PREP CAPSULES (QUARTERFINALS): River Region well represented in third round on Thanksgiving weekend
STAFF REPORT
All high school coaches will say that when you practice on Thanksgiving Day, that’s a good sign your season is going well.
While the season has a little different calendar (usually the semifinals are held the week of Thanksgiving), prepping for the quarterfinals on Turkey Day still has a nice ring to it.
Four teams from the River Region are still in contention for a state championship. All four will face a difficult test in the third round.
But don’t be surprised if all four come out unscathed.
Each of the teams - Pike Road, Catholic, Trinity, St. James - have recent success in the third round. Two of the four, Pike Road and St. James - have won a state title in the last three years. Catholic has been close while Trinity has shown improvement.
Only Trinity is at home for this round. The Wildcats face what most consider the top team in Class 3A in Mobile Christian, which has been perfect so far this season. The Leopards eliminated Trinity last year from playoff contention.
St. James travels to Thomasville for another playoff rematch. The Trojans knocked out the Tigers last year.
Catholic continues its quest for the program’s first state title, facing Jacksonville, another rematch from 2022. The Knights eliminated the Golden Eagles in the second round.
Pike Road faces the Wildcats of Benjamin Russell for the first time. The Patriots got off the deck last week for a come-from-behind win over Spanish Fort.
AHSAA 3RD ROUND
All games begin at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise.
PIKE ROAD at BENJAMIN RUSSELL
CLASS 6A
Friday at Martin-Savarese Stadium, Alexander City
2023 Records: Ben Russell (10-2, 1 seed R3), Pike Road (10-2, 1 seed R2)
Second round results: Ben Russell def. Hueytown, 47-27; Pike Road def. Spanish Fort, 31-17
Third round record: Ben Russell 5-2 (Last, 2015- Def. Bessemer City, 36-13); Pike Road 1-0 (Last, 2021 - Def. Faith Aca, 42-0)
Series: First meeting
Next week: Winners faces winner of Saraland/HIllcrest-Tuscaloosa
Key Fact: Benjamin Russell coach Smitty Grider last took a team to the quarterfinals in 2016 when Park Crossing made it to the semifinals, losing to Opelika… Pike Road coach Granger Shook last took a team to the quarterfinals in 2020, with Trinity. The Wildcats lost to Montgomery Academy in the round.
The skinny: Pike Road proved to a lot of doubters last week it could come up with a comeback. Trailing 17-0, the Patriots stormed back in the second half to win. They did it with all three phases and earned a trip to Alexander City this weekend. The question now is - can they keep the momentum? It’s a legitimate question since they had a problem with that late in the season. Pike Road won the region title with a win over G.W. Carver but then followed with a struggle against B.T. Washington the following week. Certainly the stakes are much higher this time but the opponent is also better. At least in the immediate memory, the Patriots found what it might take to earn a trip to the semis. Ben Russell will be a formidable opponent after winning Region 3. But the Wildcats had their moments, too. Both enter with a solid passing game and the Wildcats might have an advantage playing at home. but Pike Road may have found the golden ticket to make this a much longer run that some expected. They get it done and advance.
PREDICTION: Pike Road, 30-21
MONTGOMERY CATHOLIC at JACKSONVILLE
CLASS 4A
Friday at Golden Eagle Stadium
2023 Records: Jacksonville (10-2, 2 seed R1), Catholic (12-0, 1 seed R2)
Second round result: Jacksonville def. Bibb County, 28-21; Catholic def. T.R. Miller, 24-14
Third round record: Jacksonville 1-0 (Last, 2019, Def. Anniston, 34-13); Catholic 4-1 (Last, 2022, Def. Handley, 21-14)
Series: Catholic, 1-0 (Last - 2022- 2nd Round, 44-27)
Next week: Winner faces winner of B.T. Washington-Tuskegee/Jackson
Key Fact: Jacksonville is making the rounds with teams in the playoffs from the River Region having played the Knights in back-to-back years and Alabama Christian before that. They have yet to pull off a win. In their four playoff games last year, the Knights score more points (44) against Jacksonville, than any other opponent.
The skinny: If you want to find reasons to not pick the Knights to advance, you’ll have a hard time finding one. For starters, they haven’t lost a third-round game since 2019. That loss to UMS-Wright was also the last time they lost on the road and was the last time Catholic has been shut out in any part of the season since 2016. The truth is this has been an incredible ride and there is no reason to think it will end this week. True, the passing attack of T.R. Miller may have given them a little trouble and Jacksonville will throw the ball all over the field, but the number of athletes wearing blue and black Friday should be enough to overcome any difficulties the Knights might face. As usual, Catholic wins going away.
