PREP CAPSULES: Plenty of key questions remain after first week of region play
STAFF REPORT
AHSAA Region play-Week 1 gave us plenty to discuss. And it created a few questions.
Such as, how good is Robert E. Lee? The win over Eufaula was impressive. Can it ride that momentum against Sidney Lanier this week?
What do we know about Park Crossing? The Thunderbirds have been on the field only one time and still own two “wins” due to forfeits. How much rust will show against G.W. Carver on Thursday.
And what will Prattville look like after a deflating loss to Auburn last week? The shutout left a mark but for how long?
In AISA, can Edgewood Academy and Macon East re-create the same offensive fireworks as last year? That might be asking too much but anything is possible in the weirdest year in the history of mankind.
Those and more questions will be answered this and the coming weeks. The key games will tell us where we are in several regions including two games in Class 6A, Region 2 with Park Crossing facing Carver and Lee renewing the annual rivalry with Lanier at Cramton Bowl.
Speaking of the bowl, it’s a rare weekend where four games will be played there – all preps.
The aforementioned games on Thursday and Friday will be followed by two games on Saturday when Jeff Davis plays host to Central-Phenix City at 11 a.m. and later at 7 p.m. Valiant Cross will play its first varsity home game against Glenwood.
PARK CROSSING vs. G.W. CARVER
Class 6A, Region 2
Thursday at Cramton Bowl
2020 Records: PCHS (2-1, 1-0), Carver (1-1, 1-0)
Last year: Park Crossing, 30-12
Series: PCHS, 6-0
Last week: Park Crossing won by forfeit over Russell County; Carver def. Valley, 34-22
Key Numbers: Park Crossing has played just one game on the field with two wins earned by forfeit… Carver’s defense held Valley to just 236 yards of total offense.
The skinny: The question for the Thunderbirds is not “will” the lack of time on the field affect them but “how much.” It’s been evident in other levels of football how the lack of physical contact hurts a team. The physicality of a game cannot be reproduced in practice. Carver is a physical team and the Wolverines are probably licking their chops since they have yet to earn a win over the young program in six tries. How quickly the Thunderbirds shake off the rust will play a big part in who wins. It doesn’t stack up well for PCHS.
PREDICTION: Carver, 23-20
R.E. LEE vs. SIDNEY LANIER
Class 6A, Region 2
Friday at Cramton Bowl
2020 Records: Lee (2-1, 1-0), Lanier (1-1, 0-1)
Last year: Lee, 19-17
Series: Lee leads, 43-20-2
Last week: Lee def. Eufaula, 25-10; Opelika def. Lanier, 42-6
Key Numbers: Montgomery’s oldest series returns to region play for the first time since 2013. Lanier has won just once on the field since 2008 (Lee forfeited win in 2016).
The skinny: The ritual for this game is to relive the great moments of the series, going back to the 1950s… the 1966 state championship game…. 1999 and the battle between the Lee defense and Lanier’s Tarvaris Jackson and Keldrick Williams… etc. We can give this a mythological rendering but let’s be real honest…. This hasn’t been much of a rivalry. Lee has dominated since the 1980s and before that. The Poets have had a short streak or two but the series has been one sided. Last year’s game was close but that has been the exception. Unfortunately for the Poets, the setup is alarmingly similar to previous years. They will need Lee to be a turnover machine and find a way to force the Generals to throw the football, which is a weakness. They will need to play keep away from Reggie Davis, the Lee running back who (unofficially) has rushed for 300 or more yards in back-to-back games. (Unofficially due to a discrepancy in the Lee’s stats versus what River Region Sports had last week.) They will need to minimize penalties. They need Lee to play like it did against Jeff Davis two weeks ago. It’s all doable but still a tall order. Give us the Generals.
PREDICTION: Lee, 27-13
CATHOLIC at REELTOWN
Class 3A, Region 4
Friday at Nix-O’Neal-Webster Stadium
2020 Records: Russell Co (0-1), Park Crossing (1-1)
Last meeting: 1993 - Reeltown, 28-9
Series: Reeltown leads, 3-1
Last week: Reeltown def. Childersburg, 28-8; Catholic def. Dadeville, 30-0
Key Numbers: The Knights have three players averaging more than 100 yards in all-purpose – DJ Carter (116 ypg), Myles Butler (166 ypg) and Jeremiah Cobb (150 ypg).
