The Brookhaven High Panthers (5-5) hope to lock up the third seed in Region 3-5A Friday night when they travel to south Jackson to face the Forest Hill Patriots (4-7).

West Jones sits atop the division with a 6-0 record and is followed by 5-1 Laurel. BHS is next at 4-2 and the Patriots are one game behind them with a 3-3 mark. South Jones (2-4), Natchez (2-4), Jim Hill (1-5) and Wingfield (1-5) make up the rest of the table.

Region 3 matches up with Region 4-5A in the first round of the playoffs and who wins that division will be decided tonight when Picayune (10-0) and Wayne County (8-2) play. If BHS beats FH they’ll travel to play the loser of that game next Friday in the opening round of the playoffs.

A BHS loss tonight would put them fourth in the final standings and means they’d travel next week to play whoever wins the Picayune and WC game.

Despite their record the Patriots aren’t pushovers. They only trailed Laurel by 10 at halftime in their matchup and scored 18 points against a very greedy West Jones defense.

Kickoff at South Jackson Field on Raymond Road is set for 7 p.m.