Week 12 Tri-Nine football predictions

This is it. The last week of the regular season. Overall, the conference is twice as good as it was last year. It's deeper (no longer Fuquay, Apex and Snow White's dwarfs), it's got better players, and it's done better out-of-conference.

With most of the conference's teams knowing they're playoff-bound, the biggest game in the conference this week is Cary at Panther Creek.

 Cary (5-5, 3-4) at Panther Creek (4-6, 2-5)

 I know Holly Springs versus Athens Drive may feature two teams with better overall records, but this game has more playoff implications, in that the loser will certainly be sweating it out come "selection Saturday." If Panther Creek loses, its players might as well focus on basketball or whatever else lies ahead. If Cary loses, it's still in good position to still earn a 15 or 16 seed in the East 4-AA, but nothing is guaranteed and Panther Creek would be seeded a spot ahead of it. I'll be at this game, and you can listen to myself and David Maney broadcast live on http://caryhighimps.ihigh.com/. In the end, I think Cary's a better team (PC's defense is in shambles) and they end the Catamounts' once-promising season.

Final verdict: Cary by 13

Athens Drive (7-3, 5-2) at Holly Springs (7-3, 6-1)

I like this match-up a lot. The offensive styles are completely different, but each team features a small, but quick and strong defensive line that has really stepped up in recent weeks. It's funny, at the beginning of this year I had Athens Drive second in the Tri-Nine, and Holly Springs was just trying to get a winning season (check) and a playoff berth (check). Now the Golden Hawks can finish no worse than second-place in the Tri-Nine, win or lose tonight. I gotta go with Holly Springs here, being senior night and all. Oh, and they're on a six-game win streak, the second-longest in the conference. BUT, if Athens Drive wins, I'm going to look like a genius when we roll out my before-the-year predictions.

Final verdict: Holly Springs by 8

Lee County (3-7, 2-5) at Fuquay-Varina (8-2, 5-2)

The Yellow Jackets will try to steal a win on Fuquay's senior night to become playoff-eligible. Fuquay has too much talent to let that happen, but let's not forget that Lee County has been the ultimate hard-luck team this year. Lee lost to Apex by 4, Athens Drive by 1, Holly Springs by 4 and Middle Creek by 3. The Yellow Jackets just picked up a close win over Panther Creek (won by 1 on a blocked "gimme" field goal as time expired), so Fuquay beware. But when's the last time the Bengals lost two in a row? If you said 2005, you'd be correct. Gotta go with Ryan Habich's team in this one.

Final verdict: Fuquay-Varina by 14

Middle Creek (9-1, 7-0) at Apex (2-8, 2-5)

Last week really showed me something about Middle Creek. Twice, I've seen them go up against a tough, grind-it-out attack with a good defense, and twice I saw them win in low-scoring fashion. They've won some blowouts here and there thanks to their explosive offense, but their defense kept them in those two. Oh, and their special teams almost single-handedly won games against Garner and Lee County. Is their a chink in their armor? I think if there is, it'll take a pretty darn good team in the 4-A playoffs to find it. I've got the Mustangs in this one by a comfortable margin.

Final verdict: Middle Creek by 16

NCISAA PLAYOFFS: Cary Christian (8-2) at St. David's (9-1)

You've got to love 8-man football. Only there can you have a team win in the first round of the playoffs 79-38 (yes you read that right) like St. David's did last week. Cary Christian won its first-round game 34-0, but can it handle the St. David's attack? Since their first meeting this year ended in a 56-21 St. David's victory, I guess I'll go with them again here. A very good season by the Knights, however.

Final verdict: St. David's by 20