The skinny: Last year, the Knights moved into the category of “predominate.” That term is now well established despite the opening season loss to Pike Road. It’s way too early to tell but Catholic has set up to be the team to beat in the region. It might be just the second region game of the season and there is plenty of toe stumpers between now and the final region game on Oct. 23 but Friday’s contest with Reeltown might be the most telling. Reeltown is solid but may not have enough to slow down the Catholic offense, which is averaging more than 470 yards per game. The Rebels still have one of the more bruising running backs in Sedarico Brooks, who is a svelte 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 205 pounds. But Reeltown will need more and it’s doubtful they will have enough to stop the Knights.
PREDICTION: Catholic, 34-24
EDGEWOOD ACADEMY at MACON EAST
Class AA, Region 1
Friday at Knights Field, Cecil
2020 Records: Edgewood (3-0, 1-0), ME (3-0, 0-0)
Last year: Edgewood, 70-69 (2 OT)
Series: Macon East leads, 7-5
Last week: Edgewood def. Banks Aca., 49-8; Macon East def. Southwest Ga., 42-38
Key Numbers: In last year’s epic battle, the teams combined for 1,175 yards, almost 40 first downs and a slew of big plays of 40 or more yards that came down to a missed extra point in the second overtime.
The skinny: A year ago, this was the best game in high school football contest – anywhere. The scoring was unlike any seen in these parts. They still talk about it in Cecil and Elmore – and Atmore and Eastabooga (hat tip to the late Keith Jackson). OK, that might be a reach but that game will go down in the future where thousands of people will say they were there when actually few people could locate the Edgewood home field on a map. No one expects the same 139 points to be scored, right? Maybe not but another high-scoring affair is certainly possible. Both teams are putting up gaudy numbers again this season. Ironically, the maestro of the Knights’ offense a year ago is now the Wildcats head coach. Chad Michael will try to do to Macon East what he did to Edgewood a year ago. It should be another fun night with the Wildcats finding a way to win it, just as they did a year ago – only with less points.
PREDICTION: Edgewood, 48-45.
KEY GAMES
Prattville at Smiths Station (7A/Region 2) – Last week was a total shock in seeing how the Lions were manhandled by Auburn. It was as though the college version of the Tigers had put on the prep uniforms. No such problems this week. Prattville takes out the frustration on the Panthers. Prattville, 31-7
Central-Phenix City at Jeff Davis (7A/Region 2) (Saturday, 11 a.m.) – Would it be safe to say the Vols improved from Game 1 to Game 2? Yes, but not enough to earn an upset over the Red Devils… C-PC, 37-10.
Stanhope Elmore at Pelham (6A/Region 3) – Shelby County teams are usually hard to judge but the Mustangs are easy to figure out… They are very good and should roll. SE, 40-20
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa at Wetumpka (6A/Region 3) – Last week’s win over Helena will prove to be bigger as the season progresses. Indians still working out some kinks on offense. Hillcrest has talent but not enough. Wetumpka, 28-23.
Beauregard at Holtville (5A/Region 4) – Holtville is 3-0 for the first time since 2002. What about 4-0? That, too, will be a first since 1993. Holtville, 20-14.
Pike Road at Andalusia (5A/Region 2) – Andalusia has the tradition. Pike Road has the talent. Talent usually wins in that landscape. Pike Road, 33-21.
Jemison at Marbury (5A/Region 3) – It’s early but this game has playoff implications thanks to the Bulldogs’ loss to Selma last week. Must win and they get it. Marbury, 24-20.
Maplesville at Billingsley (1A/Region 4) – These two programs have met more than 80 times since 1934. That’s about how many times the Red Devils have beaten the Bears. Add one more… Maplesville, 35-13
Glenwood at Valiant Cross (AAA/Region 1) (Saturday, 7 p.m.) – A trivia question for your friends… When was the last time a high school game was played on a Saturday night at Cramton Bowl? Records show it was Carver-Lanier in 2012. Valiant Cross will have three of them this season beginning this week. That fact will not be much help against the Gators. Glenwood, 27-13.
THE REST
Alabama Christian over BT Washington, 34-13; Montgomery Academy over Southside-Selma, 35-6; St. James over Bullock County, 33-8; Trinity over Beulah, 26-13; Central-Clay Co over Elmore County, 37-13; Tallassee over Sylacauga, 23-21; Hale County over Prattville Christian, 20-15; Verbena over Autaugaville, 23-8; Autauga Aca over Patrician, 29-12; Chambers Aca over Lowndes Aca, 24-14;
BYE: Hooper Academy
RECORD: Last week 14-6; Season 43-11 (.796)