Two of the area's new high schools are on the doorstep of earning their first Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association football playoff berths, but they'll both need some luck.

In the 1A North region, New Town, in its fifth year, trails Catoctin by .14 for fourth place, and could move into playoff position with a win over Western Tech and a loss by Catoctin at unbeaten Smithsburg. However, since New Town closes the season with games against Sparrows Point and Chesapeake, who top the region, the Titans almost certainly will need help.

Marriotts Ridge, meanwhile, has moved to within .03 of Gwynn Park for the fourth and final 2A South playoff spot in the school's third year, but the Mustangs will have their hands full when they host top-ranked River Hill Friday night.

Among other developments to watch in the smaller classifications, Forest Park could move into third in the 1A South region, thus avoiding a first-round meeting with Dunbar, with a win over WEB DuBois and a Gwynn Park win over Surrattsville, which is .31 ahead of the Foresters.

Dunbar, which travels to Mervo Friday, has a .57 lead over Fort Hill for home-field advantage throughout the 1A South playoffs and all the way to the state semifinals.

We'll cover some of the other races involving area teams in the next post.