High school football playoffs

Word of God falls to Southampton Academy, 40-34.

With one tweet, Josh Newkirk announced that he'll be playing in the ACC.

"Officially committed to Pitt. Glad to be apart of the family #HailToPitt !!!"

Former N.C. State point guard Quinton Jackson is the new boys' basketball coach at Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh.

The N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association basketball playoffs are set to start, and conclude, this week.

Aside from the opening rounds, which will be played Tuesday at higher seeds, Raleigh is the host of this year's tournaments.

Thursday's second quarterfinals, Friday's semifinals and Saturday's championships will be held at North Raleigh Christian Academy (1A), St. David's School (2A) and Ravenscroft (3A).

Among the top area teams in this year's field: Ravenscroft's boys (2-seed, 3A), Cary Academy girls (5-seed, 3A), Durham's Carolina Friends girls (2-seed, 2A), Cary Christian's girls (5-seed, 2A), Word of God boys (3-seed, 1A), St. David's girls (9-seed, 2A).

See full brackets below.

Ravenscroft center Marcus Bryan was instrumental in the Ravens’ 72-56 win over Word of God on Wednesday night. Coach Kevin Billerman said Bryan (pictured right) played some of his best basketball in the second half.

In the first half though, Bryan moved into second place in rebounds in school history. He needed just two rebounds to move ahead of Nate Williams, who had 656 in his career.

Bryan grabbed his second rebound early in the first quarter.  

“It feels pretty good,” Bryan said of the accomplishment.  “I’m working toward first.”

Bryan will have to put in a lot of work to catch Ryan Kelly, who left the school with 950 rebounds.

In the win over the Rams, Bryan finished with 11 rebounds to bring his total to 665. He also finished with 19 points and five blocks.

“I think in the first half, Marcus missed some shots and had a couple ball go through his hands,” Billerman said. “In the second half he was fabulous. Marcus certainly dominated the backboard.”

John Wall plays for the Washington Wizards, CJ Leslie for North Carolina State and highly recruited Torian Graham left Word of God to play his senior season for a school in Jacksonville, Fla.

But the absence of such alums didn't make Middle Creek's win over Raleigh Word of God any less satisfying to the Mustangs.

Raleigh Word of God has postponed its N.C. Independent School Athletic Association eight-man football semifinal game until Saturday.

Undefeated Word of God will play Northeast Academy at 4 p.m. at the Wilders Grove Youth Center on Saturday.

Ravenscroft enters NCISAA football playoffs as the No. 4 seed.

Word of God will play Hobgood Academy at Wilders Grove Community Center in Raleigh in the first round of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association eight-man football playoffs.