CARY- Middle Creek will receive an automatic bid to the playoffs after winning a draw for third place in the Tri-Eight. Cary drew the conference's fourth seed and Athens Drive drew fifth.

Representatives from Middle Creek, Cary and Athens Drive met at Green Hope High School to determine which team would come out on top of a three-way tie for third place in the Tri-Eight conference.

Each representative drew a folded piece of paper from a hat. The number on the paper determined the seeding for football playoffs, which start next week.

Middle Creek Athletics Director Lewis Owens drew the number three, locking up a playoff bid for the Mustangs.

All three teams had identical records across the board. Each posted 4-3 records in conference, 4-7 records overall and 4-6 records after dropping an endowment game.

To force a three-way tie, Cary lost to Fuquay-Varina, Athens Drive defeated Green Hope and Middle Creek held of Panther Creek.

Owens won a three-way tie for first place last season, when the Mustangs posted identical 6-1 conference records of Athens Drive and Fuquay-Varina despite finishing the year 6-5 overall while the other two finished 10-1.

Cary Athletics Director Kurt Glendenning drew the number four for the Imps.

Athens Drive Jeff Smouse was on hand for the Jaguars, who drew the number five.

The full playoff bracket will be announced Saturday evening, around 5 or 6 p.m., according to an e-mail sent earlier this week.