The initial plan for Porters Chapel to reach the playoffs was to win its district. That went out the window with an overtime loss to Riverfield two weeks ago, so now it’s time for Plan B.

There is a Plan C, but the Eagles would rather it not come to that.

PCA hosts Adams County Christian tonight with a playoff berth on the line. The winner will clinch second place in District 4-AA and the automatic berth in the Academy-AA playoffs that goes with it.

&#8220It’s huge,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. &#8220This is a game we really need to win. Hopefully we can come out, play well and give it our best shot.”

While the winner of tonight’s game is in, the loser is not done. Because there are only six districts in the Mississippi Private School Association’s Class AA, two wild-card spots were added to the South half of the bracket to round out the 16-team field. The North bracket also has two wild cards.

The wild-card spots are determined by a power point system, and both PCA and ACCS are in position to get into the postseason that way if they lose tonight.

Wright didn’t want to take his chances with it, though. Although his Eagles (5-3, 1-1 District 4-AA) are currently fifth in the South power point rankings – ACCS is sixth – they still have to play a struggling Prairie View squad at home and a very tough Trinity team on the road. A loss tonight and another in two weeks in Natchez might be enough to allow another team to pass PCA for a wild-card spot.

Central Private and Columbia Academy are both close enough to PCA in the power point rankings to take advantage of a PCA slip-up.

&#8220The goal every year is to win a district championship, and that goal is no longer attainable. Obviously, we need to do what we can and come in second and make a run in the playoffs,” Wright said.

Wright added that no matter how the Eagles get there, he feels they have as good a shot as anyone to go deep into the postseason.

Of the 15 teams in the South part of Class AA – Districts 4, 5 and 6 – only Riverfield, Brookhaven and Centreville have more than five wins. PCA took District 4-AA champion Riverfield to the wire and was blown out by Central Private, another squad that will go in as either a second-place team or a wild card. ACCS beat Brookhaven and lost by seven points to Centreville, which itself squeaked by mediocre teams from Oak Forest and Bowling Green.

&#8220South AA is wide open. There’s eight or nine teams that can be South State champions when all is said and done,” Wright said.

To further prove the point, you don’t have to look any farther than ACCS (4-4, 2-1).

The Rebels beat previously undefeated and then-No. 4 Brookhaven Academy 21-20 last Friday. ACCS had 241 rushing yards and threw only three passes in the upset.

&#8220They’ve got a good football team. They’re very big, strong and physical, and play smashmouth football. We’ve got our hands full,” Wright said.