WARNER ROBINS — Call it playoff deja-vu. For the second year in a row, Northside hosts Union Grove in a GHSA Class AAAAA postseason matchup.

That doesn’t happen as much as one might think. Northside hasn‘t faced the same school in consecutive playoff years since the Eagles played Statesboro during both the 2004 and 05 seasons.

In fact, this marks only the seventh time during head coach Conrad Nix’s current streak of 16 straight playoff appearances — a total of 48 games — that the Eagles have played the same school in consecutive seasons. Nix is 3-3 overall in that circumstance and 2-1 when it was Northside that won the first game, as it did when it beat the Wolverines 24-7 in November of 2008.

While admitting the repeat matchup is unusual, Nix said he didn’t think there was much carryover.

“I don’t know that it changes the game,” Nix said. “You watch film from last year, and you see some of the same people. It makes it a little bit more familiar, but it doesn’t change your approach.”

Several of Union Grove’s players made an impression on Nix and the Northside fan base last year. And they’ve

continued to draw attention throughout the 2009 season.

Defensive end Anthony Williams, whom Nix calls “a big-play type guy,” has committed to Georgia Tech. Wide receiver/defensive back Jordan Akins is mulling several Division I offers, as well as the possibility he could be selection in the Major League Baseball draft.

“He’s an outstanding athlete,” Nix said.

Both are bigger and stronger than they were a year ago, as is much of the Wolverines’ roster, which features 26 seniors. By comparison, Northside has 24.

In their opening-round win at Winsor Forest last week, the Wolverines played without quarterback Ty Moore. As a result, Union Grove ran a steady diet of direct-snap plays to running backs. The wildcat or pistol looks apparently worked well as the Wolverines scored 47 points. It’s unclear if Moore will play against Northside.

“We’ve had to prepare for both systems,” Nix said.

The Eagles have been dealing with injuries themselves, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Senior linebacker Tevin Lester and sophomore defensive back Corey Lockett are among those who are playing more and making the most of their opportunities. They’ll be challenged this week by a Union Grove team that likes to get the ball to its athletes on the edge.

“Everybody is going to have to play big,” Nix said. “We have to play good on the perimeter and tackle well out there.”

Not only did these teams meet in the football playoffs last year, they also squared off in the first round of the AAAAA baseball playoffs in May. In fact, Akins homered in the second game of a series the Eagles would win in three.

Both schools will be classed AAAA beginning with the 2010-11 school year. There are scenarios that would have them in the same region.