SEVIERVILLE — Both the Sevier County Smoky Bears, who are the east quadrant’s No.1 seed in 6A, and the Seymour Eagles, the No.8 seed in 5A’s east quadrant, have a tough row to hoe to make way in this year’s TSSAA playoffs.

Despite an undefeated season and a top seed, the District 2-AAA champion Smoky Bears will have to face the powerful Bearden Bulldogs (8-2, 5-2 in in District 4-AAA).

The Bulldogs had success in 2008 against the Smoky Bears, as they rode then-sophomore running back Devrin Young for 270 yards and five touchdowns in a 46-29 win.

Coach Steve Brewer said he thinks the Bears may be in the toughest bracket quadrant in the state playoffs.

“I think if you look out our bracket, all eight teams (Sevier County, Bearden, Ooltewah, Farragut, McMinn County, Oak Ridge, Dobyns-Bennett and Maryville), it’s just a tough region, a tough area to begin with.

“All the teams in that bracket have been in the top five in the state at some point. So that’s a tough draw, there’s no doubt about that. I think at this level, 6A, you’re going to get a tough draw any time you play. We’re playing a very good, explosive, 8-2 Bearden team in the first round. And if we got past Bearden, we’d get the opportunity to play the winner of Ooltewah-Farragut.

“The good thing is, we’re at home,” Brewer said. “We’ll never have to get on a bus unless it’s many, many weeks away. As long as we keep winning, we will play at home.

“Our players are excited about it, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Seymour, the 8th-seeded team in their quadrant, drew the 10-0 Tennessee High Vikings in the first round.

Tennessee High is the Associated Press’ No.1-ranked 5A team in the state, and no team they played this year finished within 15 points of the Vikings.

They’ve had impressive wins this year over Sullivan South, Daniel Boone, Dobyns-Bennett, Greeneville and Science Hill, with all of those coming in convincing fashion.

Still, first-year coach Jim Moore and his Eagles are looking forward to the challenge.

“(We) love it, love it, and I’m serious,” Moore said. “We’ve told our kids all week that that’s who we expect to play, who we want to play.

“Why go into the playoffs and think, let’s just worry about winning a game? You’ve got to beat them all, and if we’ve got to play somebody and we’ve got a chance to beat them, heck, it’s great that they’re No.1. We’re excited about it.

“I have no doubt we can play with anybody.”

While the Smoky Bears will host Bearden on Friday, the Eagles will have to travel to Bristol to face Tennessee High.

mpsports@themountainpress.com