If there was one thing the Warren Central Vikings learned from a pair of disappointing losses in late October, it was that they belong in the discussion of state championship contenders.

Considering the road they’ll have to travel to get there, it was a valuable lesson.

The Vikings (9-2) open the Class 6A playoffs on Friday night at Southaven (9-2) in the type of matchup normally reserved for later rounds. This year’s Class 6A bracket is far from normal, though.

Of the eight teams in the North half, only Northwest Rankin (5-7) has less than eight wins. It’s the kind of challenge that makes a singular focus on each week not just wise, but a necessity, WC coach Josh Morgan said.

“Southaven’s a mighty good football team. It’s solid. All we’re focusing on is coming away from there with a win,” Morgan said. “All we can do is focus on being the best team on the field each night.”

Warren Central was forced to go on the road after losing to Clinton and Starkville and slipping to the No. 3 seed in Region 2-6A. Morgan said, however, that the Vikings learned a lot about themselves in those defeats — specifically, that they can hang with the best Mississippi has to offer. WC lost 14-13 to No. 5 Clinton when an extra point sailed wide in the final minute. It then led No. 1 Starkville 17-0 in the third quarter before losing 28-17.

The losses followed victories over Madison Central and Murrah — two talented teams that hit the skids and missed the playoffs — and cemented WC’s status.

“It’s made us better. We’ve gotten better,” Morgan said. “The month of October was rugged. We did some good things and saw things we needed to do to get better.”

Southaven followed a similar road. Its only loss to a Mississippi team came in October against No. 2 South Panola (11-0). Southaven also lost 52-49 to McCracken County (Kentucky) in September — a team that finished its season 9-2.

The Chargers are averaging 31.9 points per game, which will be a formidable challenge for WC’s staunch defense. The Vikings have allowed just 101 points, the fewest in Class 6A for the second year in a row.

Southaven is led by quarterback Nic Kennedy, a shifty dual-threat player. Morgan said WC’s ace in the hole was his own backup quarterback Jessie Wilson, a sophomore who has seen limited playing time this season but is similar in size and ability to Kennedy.

“(Kennedy) reminds me a lot of Jessie. He’s just an older version. Jessie will give us a good look on the scout team,” Morgan said.

Warren Central and Southaven haven’t played each other since the 2004 Red Carpet Bowl, but Southaven has contributed to an ignominious streak for WC.

Warren Central hasn’t won a playoff game since 2002, and is just 3-14 overall in the postseason since winning its last state championship in 1994. WC’s playoff losing streak stands at seven games, and started with a 15-9 loss to Southaven.

This season has been one of rebirth for WC’s program, though. Its nine wins are the most since 2004. Morgan said the current roster has both the talent and the attitude to continue the success into the postseason.

“It really is a different team. This has been a team that’s been a barrier breaker,” Morgan said. “We don’t get caught in that (history). We’re trying to win this game and keep playing as long as we can. They’ve been looking at this for a long time.”