5A Matchups to Watch: Round 2

The 5A bracket is already off to a wild start after six lower seeds won in Round 1. This week, the top 16 seeds join the fray. Will any of them go down? And which games have the potential to be classics? Here, we're breaking down three key 5A matchups to watch in the 5A classification.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A Round 2 Playoff Matchups to Watch</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">No. 15 North Davidson @ No. 2 Jay M. Robinson</h3>   North Davidson is in the midst of a fantastic season after three-straight losing campaigns, and half of their losses are against teams from higher classifications. The Black Knights haven't had the most consistent offense, but when it's humming, [player_tooltip player_id='1892496' first='Dominik' last='Stamatien'] is getting plenty of touches.   Robinson hasn't just won nine straight, the Bulldogs have allowed just 8.5 points per game during the streak. Sophomore linebackers [player_tooltip player_id='1815375' first='Isaiah' last='Woodburn'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1176263' first='Ennis' last='Stiles'] have been fantastic in leading the unit. Offensively, [player_tooltip player_id='1332096' first='LJ' last='Watson'] is the down-in-down-out running back, but Stiles and quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1607782' first='Aury' last='Greenfield'] have been big plays waiting to happen.   Both of these teams want to run the ball, but North Davidson wants to limit possessions, while Robinson will mix in some hurry-up and shot plays. As the Black Knights try to limit possessions, a couple of Bulldog stops could flip this game in their favor.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">No. 11 West Carteret @ No. 6 St. Pauls</h3>   Both of these teams love to play--and win--close games, which should make for a fun Round 2 matchup. West Carteret and St. Pauls are a combined 6-0 in one-score games. It'll be a team known for its passing attack against one of the most creative run schemes in 5A.   It starts with quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='870217' first='Tanner' last='Payne'] for the Patriots. The Elon commit has thrown for over 2,700 yards this year, with over 1,100 to TE/WR [player_tooltip player_id='1581460' first='Jay' last='Murray']. The underrated engine who makes the offense go is running back [player_tooltip player_id='1702456' first='Joshua' last='Bauman']. Last season, the entire team had 270 carries. This year, Bauman alone has over 250, going for over 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns.   St. Pauls has its own star running back, though he has less tread on the tires, as [player_tooltip player_id='1709591' first='Yoshua' last='McBryde'] has 100 fewer carries this year, still reaching 1,400 yards in the regular season. I'm interested to see if his carries tick up in the playoffs. Jakhi Purcell adds a reliable element to the passing game, while Malikah Locklear has exploded over the last month, with seven touchdown reception.   The St. Pauls pass rush may be the x-factor, as [player_tooltip player_id='1543777' first='De'Zhian' last='Roberts'] is a force, no matter where he's lined up, while [player_tooltip player_id='1953581' first='Dontez' last='Leach'] has gotten consistent pressure on blitzes. If Payne has time to scan the field, this could be a shootout. If St. Pauls can control the clock on offense and get pressure defensively, it'll be an uphill climb for the Patriots.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">No. 9 Southeast Alamance @ No. 8 Southern Nash</h3>   There's a big one in the Raleigh area as Southeast Alamance goes east to take on Southern Nash. Schematically, it's an intriguing matchup. Southeast Alamance likes to line up in a ton of 12 personnel, while maintaining a fairly pass-heavy balance. Tight end [player_tooltip player_id='668611' first='Drew' last='Easter'] is a huge part of that, as he has the versatility to flex out wide, sit in-line, or line up as an H-back. [player_tooltip player_id='668608' first='Logan' last='Luang-Sy']'s emergence as a true No. 1 receiver has helped, as well.   Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id='2044958' first='Aiden' last='Pak'] has been dominant and the Stallions have allowed under 17 points a game. They're coming off a Round 1 shutout.   Southern Nash's Camron Lyons and [player_tooltip player_id='1634632' first='Jaden' last='Hartsfield'] have been dynamic in the rushing game, combining for just under 2,000 yards. While the Firebirds don't throw often, Lyons has been explosive, keeping defenses off-balance. Southern Nash needs big games from its stars, including Zion Odom and [player_tooltip player_id='205617' first='Luke' last='Faulkner'] defensively, in a game that (on paper) looks like one of the closest of the weekend.   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The 5A bracket is already off to a wild start after six lower seeds won in Round 1. This week, the top 16 seeds join the fray. Will any of them go down? And which games have the potential to be classics? Here, we're breaking down three key 5A matchups to watch in the 5A classification.