Chapel Hill – The much anticipated new playoff format is finally a reality for the NCHSAA. Swain goes into the playoffs as a #5 overall seed in the 1AA West. The Maroon Devils will host Cherryville in a 1st round matchup this Friday at Swain County Memorial Stadium Boyce Deitz Field. The Ironmen enter as the number 12 seed and come in with a 4-7 overall record on the season. Bessemer City, the number 4 seed in the West will play the winner of the Swain Cherryville contest in the 2nd round. Bessemer City gets a bye this week and will not play.
Murphy, joins Swain, this year in the 1AA side of the playoffs. The Bulldogs open as the #6 seed and will host South Stanley this Friday. In the small 1A the Smoky Mountain Conference has 4 teams. Cherokee highlights the field as the #2 seed and will have this friday off. Hayesville opens play as the #11 seed, and will travel to Elkin this Friday. Meanwhile Rosman and Robbinsville will square off in the first round with #12 Rosman heading to #5 Robbinsville.
NCHSAA Football Playoff Brackets for both 1AA and 1A, higher seeded team hosts.
- West 1AA Football Playoffs
- #1 Mount Airy (11-0) Bye – Faces winner of North Rowan/Polk County
- #9 North Rowan (8-3) at #8 Polk County (7-4)
- #12 Cherryville (4-7) at #5 Swain (7-4)
- #4 Bessemer City (10-1) Bye – Faces winner of Cherryville/Swain
- #3 North Stanly (10-1) Bye – Faces winner of South Stanly/Murphy
- #11 South Stanly (5-6) at #6 Murphy (9-2)
- #10 Starmount (6-5) at #7 East Surry (7-4)
- #2 East Wilkes (9-2) Bye – Faces winner of Starmount/East Surry
- West 1A Football Playoffs
- #1 Mitchell (10-1) Bye – Faces winner of CSD/South Stokes
- #9 Community School of Davidson (5-6) at #8 South Stokes (5-6)
- #12 Rosman (2-9) at #5 Robbinsville (7-4)
- #4 Mountain Island Charter (8-3) Bye – Faces winner of Rosman/Robbinsville
- #3 Thomas Jefferson Classical (8-3) Bye – Faces winner of Hayesville/Elkin
- #11 Hayesville (3-8) at #6 Elkin (5-6)
- #10 Alleghany (4-7) at #7 Union Academy (7-4)
- #2 Cherokee (10-1) Bye – Faces winner of Alleghany/Union Academy