This week's Alabama High School Athletic Association second-round state playoff matches leave many true high school football fanatics in a bind. Which contest should thee attend?
Click here to view MaxPreps' Alabama football playoff brackets.The AHSAA's move to keep first and second-round games closer to home to save expenses on travel a few years back may have been greeted with disdain by many coaches. But this week, those same coaches are praising some of the intense rivalries that feature rematches from regular-season thrillers or key contests that usually are reserved for semifinal or Super 6 final type settings.
Consider this sampling:
No. 1 – Clay-Chalkville (Pinson) (8-3) at Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville) (9-2): The Cougars (8-3) won Jefferson County's biggest rivalry game 7-6 over the Huskies (9-2) in a real defensive battle back in week 2 of the regular season. Since then, Coach Hal Riddle's Hewitt squad has gone 9-1. Clay pulled the big upset last week with a 28-21 win over Region 8 champion Bob Jones.
No. 2 – Clay County (Ashland) (8-3) at Leeds (11-0): The Green Wave of Coach Keith Etheredge won the 3A state championship in 2008 with a perfect 15-0 record. Coach Kris Herron's Panthers reached the 2A state finals last year before moving up to 3A this season. The teams met week 3 of this season in a key Region 3 defensive battle – perhaps the state's top defensive game of the year. Leeds won in overtime 3-0. That contest was lauded as the hardest hitting of the year by most who witnessed the game.
No. 3 – Cordova (10-1) at Piedmont (10-1): The two met in the Class 3A state finals last year – the Blue Devils hailing from the south and the Lions from the north. The game went to overtime before Cordova succumbed to Piedmont's first-ever state championship run. This year, Piedmont coach Steve Smith's team suffered its only loss in week 7 in a game played five hours away at Class 5A Gulf Shores, 43-42 in overtime. Cordova lost its only game in week 8 when Hamilton downed the Devils of Coach Pete Bush 47-43 to win the Region 5 crown.
No. 4 – Linden (10-1) at McKenzie (10-0): The Bears, 36-2 the last three seasons, won their first-round playoff game 48-0 over Kinston. McKenzie, the Region 2 champion thanks to a big win over 2009 state champion Brantley in week 9, beat Marengo 51-12 last week. Linden comes in outscoring opponents 554-49 (50.4 ppg scored to 4.6 ppg allowed). The Eagles have outscored opponents 458-88 in 10 games this season.
No. 5 – Hueytown (10-1) at Demopolis (8-3): Jameis Winston, Hueytown's quarterback, is considered by most recruiters as the top prospect in this year's junior class. Demopolis running back
Damarcus James is considered one of the nation's top senior prospects. The Washington State commitment ran for 296 yards on a Super 6 state-record 42 carries last season while leading the Tigers to the state 5A crown.
No. 6 – Prattville (8-3) at Wetumpka (9-1): Who would have thought that Wetumpka's Indians would be crowned Region 3 champions this season with their first win in many, many years over national power Prattville in the process. Quarterback
Jamal Golden, a senior who can run and throw equally well, is a big reason, however. The Indians won their regular-season battle over the Lions 26-24. Can Wetumpka beat Prattville twice in one season?
No. 7 – Escambia County (Atmore) (8-3) at Jackson (10-1): Quarterback
Ricco Stallworth, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound senior, is one of the best kept secrets in the state. But he's no secret to Jackson Coach Jeff Kelly. His Aggies won the first game with Escambia County 28-14. The Blue Devils, one of the most improved teams in the state, finished fourth in Region 1 behind Thomasville, Jackson and UMS-Wright. They opened the season with a shocking win over powerful T.R. Miller and added a 19-6 win over Region 2 champion Andalusia last week. This game has the potential of being the top game in the state in any class.
