kodyaufan2
AHSFHS Moderator
271 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2023 : 21:21:15
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While we are only scoring the final four teams for the playoff picks contest this year, I know some of you really enjoy diving deep into picking your playoff brackets. So my goal this week is to post a new topic for discussion each day relating to the playoffs and your picks.
Today's topic: Sleepers
I'll let you define a sleeper however you'd like. Maybe it's a team who has to travel in the 1st round. Maybe it's an up-and-coming team that is being overlooked in the championship discussion. Or maybe it's a team that has a tough draw early on, but could really make some noise if they get past their first game or two. You can decide for yourself how to define a "sleeper," but I want to know which teams you think are sleepers to make a deeper run than people might expect. Feel free to elaborate on why.
7A: Dothan
Despite finishing 4th in Region 2, I think they were the 2nd best team there. I don't know if they'll beat Mary G. Montgomery, but if they do, I'd expect them to beat Enterprise again to reach the semis.
6A: Theodore, Gadsden City
Theodore--I think their 1st round matchup vs Hueytown will be tougher than a potential second round matchup with Benjamin Russell. They would then face a potential rematch with Spanish Fort in the Quarterfinals, who they only lost to 8-3.
Gadsden City--The Titans always seem to be a tough out whenever they make the postseason, and they already went blow for blow with their likely 2nd round opponent Hartselle once this season.
5A: Carroll/B.C. Rain
I'm putting these two together because I actually have this as a 2nd round matchup in my bracket. Carroll has a ton of speed, especially their QB, and I'm not sure Demopolis has faced a team that athletic since Montgomery Catholic. Every year a team from the Bay counties makes a surprisingly deep run in the postseason, and I'm banking on it being BC Rain assuming they can get past Valley first.
4A: Bayside Academy, St. Michael
These teams are from the same region and face tall tasks in the 1st round, but if you want to give yourself a chance in the playoffs you need quality play from the QB position, and these two teams are coached by former QBs who know how to get a lot out of the position.
3A: Piedmont
I never thought I'd write about Piedmont being a sleeper, but for most of the latter half of the season, it looked like they wouldn't even be in playoffs. But here they are, finally healthy after battling injuries early on, and peaking at the right time.
2A: Goshen, Locust Fork
Goshen--Their RB is good enough to give them a chance against just about anybody.
Locust Fork--Even though they're undefeated, no one seems to be giving them much of a chance at a deep run. It's understandable, since they've yet to play a very good team, but they've completely obliterated everyone they have played so far, so it's tough to tell just how good they are.
1A: Lynn
I'm not really sure this one belongs here, either, but it seems like everyone has already penciled in Coosa Christian as a lock for the state championship game. But Lynn was the best team in the best region in 1A this year, and after falling short of expectations last year in the playoffs, they have unfinished business this year. |
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