PRESS PICKS (Week 12): A 'thumbs up' for the new 7A playoff bracket
STAFF REPORT
A short message regarding the AHSAA playoffs, in particular, the new Class 7A bracket.
It’s glorious, fantastic, earth shaking.
And another word - wow!
Prior to the playoffs this year, the association chose to shake up 7A’s 32-team field. Unlike the other six, the bracket is now mixed between the North side of the state with the South. It gave us first-round matchups such as Vestavia Hills and Mary Montgomery from the Mobile area; Auburn facing Bob Jones in Huntsville or Central-Phenix City facing James Clemens.
The result - it made for better second-round games this week. Thompson-Auburn? Opelika-Hoover? Upstart Vestavia Hills and Central-PC? All are stand-alone games and will have our attention.
Why is this different from previous years? Simple - the northern part of the state hasn’t produced a 7A team that regularly competes and typically gives the Birmingham-area teams an easy first-round game, usually setting up the Birmingham area teams playing one another in the second round.
At least now, they have to face someone other than an opponent they’ve already seen.
It’s true also for the River Region teams and east and southeast area teams that have a chance to move beyond the perennial favorites within their region every year.
True, there is a chance the championship game might have teams from the same region. So what… As long as it’s the top two teams, it shouldn’t matter. This year, Auburn and Central might be the two best in the state. It will work out one way or the other.
As for the rest of the classifications - why can’t they be designed the same way? Maybe take it that direction after the first round. Re-seed afterwards. Give it some pizazz.
There would be some ramifications in the change but it would be good to steer away from some of the games set up this weekend due to the old way of doing playoff football.
The playoffs need something to jumpstart the interest. This is a good way to do it.
2024 Standings (Last Week)
1. Michael Butler 132-48 (11-4) .733
2. Tim Gayle 130-50 (12-3) .722
3. Doug Amos 127-53 (13-2) .705
4. Graham Dunn 125-55 (14-1) .694
5. Rosie Langello 124-56 (11-4) .689
6. Wesley Lyle 120-60 (10-5) .667
7. Mike Peacock 116-64 (12-3) .644
8. Lindsey Bonner 106- 59 (13-2) .640
9. Barry McKnight 110-70 (11-4) .611
10. Rick Hendrick 109-71 (12-3) .606
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
132-48 (11-4) .733
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - Bayside Aca
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
130-50 (12-3) .722
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - ACA
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Utah
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
127-53 (13-2) .705
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - ACA
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
125-55 (14-1) .694
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - ACA
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - Florida
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
124-56 (11-4) .689
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - Bayside Aca
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Pitt
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
120-60 (10-5) .667
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - ACA
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
116-64 (12-3) .644
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - Bayside Academy
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Troy
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
106- 59 (13-2) .640
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - ACA
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Ga Southern
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
110-70 (11-4) .611
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -St. Paul’s
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - Bayside Aca
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Troy
Tennessee at Georgia - Tennessee
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Colorado
Clemson at Pitt- Clemson
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
109-71 (12-3) .606
Pike Road at St. Paul’s -Pike Road
Catholic at Citronelle - Catholic
Ashford at Tallassee - Tallassee
Southside-Selma at Montgomery Academy - MA
Bayside Academy at Alabama Christian - ACA
Mercer at Alabama -Alabama
UL-Monroe at Auburn -Auburn
Troy at Georgia Southern - Troy
Tennessee at Georgia - Georgia
Missouri at South Carolina -South Carolina
LSU at Florida - LSU
Texas at Arkansas - Texas
Utah at Colorado - Utah
Clemson at Pitt- Pitt
Oregon at Wisconsin -Oregon