FAIRMONT — The playoffs are all about getting hot at the right time and the Fairmont football team is a prime example of that.

Fairmont started the season with five straight losses, but has now won four straight and five of six after a 22-14 win Friday against Franklinton. The Golden Tornadoes will face another stiff task this week against 10-2 No. 5 seed Jordan-Matthews from Siler City.

The Jets did not start 0-5 like Fairmont, but head coach Marty Scotten believes he is seeing his team play its best football in November.

“We really were not that good when the season started," Scotten said. "We improved as the year has gone along and gained some confidence, and gotten a lot better throughout the year.”

Jordan-Matthews moved through to the second round after a 58-14 rout of Northwest Halifax.

The Jets are a young team, with multiple freshmen and sophomores on both sides of the ball. Scotten believes this has been a strength for his team in the postseason, as those underclassmen are already battle-tested.

“We were really young last year when we went to the playoffs, especially on the defensive side of the ball,” he said. “Those sophomores have stepped up and we have pulled some freshmen up as well who have contributed."

It has been feast or famine for the Jets' offense this season, although they have done much more feasting. In its two losses this season against one-loss Northwood and undefeated Reidsville and a victory over Graham, Jordan-Matthews averaged just over five points per game. In the other eight wins, the Jets averaged over 36.

The offense is led by a three-headed rushing attack. Kasey Glover is the main threat, as he has racked up over 1,000 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns. Derek Jones and Terrell Goldston have put up big numbers as well, with each scoring nine touchdowns and rushing for more than 650 yards a piece.

“We have been blessed in the running situation,” Scotten said. “We have got confidence in all three of them. All three of them have led the team in rushing at one point during the season for a game.”

The Jets would like to avoid the passing game, but quarterback Dylan Bounds has improved since the beginning of the season and finished with over 600 yards and six touchdowns.

“We do not want to get too far behind since we are not a passing team,” Scotten said. “We want to throw it on our terms and not the other teams’, but he has made some good throws particularly recently.”

Against such a strong offense, Fairmont head coach Barry Leonard knows that his offense will have to take advantage of every possession.

“We have to score when we have the chance,” Leonard said. “We could have had three more touchdowns last week. We have not turned the ball over lately though, so we have done that well.”

The Fairmont defense is strong, and has faced similar run-focused attacks against teams like East Columbus. Fairmont was able to hold the Gators’ offense to only seven points.

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the young Jets' defense is anchored by two sophomores, defensive tackle Cliff Brooks and linebacker Martin Munn. Scotten knows his defense has a tough task ahead, as Fairmont’s run-heavy offense featuring Tevin McCallister and Lonnie Neal closely resembles his own.

“They have good size up front and all of their running backs run the ball hard. They are kind of like us in that there is not one man you can key on; all of them have the potential to make a big play.”

In a battle of two similarly built teams, Leonard knows how important it is to have home-field advantage.

“That’s what you get when you win your conference,” Leonard said. “It does not matter about the overall record, we finished first in our conference and they finished second. It will be great to be out there with our fans, and not have to make the drive up.”

Jordan-Matthews has won multiple games in the playoffs three straight years heading into 2009. This is their fourth straight season winning 10 or more games. In 2008, the Jets were one of 22 teams in the state to win 10 or more games in a season three straight years.