The preliminary listing of the state 4-AA and 4-A playoffs leave Smithfield-Selma on the outside looking in. The brackets should become official sometime tonight.

The Spartans finished the season 4-7 and were sixth, by virtue of tiebreakers in the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference.

South Johnston 21, Triton 14

The Trojans (10-1) clinch the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference Championship and have a chance at the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern 3-A bracket, based on their 10-0 record for seeding purposes.

Clayton 13, Smithfield-Selma 7

The Comets' Shaquille Mangum returns an interception 80 yards for the game-winning touchdown with just two seconds to play, giving Clayton a bit of hope for a playoff spot at 4-7. SSS finishes the season.

Harnett Central 34, Garner 9

Garner falls hard but gets the No. 3 seed from the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference when Knightdale upsets East Wake, 13-12.

Southeast Raleigh 27, West Johnston 7

The Bulldogs clinch the No. 2 seed from the GNRC, while West ends up out of the playoffs with a 3-8 mark.

Princeton 42, Rosewood 20

The Bulldogs finish off an 8-3 season, taking second in the Carolina 1-A Conference. It's likely the Dawgs will be hosting a first round playoff match up next Friday.

Franklinton 42, North Johnston 34

The high-scoring loss likely leaves the Panthers out of the playoff hunt after they finish with a 3-8 record.

Johnston County will be well-represented on the 2009 N.C. Shrine Bowl squad. Smithfield-Selma's Josh Snead and South Johnston's Dee Williams were both named to the team today.

Snead, a Duke recruit, leads the Triangle area with 1,832 yards rushing in 10 games and 24 offensive touchdowns.  Williams leads the Triangle area in receiving. He is tops in yards receiving (962), receiving touchdowns (17) and receiving yards per game (106.9).

Smithfield-Selma head coach and former Garner standout Anthony Barbour will serve as an assistant coach for the N.C. squad as well. 

One of Barbour's fellow Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference players — Harnett Central's Anthony Johnson, an outside linebacker — was also selected to the squad. For a complete rundown of the N.C. roster, visit http://ncpreps.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1008293

The 73rd Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas will be played Dec. 19 in Spartanburg, S.C.

Thursday night prep football scores

Smithfield-Selma 49, West Johnston 38

Clayton 16, Knightdale 14

We'll have full reports on the games in next week's editions of the Garner-Clayton Record and The Herald of Johnston County. For boxscores from both games visit.... http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/high_school/

Smithfield-Selma will host Clayton in junior varsity football on Wednesday, Nov. 4, instead of the previously scheduled Thursday date next week. The varsity game will remain on Friday night at Clayton High School.

The Comets are honoring their 1989 state championship team at the Nov. 6 varsity game. 

We had a mix up in this week's editions of The Herald of Johnston County and The Garner-Clayton Record. The varsity football game between West Johnston and Smithfield-Selma will be played Thursday night at 7:30 at SSS's Tucker Stadium.

Clayton's game against Knightdale is also set for Thursday night.

Smithfield-Selma finished off its regular-season schedule with a 3-2 overtime victory over rival Clayton Monday night. Lucas Mazzeo scored two goals for the Spartans, including the game-winner four minutes into the first overtime. Luis Zeron scored the Spartans' other goal.

Clayton had already clinched the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference championship. The NCHSAA playoffs will begin next week.

Former Smithfield-Selma High School standout Reggie Barnes will be hosting a free youth basketball camp (for boys and girls) this Saturday in the SSS gymnasium. The event will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Pre-registration is not required. For more info, contact the school at 934-5191.

Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference co-champions Clayton and Smithfield-Selma will both open the NCHSAA 4-A dual team tennis playoffs Tuesday afternoon. The Comets and Spartans split their two regular-season matchups.

Clayton drew the No. 1 seed and will host Wilmington Hoggard, while SSS will play at Southern Pines Pinecrest.

Snead has rushed for 1,334 yards and scored 20 touchdowns.