WOODVILLE — It’s just good to be back in the postseason if you’re Wilkinson County High School.

Head coach Kenneth Brown said making the playoffs in his first year as coach is nice as his Wildcats are set to play in the first round of the MHSAA Class 3A playoffs.

“It’s been a number of years since we’ve been in the playoffs,” Brown said. “I guess it’s more exciting, this being my first year as coach. We have a young team, and it’s just a good feeling.”

On Friday, the Wildcats (5-5, 2-3) will travel to Kemper County High School to face a run-oriented offensive attack, Brown said.

“They’ll line you up in the pistol and other power sets, run two-tight end sets and that sort of thing,” Brown said. “It means you have to bring more people up in the box. We’re going to have to try and force them to do things we think they’re uncomfortable doing.”

After a 27-26 loss at Prentiss High School last week, Brown said he’s hoping to avoid entering postseason play with a lull.

“I don’t know if it was because we were already in the playoffs, but we were in a position to win and didn’t do a good job,” Brown said of last week’s game. “I’m just trying to get the guys to be a little more aggressive.”

Kickoff at Kemper County is at 7 p.m. Friday

Jefferson County at Philadelphia

FAYETTE — After a disappointing regular season, Jefferson County High School has a tall task ahead of itself Friday in the first round of the 3A playoffs.

The Tigers (3-8, 2-3) travel to undefeated Philadelphia High School. Philadelphia is ranked No. 3 in The Clarion-Ledger’s Class 3A poll, and Tigers coach James Herrington said Philadelphia’s records speaks for itself.

“Anytime you can go undefeated and become the champions of your area, you have to be doing something right,” Herrington said.

“They’re a pretty fast team. Their defense is extremely speedy. We basically have to try to do the same things we’ve attempted all year, block and tackle. If we don’t do that well, we won’t be successful.”

Herrington said he expected more from his team in the regular season, but it was good not to end the streak of consecutive playoff appearances.

“With us being in the playoffs the last five years in a row, ever since I started coaching here, you don’t want to be the team that doesn’t make it,” Herrington said.

Kickoff at Philadelphia is at 7 p.m.

Southeast Lauderdale at Franklin County

MEADVILLE — Franklin County High School will look to slow down Southeast Lauderdale High School all-purpose athlete Ladarious Clark Friday night.

The Bulldogs (8-3, 4-1) play host to Southeast Lauderdale in the first round of the 3A playoffs, and head coach Rickey O’Quinn said Clark will be one of the best players his team has played against all year.

“They line him up at running back, wide receiver and quarterback, so we’re going to have to be disciplined,” O’Quinn said. “We’re going to have to get three or four people around the football at all times.”

O’Quinn said he’s been focusing on fundamentals this week as he preps his team for postseason play, and he said intensity is the biggest key to being successful in November.

“In the regular season, you can tend to turn it on and turn it off,” O’Quinn said. “In the playoffs, you can’t do that. From here on, we’re going to play some pretty good football teams, so we’re going to have to play complete football games.”

Kickoff at Franklin County is at 7 Friday night.