It seems inevitable that Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and West Hancock would eventually meet in the Class A football playoffs.

The two teams played in the third round of the 2020 postseason at Britt, where West Hancock won, 56-18. During the 2021 regular season, H-M-S and West Hancock were paired again for a non-district matchup in Week 6. The defending Class A champions won that game, 20-6.

Now they meet again this Friday, again at Britt, and again with a berth in the playoff semifinals on the line.

The familiarity between the two teams suggests there won't be many surprises. The strength of bot...