Eight of the 20 area high school football teams survived the regular season to play in Week 11, the opening round of the playoffs and the first step toward securing the area’s first gold ball since 1986.

A look at their paths follows.



Class 4A

Wagoner (7-3) looks to continue its success on the road in the playoffs against Jay (7-3). The Bulldogs played their first playoff game on the road last year for the first time since beating Spiro, 27-0.

Then, if Wagoner wins, it gets tougher. The Bulldogs meet the Glenpool-Douglass winner in the quarterfinals. Glenpool is the defending state champion and knocked out Wagoner 26-7 in 2008. Wagoner has been beaten by the eventual state champion the last four years — including Bishop McGuiness in 2006 and 2007 and Clinton in 2005.



Class 3A

Checotah's trek will start on the road this year at Berryhill (8-2).

A win and the Wildcats could get Madill (10-0) and former Eufaula coach Kerry Roberts in the quarterfinals. Madill, the District 3A-2 champ, plays at home against Blanchard (7-3). Clinton, which ended Checotah's season in last year's quarterfinals, looms as a possible semifinal opponent.

Checotah (8-2) and Berryhill have two common opponents this season. The Wildcats edged Morris at home, 13-12, in week 1 and beat Kellyville 54-6 in week 6. The Chiefs beat Morris 27-6 and Kellyville 32-18 in weeks 2 and 3.



Class 2A

The bracket is tentative due to an OSSAA appeal involving Jones. The appeal to the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletic Association will be heard Wednesday.

Two area teams who open at home could hook up in the second round. If Sequoyah (10-0) beats Sperry (6-4) and Stigler (7-3) knocks off Prague, they'll meet at Sequoyah in the second round.

Vian and Sequoyah made it to the third round last year, losing to Kingfisher and Heritage Hall, respectively. Should each win a pair of playoff games this time around, it will be Vian playing Heritage Hall and Sequoyah going against Kingfisher. Vian (9-1) opens against Pawhuska and would travel to either Morris or Valliant in the second round.

Sequoyah, ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll, has yet to be seriously challenged. The Indians have won every game by double-digits, including a 21-point win over Vian, and their average victory margin in district play was 37 points.



Class A

Gore finished its second straight regular season at 8-2. The Pirates are making their 26th playoff appearance, but they try to clear the obstacle of not winning a playoff game on the road since 1975. That year, the Pirates beat Talihina 6-0. This week, Stratford is 6-4 and the runner-up from A-5.



Class B

Porter (10-0) finished with its first undefeated season and district title. The Pirates look to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. They have gone down with a fight in the first game each of the last two years, losing to Depew in four overtimes last year and in three overtimes to Davenport in 2007. No. 4 Porter plays at home against Weleetka (6-4) on Friday.



Class C

Midway’s on a roll going into the postseason with three straight wins and five victories in the last six games. But the Chargers' road is a bruiser. Deer Creek Lamont comes to Council Hill this week. Should Midway (6-4) prevail in that one, a road trip to Shattuck, which has a national-record 92-game win streak in 8-man football going, looms as a quarterfinal assignment.