PREDICTION: Catholic, 35-13
ST. JAMES at THOMASVILLE
Class 3A
Friday at D.F. Anderson Field
2023 Records: Thomasville (10-1, 2 seed R1); St. James (10-2, 1 seed R3)
Second round result: Thomasville def. Straughn, 33-21; STJ def. Randolph Co, 41-6
Third round record: Thomasville 5-5 (Last, 2022-Lost to St. James, 40-15); STJ 1-2 (Last, 2022 - Def. Thomasville, 40-15)
Series: STJ, 1-0
Next week: Winner faces either Trinity or Mobile Christian
Key Fact: Thomasville has not won a third-round game since it beat Dadeville in 2010… St. James broke a modest streak of two games lost in the quarters last year with the win over Thomasville.
The skinny: The Trojans seem to be following the same trail to the title game as last year. The numbers look about the same, too. They are averaging better than 40 points per game offensively and last lost a game against Charles Henderson, which is the same team to beat them as last year. The other key similarity is the quarterback where KJ Jackson is continuing to make a case for the Class 3A Player of the Year. Last week, he threw four touchdown passes to lead to the victory over Randolph County. Thomasville has been tough to score on all season. Only Mobile Christian, with its 45-point win, was impossible to stop. The Leopards have an all-everything quarterback in Damien Gaston. STJ has the same in Jackson. That gives the Trojans the nod.
PREDICTION: St. James, 30-22
MOBILE CHRISTIAN at TRINITY
CLASS 3A
Friday at Ragsdale-Boykin Field
2023 Records: Trinity (11-1, 2 seed R3), Mobile Christian (12-0, 1 seed R1)
Second round result: Trinity def. Flomaton, 35-0; Mobile Christian def. Houston Academy, 35-10
Third round record: Trinity 2-9 (Last, 2020- Lost to Montgomery Academy, 22-21); Mobile Christian 3-3 (Last, 2022 - Def. Pike County, 27-7)
Series: Mobile Christian leads, 1-0 (2022 - 27-13)
Next week: Winners faces winner of St. James/ Thomasville
Key Fact: Last year, Trinity pitched a shutout against Saks before being eliminated by Mobile Christian in the second round.
The skinny: It’s easy to point to the offensive prowess of both teams heading into this one with Mobile Christian scoring 42 points per game while the Wildcats are averaging that score in the last four games. But defensively, you cannot ignore what the Leopards have done. Giving up just six points is a stat that cannot be overlooked. While Trinity has given up a few late TDs in the last few wins, they also were handled by the St. James offense in its last loss. As mentioned earlier, there are similarities to the Trojans and Mobile Christian. Trinity will need to find turnovers and a short field to have a chance. At the moment, Mobile Christian is playing the better football and it’s hard to pick against them. Trinity keeps it close but sees the end of its season.
PREDICTION: Mobile Christian, 28-14
KEY GAMES
2A: Reeltown at Cottonwood- This is a throwback to the 1980s and ‘90s when these two were a regular item in the playoffs. Cottonwood has seen a resurgence in the last few years but not enough to pull the upset. REELTOWN, 28-21
4A: Jackson at B.T. Washington (Tuskegee)- The Golden Eagles might be considered the “surprise team” of the playoffs. Then again, Jackson pulled off a surprise in beating the defending champs, Andalusia. It’s tough to pick against BTW but the Aggies are better. JACKSON, 33-25.
7A -SEMIS: Mary Montgomery at Central-Phenix City - The Vikings are enjoying their best-ever playoff run.. make that their only playoff run. Prior to this season, they had never won a playoff game. Meanwhile Central has been a regular in the semifinals having made it every year since 2015. That’s too much tradition to pick against. them. C-PC, 43-27.
1A: Leroy at Brantley - If it seems like old times, with these two having long traditions of playoff football, this is not part of it. Only recently has Leroy dropped down to the 1A level. These two met last year for the first time ever. Brantley has turned around a so-so season at the right time but the Bears are too tough to score on to pick an upset. LEROY, 25-12.
1A: Elba at Maplesville - The norm for the Elba program is to win a title, go into hiding and come back stronger. They are doing the same this year, currently 12-0 after early exits from the playoffs the last six years. Maplesville has been good but not the typical “good” we are used to from the program. Tigers get the close win. ELBA, 33-28.
THE REST
7A: Hewitt-Trussville over Thompson, 35-34; 6A: Saraland over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 55-21; 5A: Eufaula over Demopolis, 27-20; 2A: B.B. Comer over Clarke County, 20-0.
SEASON COMPLETED: Park Crossing; Valiant Cross; JAG; P. Julian; Prattville; Stanhope Elmore; Tallassee; Prattville Christian; Autaugaville; Billingsley; Edgewood Academy; Hooper Academy; Macon East; Evangel Christian; Marbury; Montgomery Academy; Sidney Lanier; Elmore County; Wetumpka; G.W. Carver; Lowndes Academy
RECORD: Last week 10-9; Season 214-45 (.827)