By Sonny Jones
The state volleyball playoffs have begun and East Bladen was eliminated by Washington in a heartbreaker Saturday.
This week state playoff brackets will be released for football (Saturday) and boys’ soccer (Friday). Both East Bladen teams should qualify, but will be in the bottom half of the bracket. Neither West Bladen team will qualify for postseason.
The first round of the boys’ soccer playoffs is Halloween night (Oct. 31) and the football playoffs kick off Nov. 4 at the home of the higher seed.
There will be 32 teams from the East and 32 teams from the West to qualify for the football and boys’ soccer playoffs. Conference champions are seeded 1 through 10 for the 2-A playoffs in each sport. The rest of the spots are determined by the Rating Percentage Index (RPI), which takes into account a teams’ win percentage, a teams’ opponents win percentage and a teams’ opponents’ opponents win percentage. Note that it’s win percentage and not record.
The Southeastern Athletic Conference, which includes East Bladen and West Bladen, ia assured two playoff berths. The league can have more than two teams based on RPI.
FOOTBALL
EAST BLADEN
Ranking: 28; RPI: 0.46261
Record: 4-5 overall, 3-2 conference (tied 3rd place)
Remaining schedule: Friday, St. Pauls
Outlook: The Eagles have moved up a spot to No. 28 with a convincing win against Red Springs even though their RPI dropped a tad. However, No. 29 North Pitt, No. 30 North Johnston, No. 31 Farmville Central and No. 32 James Kenan all lost Friday. If the playoffs began this week, East Bladen would be matched against No. 5 Nash Central, which already has clinched a spot as the top 2-A team in a split 2-A/3A conference. Other teams as possible opponents for the Eagles are Whiteville, Greene Central, West Craven, Clinton and Burlington Cummings depending on what happens in the final week of the regular season.
WEST BLADEN
Ranking: 41; RPI: 0.36036
Record: 2-7 overall, 1-4 conference (tied 5th place)
Remaining schedule: Friday, Midway
Outlook: The Knights have moved up from No. 46 two weeks ago to No. 41 following a win against Red Springs and a loss against No. 17-ranked St. Pauls, but it’s not going to be enough to get into the top 32 for the playoffs. West Bladen ends its season Friday at The Castle against No. 25-ranked Midway.
Other Southeastern teams: Champion Clinton, runners-up St. Pauls and Midway will qualify. Clinton may be the only team that has a home game.
BOYS’ SOCCER
EAST BLADEN
Ranking: 26; RPI: 0.48807
Record: 7-8 overall, 3-5 conference (4th place)
Remaining schedule: Monday, Red Springs; Wednesday, at St. Pauls
Outlook: The Eagles didn’t play last week and dropped two spots from a week ago, but still are in a good spot to qualify for the playoffs. A win or wins against No. 15 St. Pauls and/or No. 16 Red Springs during the final week of play could move East Bladen up a spot or two. A pair of losses will drop the Eagles in the rankings, but still should leave them in the top 32. Currently, East Bladen would be matched against No. 7 Jordan-Matthews in the first round. Other possible opponents are Washington, Bunn, Heide Trask, Spring Creek and Clinton.
WEST BLADEN
Ranking: 39; RPI: 0.41395
Record: 5-10-1 overall, 0-8 conference (6th place)
Remaining schedule: Monday, at St. Pauls; Wednesday, at Midway
Outlook: The Knights remained at No. 29 after dropping a pair of games against No. 16 Red Springs, including one in which the Red Devils scored the game winner in the final 30 seconds. West Bladen won’t make the state playoffs, but the program is headed in the right direction. If West Bladen was in the Waccamaw Conference instead of the Southeastern it would probably make the postseason, but …
Other Southeastern teams: Champion Clinton along with Red Springs, St. Pauls and Midway will play in the postseason. Clinton is the only team assured of a home game. St. Pauls and Red Springs could, but neither would under the current rankings.
MONDAY’S PICK TO CLICK
Jesperi Kotkaniemi will score his first goal of the season as the Carolina Hurricanes cap their five-game western trip with a win at Vancouver. A victory would give the Hurricanes a 3-1-1 trip.
SUNDAY’S PICK: Christopher Bell to win at Homestead-Miami and advance to the championship race. After being collected in the Bubba Wallace-Kyle Larson wreck, Bell deserves a break. RESULTS: Bell finished 11th and never was a factor in the race. He will need to win next week in Martinsville to reach the title race.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
• 1959 — Wilt Chamberlain plays in his first NBA game with the Philadelphia Warriors. Chamberlain plays his entire career — 1,045 consecutive games — without a disqualification.
POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY
• NFL: Chicago at New England, 8:15 p.m., ESPN, ESPN2
• NHL: Carolina at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m., BALLY SOUTH
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com and follow on Twitter @FOSonnyJones.
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