East still controls playoff fate

Published 5:45 am Wednesday, October 25, 2017

East Limestone wasted an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs last week by losing to Russellville 17-13. This week, the Indians get a second chance, albeit against a much tougher opponent.

East will travel to Class 5A, Area 8 runner-up Brooks knowing a victory will put it into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed from Region 8. However, getting that victory will be a big challenge, East coach Jeff Pugh said.

“The players know we still have a chance,” Pugh said. “We had a good practice yesterday. They realize what’s out here in front of them. Our backs are against the wall now. We don’t want to worry about who beats who in week 10 and slip in (the playoffs) due to somebody else’s victories or losses. Is it going to be easy? No. Last week wasn’t easy, either. But we’ve got a lot more to play for than Brooks does. We should be ready to play hard.”

While East Limestone will clinch a playoff spot with a win, the Indians can still slip in the back door even with a loss based on a few different scenarios.

Should Lawrence County lose to Mae Jemison and Russellville lose to Ardmore on Friday, the Indians would finish in a tie with Lawrence County but advance based on their head-to-head victory.

Should Lawrence County lose and Russellville win, there would be a three-way tie between the teams, which would be broken by results against non-region opponents. The victories of the teams defeated in non-region play are totaled, and whichever school has defeated the teams with the most combined wins is the tiebreaker winner. Non-region games against teams more than two classifications below the team involved in the tiebreaker are not counted.

Currently, Lawrence County and Russellville have no non-region victories while East defeated West Limestone, which has four wins. However, those two schools still have non-region games to play in week 10, while East Limestone’s game against Tanner will not count for the tiebreaker because as a 2A school, Tanner is more than two classifications below East Limestone.

Should Lawrence County defeat West Point or Russellville defeat Colbert County in week 10, it could send either one of those teams to the playoffs.

But that complicated scenario is one Pugh wants to avoid.

“We need to go into the playoffs knowing we beat a good team from our region,” Pugh said. “We need to take of business Friday and show people we deserve it and not sneak in.”

Brooks brings a high-powered offense into its game Friday. The Lions are averaging 40 points per game, putting up 54 two weeks ago against Russellville and 67 last week against St. John Paul II.

Brooks is led by running back Noah Turbyfill, who rushed for 173 yards last week on just 12 carries.

“They are very balanced offensively,” Pugh said. “They throw the ball well and run it well, too. Their running back is very shifty and runs the ball hard, and they’re as big up front as anybody we’ve played this year. It will be a monumental challenge for our defense.”

One advantage the Indians may have is motivation. While East is fighting for its playoff life, the game means nothing to Brooks, as the Lions have the No. 2 spot in the region locked up regardless of Friday’s result.

“I know their seniors will be motivated because they don’t have too many home games left, but I also know (Brooks Coach Brad Black) doesn’t want anybody to get hurt,” Pugh said. “Our brand of football is not easy on people. We’ll hit you on offense and try to hit you on defense as well.”

But Pugh said his team must come to play regardless of what Brooks’ motivation is.

“If we go there and lay around and play like a bunch of bums, we’re never going to have a chance,” he said. “But if we go out there and start stroking people, play physical and with a lot of enthusiasm, we just might. I don’t know what (Brooks’) thinking is, but we’re going to go in there trying to win, because we have to.”