These two teams haven’t played since Carrboro left the Mid-State 2A Conference after 2008, and the two old rivals’ circumstances have changed quite a bit since then. Carrboro (11-0) is ranked No. 5 in the state. Cummings (5-5) started the year 1-3 but won its last two games to get into the playoffs.

Cummings’ Tevin Smith started this season at receiver but switched late season to QB after senior Keith McAdoo was injured. He threw for four touchdowns in Cummings’s 42-35 win last week. His favorite target has been classmate Jeremy Griffis.

E. Wayne at Orange

The Warriors (4-6) lost two of their last three but won their last game of the season 13-0 to get back into the playoffs under second-year head coach Guy "Bubba" Williams after a one-year absence. Defense has been a problem; they’ve given up 30.5 points a game. Orange (8-2) has out-scored its 10 opponents 316-127.

Chapel Hill at Byrd

The Tigers (8-3) had won three straight before losing to Orange last week. Fayetteville Byrd's Eagles (8-3) won the Cape Fear Valley Conference by winning five of their last six games.

E. Chapel Hill at Scotland

Laurinburg’s Fighting Scots (9-1) are the defending state 4A champs and one of the finest programs all-time in North Carolina. They’ve won their last eight games. East (5-5) is in the playoffs for just the third time, the first time ever as a 4A program.

Northwood at St. Pauls

The offensive-minded Bulldogs (8-3) won their last two games to cap their first winning season since 2007. They’re averaging 46.6 points a game. Northwood (6-5) fought its way into the playoffs by winning its last two games by a combined 76-10 score.

Player of the week

Trai Sharp

Carrboro, Soph., RB

With Carrboro still missing Dou Parrish, Sharp was sensational against Providence Grove, getting 357 yards and four TDs on just 17 rushes, plus another TD on a 79-yard pass from Alex McVeigh. Three of his TD runs were over 50 yards.

CoachSpeak

“The bottom line is that we had players who stepped up when we needed them and made the plays we had to have. Now. we’re just excited to be able to play another week.”

Bill Renner

East Chapel Hill head coach