It’s that time again. No, I don’t mean basketball season, though it is just around the corner. It’s time for what many call the second season: the playoffs.

The top four teams in each region are put on the brackets for the playoffs. The No. 1 or higher ranked team will get at least two, maybe more home games as everyone tries to make that long march to the championship games to be played this year in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

In Laurens County, we have the Dublin Fighting Irish, who just won their fourth region title in a row. And boy, it wasn’t easy.

The Irish had to scratch and claw to get out of Louisville with a 13-12 victory to get the Region 3-AA crown. The win gave them a No. 1 seed and a date with the Central-Macon Chargers this Friday in the Shamrock Bowl.

The Chargers are not strangers coming to the Shamrock Bowl. In fact, I was told the last team to beat the Irish in the regular season at the Shamrock Bowl was Central in 2003. That was when both teams played in Region 4-AAA.

The last time these two squads met, neither was having a good year. Central finished with a 2-8 mark and the Irish were 3-7 in coach Roger Holmes’ second year at Dublin.

Of course, none of the players from those 2003 squads are with the teams anymore. Dublin has since won a Class AA state title and been back to the Georgia Dome three more times. That’s where they’d love to wind up again this year.

But first, the Irish are going to have to beat a scrappy Charger team. Only once did Central get blown out and that was went they opened the season with top-ranked Westside-Macon (51-0), which plays in Class AAAA.

The Chargers (5-5) are the No. 4 seed from Region 4-AA. And though they have scored 34 points in two straight games, they have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season.

Dublin is coming out of a region where it had to fight hard every week. Well, except for when they played a few teams. But for the most part, the Irish have been tested this season.

Yeah, they may have a few players hurt, but I like their chances with the weapons they have on offense and the way they are playing defense.

My pick: Irish 21, Chargers 12.