playoffs’ first round

It’s playoff time.

That means it’s time to win or go home. I didn’t expect Fort Dale to make an exit in the first round, but that means that Butler County only has two teams left fighting for a championship.

Both Greenville and Georgiana face tough challenges, and both teams have to go on the road.

Both teams have something else in common: they have to keep mistakes down.

Starting now, everyone is 0-0, and the first team to win five in

row takes home the state championship.

Greenville at Jess Lanier

Jess Lanier is 9-1 in the regular season, but I don’t think the Greenville Tigers are intimidated.

Greenville has given Wetumpka and Charles Henderson all they could handle in the last two weeks, and one of those games was on the road.

Coach Ben Blackmon said after the Wetumpka game that he felt like his team was peaking at the right time, and I’m inclined to agree with him.

As long as Greenville can limit mistakes, I think they have a good shot against Jess Lanier.

Greenville 31, Lanier 24

Georgiana at Loachapoka

Loachapoka is a very good team, and are ranked No. 6 in 2A with a 9-1 record.

Georgiana has shown flashes of being able to play with anyone this season, but they need to be consistent about it.

The fact that this game is on the road isn’t a big problem for Georgiana.

They proved they can go away and win the big game when they took out Flomaton earlier in the year.

Georgiana will need to minimize mistakes, which have killed them the last couple of weeks.

If they play well and don’t turn the ball over, they have a shot.

Despite this, I think Loachapoka will prove to be just a bit too much for the Panthers.

Loachapoka 35, Georgiana 26

Current high school record: 26-13