By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

For the first time in a decade, Vancleave won’t be opening the state playoffs at home.
However, after getting swept by arch-rival East Central last week, the Bulldogs still have some work to do this week just to keep a length postseason streak alive before worrying about where they will play.
Along with two newcomers to Region 4-5A, Purvis and Northeast Jones, ECHS has also already clinched a berth in the upcoming Class 5A South State playoffs with one week left in the regular season. However, the fourth and final all-important spot in the region race is still up for grabs between Vancleave and Stone.

Here are the current Region 4-5A standings:
(Region record/overall)
1 Northeast Jones 9-3/14-10
2 Purvis 9-3/18-6
3 East Central 8-4/14-11
4 Vancleave 5-7/12-12
5 Stone 4-8/13-12

6 Wayne County 1-11/8-16

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This week, Vancleave takes on Northeast Jones, while East Central and Purvis face off as well. Stone winds up the regular season with three games against Wayne County.
The Bulldogs not only lead the Tomcats by one game in the region race for that fourth and final playoff berth, but VHS also has the tie-breaker over SHS thanks to taking two-of-three games in that series a couple of weeks ago.
Stone has to finish one game ahead of Vancleave at the end of the week to grab that fourth seed, or else the Bulldogs will return to the South State playoffs for the 13th straight season.

Northeast Jones has the tie-breaker over Purvis, but East Central holds the tiebreaker over the Tigers.

Region 4-5A will once again match-up with Region 3-5A in the opening round of the Class 5A South State playoffs, which begin late next week. Sumrall has won that region, and South Jones, the defending Class 5A South State champ, finished second. North Pike is the third seed, and Brookhaven the fourth.

The Class 5A state playoffs begin Friday, April 24th.