Casey Grant remains atop local college football contest standings

The eighth week of our local ESPN College Football Pick ‘Em contest wrapped up on Saturday night, and Casey Grant held on to the lead in the local standings for another week. When the dust settled after Saturday’s slate of games, Casey was No. 1 in the local standings with 62 total points in the contest, which has seven more weeks to go.

Blake Stringer found himself in second place with 59 total points to his credit. Mark Cotten was in the third place, just one game out of second, with 58 total points. Defending champion Drew Skipper, Jesse Jordan and Clint Hyde were locked in a three-way tie for fourth place with 57 points each.

Brett Loftin was in seventh place with 56 points. Cody Thomas, Justin Chandler and I were tied for eighth place with 54 points each. Austin Weaver and John Johnston were tied for 12^th place with 50 points each.

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Tomorrow (Friday) night’s slate of games will wrap up region play for most of the high school football teams in the state, and many local fans are already looking forward to the start of the state playoffs. After Friday night, the final standings in 4A Region 1 will be set, and we’ll know which teams made the playoffs and which didn’t. For those making the playoffs, the all-important seedings will determine who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs.

Based on seedings, that is, where each team finishes in the final region standings, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will host games in the first round while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will have to travel in the opening round. In the second, third and fourth rounds of the playoffs, the home team is based on who traveled in the earlier rounds. If both teams have traveled the same amount, the home team will be the higher seed.

If both teams have traveled the same and have equal seeds, then the team on the top of the playoff bracket will be the home team. If two teams from the same region meet in the playoffs, the highest seeded team in the final region standings will be the home team.

In this year’s playoffs, teams like Hillcrest from 4A Region 1 will play teams from 4A Region 2 in the first round. The No. 1 seeds will play the No. 4 seeds and the No. 2 seeds will play the No. 3 seeds in the opening round of the playoffs. Teams in 4A Region 2 include Catholic-Montgomery, Trinity Presbyterian, Dale County, Alabama Christian, Headland, Ashford and Booker T. Washington.

As of Monday, the top four teams in 4A Region 2 were Catholic-Montgomery, Trinity, Dale County and Alabama Christian. Going into tomorrow night’s game against 4-4 Headland, Catholic-Montgomery was undefeated and was ranked No. 3 in Class 4A in the latest statewide prep football poll. More than likely, barring any surprises this week, Hillcrest and Catholic-Montgomery probably wouldn’t have to play each other until the semi-final round of the playoffs.

In the end, it’s hard to predict at this point what will happen because the picture will change this week and as the playoffs progress. You can bet there will be an upset or two, but it’s fun to try to figure out what is coming down the pipe. I know I’m not the only one looking forward to Hillcrest making a deep run in the playoffs.