Saluda (2-2) needs to beat Newberry and have Batesburg-Leesville lose its final two games.
The third-place finisher will be in running for an at-large berth in upper state.
Out: Eau Claire, Columbia
——Region 4——
Locks: No one has clinched a spot but North Central (3-0) can clinched a playoff spot and region by beating Cheraw on Nov. 2.
In the Mix: Cheraw (3-0) wins the region by beating North Central and Andrew Jackson. If Cheraw loses to North Central, it can still get No. 2 seed with win over Andrew Jackson or if AJ loses one ,ore more game.
Andrew Jackson (1-1) needs to beat Cheraw and Chesterfield to have a chance.
The third-place finisher will be in the running for an at-large berth in the lower state.
Out: Buford, Central Chesterfield
——Region 5——
Locks: No one has clinched a playoff spot, but Pelion (2-0) controls its own fate. Panthers win the region by beating Silver Bluff (1-2) on Friday and Wade Hampton on Nov. 6.
In the mix: Barnwell (3-1) is done with region games and wins the region with two Pelion losses. Wade Hampton (2-1) is still alive and can finish second by beating Pelion and if Silver Bluff beats Pelion.
If Barnwell, Wade Hampton and Pelion finish in a three-way tie, the tiebreaker will be defensive points allowed between the three teams.
Out: Edisto, Silver Bluff
Class A
——Region 4——
Locks: Lamar (4-0) won the region and C.A. Johnson (3-1) finished second.
Out: Lewisville, Great Falls, McBee
This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 1:18 PM.
