Today we conclude our look at the playoff chances for Class AAAAA teams by focusing on Region 1, where the favorite to win the title is a Carver-Columbus team that jumped up two classifications after going 11-2 and reaching the quarterfinals in AAA last season.
Which teams on the lists below are getting too much credit? Which ones are being underestimated?
Region 1-AAAAA
*Locks: Carver-Columbus, Harris County
Carver has won at least 11 games for eight consecutive seasons and could be headed for another deep postseason run, despite its jump in classification. Harris County won a school-record nine games last year and could get near, or even exceed, that total again. The Carver-Harris County game in Columbus on Oct. 24 is almost certain to decide the region championship.
*Likely: LaGrange
The Grangers started 1-3 against a difficult non-region schedule, but they have rebounded with victories against Hardaway and Columbus. LaGrange will be favored against Shaw and Northside-Columbus, and wins in those games should secure a playoff spot.
*On the bubble: Northside-Columbus, Columbus
Northside took a huge step toward the playoffs with a 31-28 victory against Shaw on Sept. 25. The Patriots can virtually guarantee themselves a playoff berth with victories against Hardaway and Columbus in their next two games. Columbus is 0-2 in the region, but the losses came against Carver and LaGrange. The Blue Devils most likely need to beat Northside and Shaw to secure a spot.
*Long shots: Shaw
The Raiders must beat Columbus on Saturday to have any realistic hopes of a playoff berth, especially since the loss to Northside puts them on the short end of a tiebreaker. Shaw concludes the season with games against Carver, LaGrange and Harris County.
*Not this year: Hardaway
The Golden Hawks have lost 14 consecutive games, including six this season (and two in the region). Hardaway still has to play Carver and Harris County, so there aren’t enough winnable games left on the schedule for it to make it to the postseason.
