Matthew Sparks: Can the picks survive this week?

Nov. 18—Survive and advance.

It's a popular phrase in postseason play.

Six area teams have advanced to the third round. Some call it a region championship game, others prefer to call it a state quarterfinal.

Any way you describe it, eight teams in each class are just three wins away from their ultimate goal.

With the exception of the Musketeers, who again churned out another gritty performance to leave Louisa with a win last week, the schools left in our coverage area haven't had to sweat out a postseason victory yet.

All impressive feats of football so far, but the road gets tougher tonight.

The Rams enjoy the friendly confines of home and Ironton ventures up U.S. 23 to play on a neutral site in Waverly. The other four competitors have to pack up for unfriendly territory to earn a state semifinal berth.

Who will be the survivors tonight? The band Survivor assists the selections this week. I hope I can pull through after another week of picks.

Playoffs Week 3 PicksAshland 28, Bell County 23. It's "The Moment of Truth" for the Tomcats. Ashland is currently riding a six-game winning streak and will be playing its second road contest in the last seven weeks. The Bobcats like to run. Of their 524 plays this season, they have run the ball 444 times. Daniel Thomas has rushed for 2,188 yards and Case Woolum has posted 1,062. The Tomcats are a different team now and they have the perfect platform to showcase it. The balanced offense will need to put points on the board and be sound in the tackling department. Ashland checks both off its to-do list.

Corbin 35, Johnson Central 24. It felt like the Golden Eagles didn't have a chance to unpack their bags during the first half of the season. "Across The Miles" they traversed through the first six games. Now Johnson Central travels to undefeated Corbin, which has collected six straight shutouts, including a 49-0 win over Letcher County Central. The Cougars gave Johnson Central all they wanted a few weeks ago. The running game might not be enough for Johnson Central to prevail.

Greenup County 31, Mason County 27. You can't say it's "The One That Really Matters." Every win has had special meaning for the Musketeers this year. Greenup County has already made a trip to Maysville this season and makes a return visit tonight. Greenup County nearly completed a valiant comeback in the regular season finale, but fell short to the Royals, who are enjoying an undefeated season to this point. The game features two great quarterbacks in Mason County's Keshaun Thomas and the Musketeers' Tyson Sammons. Who else will step up and be the deciding factor in this game?

Pikeville 38, Paintsville 14. Are the Tigers a better team since these two rivals played in Week 3 when the Panthers won 36-0? I believe so, but I can't "In Good Faith" say that the result will change in their postseason matchup.

Raceland 37, Hazard 17. The Rams ended the regular season on a high note to secure their playoff path wouldn't stray from Ram Stadium. As Raceland goes deeper in the playoffs, the home environment will get louder. The hill that overlooks the field will get more crowded with cars and the tents and folding chairs will get more plentiful around the track. It's the "Rhythm of the City." A November home playoff game feels like a perfect harmony for this football community. Raceland plays on after another stout defensive effort defeats the visiting Bulldogs.

Ironton 32, Harvest Prep 20. If the theme is Survivor, you know I'm saving the "Eye of the Tiger" for this entry. The Fighting Tigers have mauled their first three playoff opponents and now look to sink their teeth into the undefeated Warriors in Waverly. According to MaxPreps, Harvest Prep produced several lopsided wins until holding off Wheelersburg last week. Ironton has only given up one touchdown to each of its last four opponents. It's a battle of 13-0 teams for a region championship. The Tigers hope to ride the wave of momentum to the next round.

Set Your ClocksAfter your Friday night football fix, check out the sports talk show "Eleventh Hour" live at The Daily Independent's Facebook page at about 11 p.m., depending on our travel time. Zack Klemme and I break down the night's action and answer questions about your favorite area team. Photographer Matt Jones will also offer insights through his lens. Post your queries to the comments section during the show.

Listen Up!Tonight's radio coverage:

Class A

Paintsville at Pikeville: WKLW 94.7 FM

Hazard at Raceland: koolhits1057.com

Class 3A

Ashland at Bell County: WBVB 97.1 FM

Greenup County at Mason County: koolhits1057.com

Class 4A

Johnson Central at Corbin: WSIP 98.9 FM

Ohio Division V

Ironton vs. Harvest Prep (at Waverly): WIRO 1230 AM

Reach MATTHEW SPARKS at msparks@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654. Follow @SparksWillFly35 on Twitter.