By Donovan Stewart
MaxPreps.comÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
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This Friday starts the second season for 166 teams that make the Tennessee state playoffs.
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Although there are only three games in the Division II playoffs this week, in Division I there are a full slate of games in all five classifications.
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Here is a look at the best match ups in each classification starting in Class 1A;
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White House-Heritage (7-3) @ Collinwood (8-2): The No. 3 seeded Patriots in regionÿ five made school history by making the playoffs for the first time.
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Now they have a chance to advance past the first round, but it won't be easy as the Trojans are used to making playoffs and Collinwood will be a tough place to win.
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Forrest (7-3) @ Mt. Pleasant (8-2): This game could be the best game of the first round as the No. 4 seeded Rockets will travel to play a very good Mt. Pleasant squad.
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The game will be a battle of good running backs as Forrest's Dominique Johnson (1,120 yards and 16 touchdowns) will go up against Mt. Pleasant's Marco Dailey and his 1,913 yards and 31 touchdowns.ÿ
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Union City (6-4) @ Jackson Christian (7-3): Union City enters the playoffs as the No. 3 seed out of region 7 and the Golden Tornados are looking to get back to the state title game in which they were runner up last season to Trousdale County.
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But Jackson Christian will counter with quarterback Clay Fowler who has passed for 1,302 yards on the season for the Cougars.
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Lake Co. (7-3) @ Fayette Academy (9-1): The Falcons have a nice 1-2 combination in quarterback Brandon Springer and running back Damio Yancy and Lake Co. could be the No. 4 seed that upsets the No. 1 seed.
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Fayette Academy running back Joe Wentworth (1037 yards, 10 touchdownss) will lead the Viking ground attack.
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Class 2A
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Fairview (7-3) @ Lewis Co. (9-1): Fairview, the No. 4 seed out of region 5 will be led by running back Michael Degalliford (1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns) for coach Mark Matykiewicz's offense, while Lewis Co., the No. 1 seed in region six, will counter with running back Ryan Greve.
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DCA (6-4) @ Camden (9-1): DCA's Trent Walker could be the state's most underappreciated player as he has rushed for 1,648 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.
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The Lions meanwhile will be led on offense by quarterback Spencer Barry in a game that should be fun to watch.
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Peabody (7-3) @ BT. Washington (9-1): Peabody will make the trip to Memphis to take on the Warriors who are reeling from a big defeat at the hands of Alcoa.
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The Golden Tide's offense gets jump started by quarterback Kendal Harper while BTW's Stephen Jones leads the ground game.
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Class 3A
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Claiborne Co. (8-2) @ Knox. Fulton (9-1): Two of the hottest running backs in the state meet in Knoxville as Claiborne Co.'s Ryan Helton and University of Tennessee commitment Dennis Rogan will try to out duel each other.
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Helton, who ran for over 400 yards last week, has 1,662 yards and 27 touchdowns, while Rogan has 1,752 yards and 29 touchdowns.
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Sycamore (7-3) @ Meigs Co. (9-1): Sycamore will travel to Decatur to face a Tiger team led by running back Tyler Mobriant while Sycamore quarterback Austin Lohin will lead his team.
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Class 4A
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Knox. Central (7-3) @ Rhea Co. (7-3): Central and Rhea County are not strangers to one another in the playoffs
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This time around though, Rhea Co. is the No. 2 seed out of region 4, while the Bobcats are a No. 3 in region 3.
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Tullahoma (7-3) @ Mt. Juliet (6-4): Black. White. Up. Down.
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These teams can't be any different then night and day as Tullahoma will move the ball through the air while Mt. Juliet grinds away with the running game as they run the Wing-T.
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Wildcat quarterback Cass Barnes (2,043 yards and 17 touchdowns) is the catalyst for Tullahoma, while Bear quarterback Taylor Cisneros is vital to the Mt. Juliet attack.
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Class 5A
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Bearden (7-3) @ Farragut (7-3): The schools are less then five miles apart, so it's only natural that Knoxville schools Bearden and Farragut battle each other again after meeting once already in the regular season - a meeting which took place in Week 3 with Farragut coming out on top, 27-14.
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Bearden will got to the air led by quarterback Dawson Halliday while Farragut will counter with running back Andre Sterling.
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Ravenwood (6-4, 4th, 6) @ Gallatin (10-0, 1st, 5): Two years ago newbie high school Ravenwood beat heavily-favored Gallatin in the first round of the playoffs.
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But Ravenwood, the defending Class 5A state champion, will have a tougher time this year against a Gallatin defense that has only allowed 65 points on the season - an average of 6.5 points per game.