While the football postseason has commenced, just one Jackson County team will take the field this week.

Brownstown Central will host Corydon Central on the gridiron in Sectional 31 competition while Seymour gets a bye this Friday evening.

Brownstown head coach Reed May had a message for his players once the regular season came to a conclusion.

“We’ve had a great season so far, but we are 0-0 now. Its tournament time,” he said.

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Brownstown finished undefeated in Mid-Southern Conference play last week with a 51-7 win over Scottsburg.

The Class 3A No. 7 Braves (9-1) will host Corydon Central (3-6) on Friday, a team which they beat 49-0 in the season-opener on Aug. 17.

May said that the Panthers have switched things up since the last time the two teams played.

“They changed both their offense and defense,” he said. “They played a pro defense the first game and now they’re in an odd defense with a nose guard. Offensively, they have recently changed over to a standard shotgun set while also running some ‘I.’ I think they are still searching, but they beat three teams this year. They are improving, we just need to make sure we can take care of business on Friday night so we can advance.”

Corydon last beat BCHS in the first round of the 2011 sectional. That Panthers team went on to not only win the sectional, but also take the regional.

The Braves currently boast 12 sectional titles (nine in Class 2A, three in 3A), with the most recent being in 2016.

It’s an odd week for the Braves, as the school is currently on fall break.

May said he tries to keep the schedule as normal as possible for the players while he gets extra time to prepare for any other teams the Braves could face down the road.

“Fall break is an interesting week,” he said. “We have them come in at 9 a.m., so they don’t sleep all day, and watch film before they come back for meetings and practice.”

Should the Braves win, they will travel to the winner of No. 15 Charlestown (7-2) at Salem (5-4) next week. The Braves beat CHS 50-13 on Aug. 24 and Salem 48-13 on Sept. 7.

There is more of an unknown in the upper bracket for the Braves, as North Harrison (6-3) plays Lawrenceburg (4-5) and No. 12 Batesville (7-2) takes on Greensburg (3-6).

The Braves posted a 42-0 win over North Harrison on Sept. 14, but have not faced the other three schools this season.

Batesville beat Lawrenceburg 33-30 in overtime on Sept. 21 while Greensburg has losses to both schools in the regular season.

May and his staff have challenged both the seniors and underclassmen.

“We tell the seniors they are only guaranteed so many games,” May said. “We are only guaranteed one game right now.”

On Friday night, Seymour High School head coach Mike Kelly won’t be working the sidelines.

Instead of leading the Owls, he will be catching the game between Class 5A No. 3 Columbus East (7-2) and No. 16 New Albany (5-4).

The Owls (6-3) drew a bye in the first round of the Sectional 15 bracket, and will travel to the winner of New Albany/East on Oct. 26.

Not knowing which team the program will face, Kelly is having his players focus on themselves this week.

“I think, right now, it is us focusing on our fundamentals,” he said. “We need to stay in tune and go back to the basics. I think that sometimes, as you progress through the season, you lose some of that individual time. We will get some individual work in this week.”

While East has largely dominated the Hoosier Hills Conference over the past 15 years, the Bulldogs gave them all they could handle on Sept. 14.

The Olympians posted a 20-19 over the Bulldogs, with the difference being a failed 2-point conversion with 1:54 left in the game.

“Athletically, (New Albany) matches up really well with (East),” Kelly said. “I think, on defense, they have had a significant amount of growth over the last few years. You see a very good defense. Their defense is very physical and fast. They can lock East up and force them to throw the football. East, the first time, had to throw their screen game a whole lot more than they wanted to, but they did enough to keep the game balanced. “

“Columbus East is much like us in that they want to run the football first and then throw off the run game. East is a high-caliber team that does some great things. It is going to be a fun one to watch. They will compete. Both teams have quality athletes on both sides of the football, and I think that is why they match up so well with each other.”

Seymour played both teams on the road this season, losing to East 42-6 on Aug. 31 and 21-7 versus New Albany on Oct. 5.

The other side of the Sectional 15 semifinals is set, with No. 8 Bedford North Lawrence (7-2) going to No. 16 Floyd Central (5-4) next week. SHS beat Floyd 27-22 on Sept. 7 and lost to BNL 27-19 on Sept. 14.

With little time left in the season, Kelly has challenged his players to step up.

“We’ve talked about a sense of urgency all season long with what we are doing,” Kelly said. “In the off-season, the kids feel you have plenty of time. Now, it is survive and advance. You need to make the most of your opportunities.”

Seymour hasn’t won a sectional title since 2001.

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What: Corydon Central (3-6) at Brownstown Central (8-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Blevins Memorial Stadium

Radio: 96.3 WJAA

Last outing: Brownstown def. Scottsburg 51-7, Silver Creek def. Corydon 34-14.

Most recent meeting: Brownstown won 49-0 on Aug. 17.

Series past 30 years: Brownstown 28-5.

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