When the Tellico Plains Bears and Oliver Springs Bobcats meet on Friday night at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs, it will be a showdown of two programs that very few thought was possible.

Over the past two seasons, the Bears and Bobcats struggled against larger schools and were a combined 5-36, with four of those wins earned by the Bobcats.
But this season, each team found its stride in a more evenly matched district and are a combined 15-5 entering the playoffs.

The Bears are seeded sixth in the quadrant despite a 7-3 record.
The five other teams, including Oliver Springs, are automatic qualifiers and automatically received a higher seed than the Bears.
Tellico is hosting what will likely be its only home playoff game due to its seeding.
The Bobcats, seeded fourth, were not allowed to host a playoff game due to TSSAA sanctions stemming from its basketball program.
Friday will mark the Bears' first playoff game since 2001.

The Bears' last playoff win came in 1994, a 35-28 win over Oliver Springs.
Despite some injury issues, the Bears have rolled up big numbers in their last two games.
Tellico has outscored the opposition 68-14 since going through a two-game skid in early October.
Running back Deion O'Dell, who has rushed for 1,120 yards this season, was nursing a shoulder injury did not play last week against Midway for precautionary reasons but is expected to be ready for Friday's game.
Oliver Springs is no stranger to Monroe County as the Bobcats were in the same region as the Sweetwater Wildcats for several years.

The winner of Friday night's game will be on the road next week at Hampton, the No. 1 seed in the quadrant.
By rule of the TSSAA, all playoff games are to begin at 7 p.m. local time.