Friday night lights are sticking around in Lakeland for at least one more week. The Lakeland Prep Lions host Jackson North Side in the first round of the TSSAA football playoffs this Friday.
The details:
- What: TSSAA Division I, Class 4A state playoffs, first round (Game 112)
- When: Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m.
- Where: Lakeland Prep, 5020 Lions Crest Drive
- Tickets: $8 in advance on GoFan or $10 at the gate, per the TSSAA
The matchup: Lakeland Prep (7-3) is the No. 2 seed out of Region 8. North Side (7-3) is the No. 3 seed from Region 7. Under TSSAA rules, the higher seed hosts in the first two rounds, which is why the game is in Lakeland.
How they got here: The Lions went 5-1 in region play and enter the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, per MaxPreps. Their last regular-season game was a 44-22 home win over Humboldt on Oct. 30. Their three losses came against Covington, Haywood (64-50) and Arlington. Haywood, Region 8’s top seed, hosts South Gibson in its own first-round game.
A little history: Playoff wins are still pretty new for this program. Lakeland Prep won the first playoff game in school history in October 2021, beating Crestview 42-24, Lakeland Currents reported at the time.
What’s next: The winner moves on to the second round on Friday, Nov. 13, against the winner of Pearl-Cohn vs. Montgomery Central. The Class 4A state championship is Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m. at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga as part of the BlueCross Bowl.
Go Lions.
Sources: TSSAA Division I Class 4A bracket · TSSAA: Football playoff brackets set for 2026 series · GoFan tickets · MaxPreps: Lakeland Prep schedule · Lakeland Currents (2021) · Lakeland Prep
Photo: Lakeland Preparatory School (LPS Football). Shows Lakeland Prep football underclassmen from the 2025-26 season. Resized and set on a blurred fill.
