PREP CAPSULES: Catholic, MA meet again; Pike Road in new territory
STAFF REPORT
Here we go again.
For the second time, Montgomery Academy and Montgomery Catholic will decide who goes to the Class 3A championship in as many years.
Last year MA was the host. This time Catholic is at home.
The two rivals are joined by Pike Road looking for a trip to Birmingham and the Super 7 next week.
MA and Catholic will meet for the fourth time in two years. They split last year with MA winning the regular season game and Catholic taking the semifinal game in overtime.
The Knights won the regular season game this time and will look for the sweep on Friday.
Last year’s game made history in that no team from the Capital City Conference had played each other for the right to go to a championship game. There was plenty of hoop-la and no reason to have the same expectations for this one.
The Patriots are in uncharted waters, making the semis for the first time in school history. Their opponent, Andalusia, has been several times but hasn’t won a semifinal game since 1977.
It should make for a grand ending to high school football in the River Region.
AHSAA Semifinals
All games begin at 7 p.m.
ANDALUSIA at PIKE ROAD (5A)
Friday at Patriots Field
Records: Andalusia (9-4), Pike Road (12-0)
Last week: Andalusia def. UMS-Wright, 20-14; Pike Road def. Faith Aca, 42-0
Last meeting: Sept. 10 – Pike Road, 28-14
Series: Pike Road leads, 2-0
Next week: Winner faces either Fairview or Pleasant Grove in the Class 5A championship (Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.)
Key Numbers: Pike Road is making its first trip to the semifinals in school history while Andalusia is making its 10th. The Bulldogs last reached the semis in 2019, losing to UMS-Wright.
The skinny: Pike Road is reaching new heights, no matter what happens on Friday. The first trip to the semis certainly has warrant but ask anyone who has been there and all would say the glory is not in the trip but in winning. Sounds corny and a bit haughty, but considering how dominant the Patriots have been, it’s easy to feel that way. Funny, Andalusia has been this close to the title game four of the last five years but unable to get past it (three of those losses were against UMS). That has to be more frustrating. So who has the most determination? That might matter when it comes down to the nature of a playoff game but winning usually comes down to the best talent. Pike Road has more. There is also the nature of experience in this type of moment. Andy has that advantage. The Patriots will get pushed to the limit by a proud program fully capable of knocking off the home team. This one might go down to the last few minutes where a turnover might decide it. The biggest question – can the Patriots handle the moment? Until the pressure is felt on a fourth-and-1 or the need for a stop on the goal line, we don’t really know yet. But give them the benefit of the doubt and look for a close victory.
PREDICTION: PIKE ROAD, 31-28
MONTGOMERY ACADEMY at CATHOLIC (3A)
Friday at Knights Field
Records: Catholic (13-0), MA (10-3)
Last week: Catholic def Hillcrest-Evergreen, 41-6; Montgomery Aca def. T.R. Miller, 28-0
Last meeting: Sept. 24 – Catholic, 42-0
Series: MA leads, 30-15
Next week: Winner goes to the Class 3A championship to face either Saks or Piedmont (Thursday, Dec. 2 at 11 a.m.)
Key stat: MA has made five trips to the semifinals, winning once in 1987 and would go on to win the 1A state title. Catholic made its second trip to the semis a year ago, knocking off MA and headed to the 3A finals where it lost to Fyffe.
The skinny: Last year, we saw an epic semifinal game between these two. An overtime win for the Knights turned on a last-second touchdown in regulation. Catholic would use the newfound life to move into the 3A finals and came an eyelash from winning it all. MA was consistent all season in 2020 and some might say the better team of the two (they did win the regular season tilt). Move ahead and find Catholic in the same situation. The Knights have been consistent in every aspect of the game. They roared past MA in the first meeting but they’ve done that in every game. MA has shuffled quarterbacks until the last few games where coach Robert Johnson settled on Jamal Cooper and that has been a brilliant move, at least to this point. They will need every ounce of Cooper’s talents (and several others) if they are to pull off the upset. Yes, an MA win would be such since Catholic has been unchallenged all season. It’s hard to pick against (Robert) Johnson, knowing his ability to prepare for monumental occasions. But this one isn’t that hard to distinguish from other challenges. We like the “other” Johnson, as in Kirk. Catholic is better and unless a plethora of turnovers become the norm, the Knights will make a second-straight appearance in the 3A finals.
PREDICTION: CATHOLIC, 35-7
THE REST (outside River Region)
1A: Brantley over Sweet Water, 27-24; Wadley over Pickens County, 45-41; 2A: Clarke Co over Highland Home, 34-27; Mars Hill over Cleveland, 35-25; 3A: Piedmont over Saks, 32-20; Vigor over Jackson, 27-14; Madison Aca over Oneonta, 30-20; 5A: Pleasant Grove over Fairview, 45-20; 6A: Clay-Chalkville over Mountain Brook, 35-28; Hueytown over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 30-28.
RECORD: Last week 10-6; Season 186-53 (.788)