Bobcats seeking first area title under Beck
By Staff
Mike Self FCT Sports Editor
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Phil Campbell Bobcats have already clinched a spot in the Class 2A playoffs.
But postseason trips are nothing new for the Bobcats. This will mark their fourth playoff appearance in Michael Beck's six seasons as head coach.
This year's Phil Campbell squad still has a chance, however, to do something that none of Beck's five previous teams were able to accomplish.
With a two-game sweep of county rival Red Bay on Monday and Tuesday, the Bobcats can claim the Class 2A, Area 16 championship outright.
Phil Campbell competed during Beck's first five seasons in Class 3A, Area 9, where the Bobcats had to deal with perennial powers Winfield and Sulligent.
This season, Phil Campbell dropped down to Class 2A and joined county rivals Red Bay and Belgreen in Area 16.
The Bobcats (15-7, 5-1 area) have made themselves right at home, sweeping area series from Belgreen and Cherokee and splitting a pair of games with No. 8 Colbert Heights.
The Wildcats (6-2 area) have already clinched the other playoff spot in Area 16, but their split with Cherokee earlier this week left the door open for Phil Campbell to capture the area crown.
If the Bobcats beat Red Bay on Monday and Tuesday, they will be area champions and earn the right to host a first-round playoff game against the runner-up from Area 10.
A split of the two-game series with Red Bay will leave Phil Campbell and Colbert Heights tied for first in the area standings.
The two teams would then face off in a one-game playoff to determine the area champion.
The Bobcats and Wildcats split a pair of 4-2 decisions on March 28-29, with Phil Campbell ace Griffin Harris out-dueling Colbert Heights stopper Jackson Agee in game one.
If Phil Campbell were to lose both games to Red Bay (4-13), Colbert Heights would be crowned area champion and the Bobcats would have to settle for second place.
Phil Campbell defeated Red Bay 15-5 in the semifinals of the county tournament, but Beck is approaching this week's games with a sense of caution.
