High school football fans in Attala County are in for a wild finish this week, as both the Ethel Tigers and McAdams Bulldogs head into their regular-season finales with playoff berths on the line.
Region 5-1A is wide open, with seeding possibilities for local teams ranging from a division title down to complex tiebreakers.
For the Ethel Tigers, victory Thursday night against Sebastopol is the simplest path to glory. A win over Sebastopol coupled with a Nanih Waiya win over McAdams seals the Region 5-1A championship and the No. 1 seed for Ethel.
However, if Sebastopol pulls off the upset over Ethel while Nanih Waiya beats McAdams, Ethel would slide all the way to the No. 4 seed, forcing them on the road for the opening round.
The McAdams Bulldogs control a major piece of their own destiny Thursday as well. A McAdams victory over Nanih Waiya paired with an Ethel win over Sebastopol would vault McAdams all the way into the No. 2 seed, securing a home playoff game. However, if both McAdams and Sebastopol win their respective games Thursday, Region 5-1A will fall into a chaotic five-way tie, sending all four playoff seeds to a point-differential calculation.
When the postseason kicks off, Region 5-1A will cross over with Region 7-1A in the opening round, where Bogue Chitto currently leads the pack for the top seed, followed by Mount Olive, Salem, and West Lincoln.
Depending on how Thursday and Friday night games play out, local fans can expect a few key scenarios:
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Ethel Tigers: A win guarantees a top seed and a home playoff game (likely facing West Lincoln or Salem). A loss could send Ethel on the road as the No. 4 seed to face Region 7 leader Bogue Chitto.
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McAdams Bulldogs: An upset victory over Nanih Waiya combined with an Ethel win locks McAdams into the No. 2 seed and brings a first-round home playoff game to McAdams against the No. 3 seed from Region 7.
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The Chaos Option: Wins by both McAdams and Sebastopol send the entire division into point-differential tiebreakers to determine seeds 1 through 4.
All MHSAA 1A-4A playoff scenarios, tiebreakers, and information can be found HERE.
Mark Mcelroy
October 27, 2026 at 1:25 PMPlay hard Tigers, make history again.. So proud of this team 💯💯