From the Sports Desk

with Carey Phillips: 08/09/01

Smoky Mountain is going into the Mountain Athletic Conference along with Asheville, East Henderson, Enka, Erwin, Franklin, North Buncombe, Roberson and Tuscola.

The MAC will send three teams to the state 3-A playoffs in football, soccer and volleyball.

Football and soccer are seeded sports so pairings will not be known until the season is over. Playoff dates for football are Nov. 16, 23 and 30 and Dec. 7 with the finals Dec. 14 in Chapel Hill. Soccer playoff dates are Oct. 31 and Nov. 3, 7 and 10. The finals will be Nov. 17 in Raleigh.

We can look at the road MAC teams will have to take to reach the state volleyball finals.

The champion will play at home Oct. 23 against the third seed from the Big South Conference. The second seed will also be home against the Big South runner-up. The third seed will hit the road to face the Southwestern Foothills Conference champ.

The Big South includes Ashbrook, Forestview, East Gaston, Hunter Huss, North Gaston, South Point and East Lincoln. Southwestern Foothills teams are Burns, Crest, Foard, Hickory, Kings Mountain, R-S Central and St. Stephens.

The MAC's second and third place teams would face each other if they reach the second round on Oct. 25. Meanwhile, the MAC winner would be home to play the Big South champion or the second seed from the Southwestern Foothills.

Any MAC teams remaining would play Oct. 27 with the bracket including the champion at home. If a MAC team reaches the Oct. 30 semifinals, it would be on the road. The opponent would come from the Tri-County, North Piedmont or South Piedmont conference.

Tri-County schools are Asheboro, Eastern Randolph, High Point Central, Ragsdale, Southeast Guilford, Southwestern Randolph, Trinity and Union Pines. The North Piedmont is comprised of Brown, East Rowan, Mooresville, North Iredell, Northwest Cabarrus, Statesville and West Rowan. South Piedmont teams are Anson, Concord, Parkwood, Piedmont, Robinson, Sun Valley and Weddington.

The state finals will be Nov. 3 in Raleigh.

Blue Ridge will join Highlands, Hiwassee Dam and Nantahala in the Little Smoky Conference with one team going to the state 1-A playoffs. Dates are the same as for 3-A.

The Little Smoky champ will play at home against the Big Smoky Conference fourth seed in the first round. Big Smoky schools are Andrews, Cherokee, Hayesville, Murphy, Robbinsville, Rosman and Swain.

A second round match would also be home against the Big Smoky winner or the fourth seed from the Northwest Conference. NWC schools are Alleghany, Elkin, East Wilkes, Starmount, East Surry, Mount Airy, North Stokes, South Stokes and Surry Central.

The Little Smoky representative would also be home if it makes the third round against a team from the Northwest or Big Smoky.

The semifinals would be on the road. The opponent would be from the Southern Foothills, Yadkin Valley, or Northwest Conference.

Southern Foothills schools are Bessemer City, Cherryville, Hendersonville, Highland Tech, Maiden and Polk. The Yadkin Valley includes Albemarle, Chatham Central, East Montgomery, Jordan-Matthews, North Moore, South Davidson, South Stanly, Thomasville and West Davidson.

In soccer, Blue Ridge will play in the Smoky Mountain Conference with Andrews, Hayesville, Highlands, Hiwassee Dam, Murphy and Swain. Three of those teams will go to the playoffs, which have one less round than in 3-A. Dates are Nov. 2, 7, 10 and 17.

Back to Sports: 08/09/01.