No. 13 Grafton (6-4) at No. 4 King’s Fork (8-2) – 7:30 p.m.

King’s Fork High School’s football team is relishing having the home field advantage in the playoffs for the first time in school history.

“We’re excited,” Bulldogs coach Joe Jones said. “We’ve got a lot of good momentum from last week with the Western Branch (High School) win.”

King’s Fork’s focus has now shifted to Grafton High School.

“They run the option, and being an option guy myself, I have a lot of respect for the option, and I know why we run it, and we don’t run it as much this year as we have in the past year, but (the Clippers) do a pretty good job of it,” Jones said.

The option typically involves three potential runners on each play. Defenses must assign players the responsibility to stop those potential runners every play.

“It’s a tough offense to stop because you have to really play sound, responsibility, disciplined football,” Jones said.

Grafton has been enduring injuries this year, but has some key playmakers, including junior running back/defensive tackle Trevaun Walker, freshman quarterback/free safety Jordan Ballowe and senior running back/linebacker Zach Lechthaler.

On the injury report, Bulldogs junior feature back Deshaun Wethington will be a game time decision.

No. 16 Lakeland (3-7) at No. 1 Lake Taylor (10-0) – 7:30 p.m.

After a year away, Lakeland High School’s football team returns to the postseason.

“It’s an exciting feeling,” said Cavaliers coach Bryan Potts. “This is one of the team’s goals we set from the very beginning of the year.”

He said he did not mention a desired number of wins to his team before the season began.

“I just wanted to get back in postseason play,” Potts said. “I think it gives us a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment that we’re back.”

The Cavaliers face a formidable first round opponent in the form of Lake Taylor High School.

“They’re tough,” Potts said. “We know, defensively, they’re going to load the box and bring seven, eight guys if you don’t spread them out.”

He said the Titans are pretty well put together on offense, if not as talented as the 2012 Lake Taylor state championship team.

Two Lake Taylor players that could make life miserable for the Cavs, unless contained, are junior running back/free safety Dazmine Palmer and senior running back/corner back Marcus Hawkins.

“They definitely want to run the ball more,” Potts said of the Titans.

The coach also said Lakeland’s team has no major injuries.

No. 11 Nansemond River (5-5) vs. No. 6 Phoebus (7-3) – Saturday, 7 p.m. at Darling Stadium

Nansemond River High School will get an extra day to prepare for its playoff game because Darling Stadium is a busy place.

Western Branch and Kecoughtan high schools face off there Friday night and Green Run and Hampton high schools play each other there Saturday afternoon, pushing the Warriors’ and Phantoms’ showdown to Saturday evening.

NR coach David Coccoli has helped his team step up the intensity given the nature of the playoffs.

“I think the kids understand that either win Saturday night, or you turn your stuff in Saturday night,” he said.

He noted their preparation for Phoebus has been solid.

“I’ve been happy with the way we’ve practiced the last couple of days.”

The Warriors will need to defend what their coach described as a balanced Phantoms offense.

Playmakers for Phoebus include junior slotback/corner back Robbie Robinson, junior wide receiver/free safety Elijah Nelson, junior running back JoMari Becnel and junior quarterback/free safety Justin Wright.

“They’re a good, solid football team,” Coccoli said.

He said except for injured senior defensive back/wide receiver Antonio Sims, everyone on the Warriors roster is healthy enough to play.