By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Only one Alamance County team will leave home for the first round of the state playoffs.
Three of the teams won’t play at all this week.
Mid-Carolina Conference champion Williams and runner-up Southern Ala-mance received first-round byes in Class 6-A, while winless Graham didn’t qualify for the Class 4-A field.
The new format that includes eight classifications means that at least 16 teams in each class – eight in the East Region and eight in the West Region – receive first-round byes. First-round games are Friday night, with second-round matchups November 14.
Here’s a look at area teams:
Class 4-A East Region: Cummings at North Pitt
Cummings (3-7) is seeded No. 21, meaning a trip to 12th-seeded North Pitt (5-5). The winner visits fifth-seeded Randleman (7-3) in the second round.
The Cavaliers have their fewest victories since a 2-9 record in 2019.
Class 5-A East Region: Orange at Southeast Alamance
No. 9 seed Southeast Alamance (7-3) meets No. 24 seed Orange (3-7), which is riding a three-game winning streak, in a rematch of the season opener won 55-22 by Southeast. It will be the 36th game in the Southeast program’s history and the fourth time the Stallions take on Orange.
Orange is under first-year coach Fritz Hessenthaler, who was formerly at Southern Alamance. The Panthers’ only previous trip to Alamance County this year resulted in a loss at Williams in early September.
Southeast won at least one playoff game in each of its first two seasons. Friday’s winner goes to eighth-seeded Southern Nash (6-4).
Class 5-A East Region: South Granville at Western Alamance
No. 10 seed Western Alamance (7-3), which defeated Southeast and finished a game in front of the Stallions in the Mid-Carolina Conference, will be home against No. 23 seed South Granville (4-6), with the winner going to No. 7 seed Rocky Mount (7-3).
The Warriors, who’ve lost two games in a row, are trying to reach the eight-win mark for the second year in a row.
“A new season starts in the playoffs,” coach Jeff Snuffer said.
Class 5-A East Region: Wilson Fike at Eastern Alamance
No. 16 seed Eastern Alamance (4-6) will be home against No. 17 seed Wilson Fike (4-6). The winner travels to top-seeded Wilson Hunt (8-2), which defeated Wilson Fike 50-34 last Friday.
Eastern lost first-round games in each of the last two seasons after a 15-year run of at least one playoff victory.
Wilson Fike was eliminated in the postseason by Western Alamance in 2017 and by Williams in 2021.
Class 6-A East Region: Williams bye
Williams (9-1) is seeded fifth after winning the Mid-Carolina Conference. The Bulldogs are awaiting a visit from either No. 12 seed Franklinton (7-3) or No. 21 seed Gray’s Creek (4-6) in the second round.
Class 6-A East Region: Southern Alamance bye
Sixth-seeded Southern (7-3) will be home in the second round against either No. 11 seed Greenville Rose (5-5) or No. 22 seed Erwin Triton (3-7).
Southern will play the postseason without senior linebacker Ryan Norris, who suffered a broken leg in an October 24 victory at Cummings.
Class 6-A East Region: White Oak at Eastern Guilford
No. 15 seed Eastern Guilford (4-6), which handed Williams its lone loss, is home vs. No. 18 seed White Oak (4-6), with the winner going to second-seeded Northern Nash (9-1).
