ASHLAND — Usually in this weekly look at high school football we have a set template.

This week I want to change it up a little bit.

So let’s get started with a few things to know.

Week 11 things

to know

‰Rail Cities Bowl will be a battle of brothers. Talk about a house divided.

Russell running back Bryant Cathey and Raceland wide reciever Brady Harris are stepbrothers and are very close to one another.

But for the past week the two have been rivals, as they will face off tonight when Raceland travels to Russell.

‰Fairview is on a roll. The Eagles haven’t lost a regular-season game since Oct. 22, 2010.

That’s 20 regular season games Fairview has flown through without a loss.

The Eagles have a chance to make it 21, along with taking its second straight perfect regular season tonight when they travel to Powell County.

And now that the things to know are pointed out, now I want to take a look at next week when the state playoffs start.

Nine games feature area teams in action.

Here is a look at each game featuring a local team next week.

Class 4A

‰ Holmes at Ashland, Friday 7:30 p.m. This is the most intriguing local game of the playoffs.

Ashland is coming off an emotional final game of the season loss against Johnson Central.

And don’t let Holmes’ 5-4 record fool you. The Bulldogs played Highlands, Covington Catholic, Simon Kenton among others.

Ashland has high expectations this season, but the Tomcats have a tough first step to make it to Bowling Green.

‰ Boyd County at Highlands, Friday 7:30 p.m. This one seems simple enough to describe.

Highlands is the five-time defending Class 4A State Champion. Its only loss this year is to Cincinnati Elder, one of the perennial powers in the state of Ohio.

Boyd County grabbed the fourth seed in the district, and there is a reason nobody wants to grab the fourth seed in the district.

‰ Harrison County at Johnson Central, Friday 7:30 p.m. This one should be pretty easy for Johnson Central.

Harrison County has one win on the season, against an equally bad Pendleton County team.

Look for the Golden Eagles to march into the second round with a big win.  

‰ Rowan County at Covington Catholic, Saturday 1 p.m. After picking up a win against Boyd County this season, Rowan County coach Kyle Singleton knew his team would be in this spot.

Singleton said no matter if you get Highlands or Covington Catholic, you’re going to be in for a tough game.

Covington Catholic has lost two games this season, including a 35-21 decision to rival Highlands.

Class 3A

‰ Garrard County at Russell, Friday 7:30 p.m. Russell’s first game of the playoffs is a little hard to predict.

Garrard County is only 5-4, but they’ve been in all four games they’ve lost, including two one-point deisions.

Russell will have to deal with Garrard County running back Noah Williams if they want a shot at moving to the next round.

‰ Lawrence County at Morgan County, Friday 7:30 p.m. After all that has happened to West Liberty this past year, it’s great to see them hosting a playoff game.

The Cougars have only lost one game this season against undefeated district rival Breathitt County going into tonight’s game at East Carter.

Lawrence County has been the most up-and-down team in the area, picking up motivating wins followed by crushing losses.

Morgan County should be the favorite, but Lawrence County could pull off the win.

‰ Lewis County at Bourbon County, Friday 7:30 p.m. Lewis County picked up the last Class 3A, District 6 playoff spot by sweeping the Carter County schools.

Bourbon County reached the playoffs by not losing, and doing so by allowing only 120 points in nine games.

Kentayvous Hopkins leads Bourbon county with 1,233 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.

Class A

‰ Phelps and Fairview, Friday 7:30 p.m. “Believing in the Wood” is not that hard these days.

It’s even easier to believe in them next week when they play a winless Phelps team that made it into the playoffs on a technicality.

Look for the Eagles to move on to the second round with ease.

‰Allen Central at Raceland, Friday 7:30 p.m. While Fairview gets to go against winless Phelps, Raceland might have a little bit of trouble next week.

They go up against a one-win Allen Central team. That one win was a 22-20 victory over Phelps.

Even if the Rams sit out the entire first-string, I expect them to move on to the second round.

KYLE HOBSTETTER can be reached at khobstetter@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2658.