PREP CAPSULES (Week 9) With a few region titles in the barn, the rest are decided this week
STAFF REPORT
The final week of regional contests arrives with a few holes to fill as far as regional races are concerned.
A couple were decided last week with Pike Road knocking off Russell County in Class 6A, Region 2 and Auburn defeating Carver in Class 7A, Region 2.
This week, Catholic, Tallassee, Montgomery Academy can all clinch a title while Autauga Academy, Trinity and St. James have a chance with a little help.
Several other teams are working on a berth in the playoffs. In fact, 11 games in the River Region will have a say in who makes the playoffs or where teams are seeded.
A few games next week might help decide those final spots which will come down to tiebreakers but at the moment, we concentrate on those we know will impact the post season.
Several teams also end their regular season this week including Catholic, Carver, Montgomery Academy, St. James, Trinity, Prattville Christian, Billingsley, Macon East and Evangel Christian. For a few of those, that also means the end of the 2024 season.
Week 9
Games begin at 7 p.m. unless stated otherwise.
WETUMPKA at STANHOPE ELMORE (6A, R2)
Friday at Foshee-Henderson Stadium
2024 Records: Stanhope Elmore (4-4, 2-3), Wetumpka (5-3, 3-2)
Last week: Stanhope Elmore def. Rehobeth, 47-21; Wetumpka def. Park Crossing, 42-9
Series: Stanhope Elmore leads, 32-23
Last year: Wetumpka, 56-42
Key Numbers: Wetumpka is on a four-game winning streak, the best run the Indians have enjoyed in the last two seasons… The Mustangs are in danger of missing the playoffs for the fourth-straight year, which hasn’t happened since the AHSAA went to six classifications in 1984.
The skinny: These two teams have been inseparable, region-wise so it’s no surprise their annual battle has some sort of playoff repercussions. Only twice since 1975 have these two not been in the same region. And while this game rarely decides a region champion (the last time was 2010) it usually affects seeding. In this case, it will make a difference whether or not the Mustangs have any chance of getting in. Chances are good that no matter what happens Friday, Wetumpka will earn a spot but why leave it up to the tiebreaker if you don’t have to. Should Stanhope Elmore win and Percy Julian beat Park Crossing, there will be a three-way tie that includes Wetumpka. Tiebreakers will ensue and that will mean the final week of the season will have an impact. That said, Wetumpka makes it all moot with a win. The Indians have been playing much better of late with four wins, mostly against teams behind them in the standings. Stanhope has yet to earn a win against a team with a winning record but that can all change Friday. The Mustangs do have the home-field advantage but that, honestly, hasn’t made that much of a difference in this series. The home team is around .500 in the last 10 meetings. It basically comes down to mistakes, and who makes the least. That should favor the Indians. Yet, why not expect chaos. We’ve seemed to have it all year….
PREDICTION: Stanhope Elmore 24- 22
CATHOLIC at ANDALUSIA (5A-R2)
Friday at Bulldog Stadium
2024 Records: Catholic (8-0, 5-0); Andalusia (5-4, 4-1)
Last week: Catholic def. Greenville, 50-14; Andalusia def. Carroll, 45-14
Last year: Catholic, 27-14
Series: Andalusia leads, 3-2
Key Numbers: This is the third-straight season these two teams have been in the same region. Friday will be the fourth meeting in that span. Catholic has won two of the previous three games with the lone loss coming in the Class 4A semifinals in ‘22.
The skinny: What more can be said about the Knights? They continue to dominate no matter which classifications they reside. They have continued their winning streak, now at 29 straight games and seem to be getting stronger as the season progresses. They are about to win their sixth-straight region title and seventh in the last eight seasons. The only loss in that eight-year stretch was to Headland in the last game of the 2018 season. While the defense has allowed more points this season than in previous ones, the offense has more than made up for it, averaging 49 points per game. Eufaula (28 points) is the lone team inside the state that didn’t allow at least 40 points in its loss to the Knights (Pensacola Catholic also allowed just 28 points). The dominance continues and there is no reason to think it will not continue on Friday. Andalusia is good but not the same team that beat Catholic in the semis two years ago. They will have a large contingent at the recently renovated stadium, but that will not keep the Knights from rolling again.
PREDICTION: Catholic, 42- 13
MONTGOMERY ACADEMY at ALABAMA CHRISTIAN (3A-R2)
Friday at Stallings Field (Faulkner Unv.)
2024 Records: MA (8-1, 5-1), ACA (5-3, 4-2)
Last week: MA def. PCA, 34-6; ACA def. Slocomb, 71-38
Series: MA leads, 33-8
Last year: 2016, ACA - 28-20
Key Numbers: MA can wrap up its first region title in four years with a win Friday… Despite already scoring 300 points this season, ACA will have to make a long run in the playoffs to break the school record of 497 points scored in 2022.
The skinny: The top four teams in the region are set. ACA has clinched a playoff bid while MA is in position to win the region title. But what makes this game so intriguing is how the two got to this point of the season. At the start of October, ACA was a .500 team with wins that included hapless PCA and Northside Methodist. But something was clicking offensively and another playoff contender, Wicksburg, found that out a couple of weeks later in a 64-19 shellacking. That put ACA over the top and all but earned a playoff bid. MA has been on top of the region since its win over Houston Academy in the third game of the season. It has battled through wins over Trinity in OT and a non-region win over Luverne. It would be hard to pick which of the two is playing better. But MA has won against the better teams and there is no reason to believe that doesn’t continue this weekend.
PREDICTION: Montgomery Academy, 45-35
KEY GAMES
Opelika at Carver (Thursday - 7A R2) - Carver suffered a double dose of bad news last week. On top of the loss to Auburn, Opelika upset Central-Phenix City to all but eliminate the Wolverines from playoff contention. The Wolverines need a win Thursday and an Enterprise loss to Smiths Station. Prediction here is neither happens and Carver misses out.. Opelika, 35-21.
P. Julian vs. Park Crossing (6A R2) – If the Phoenix want to make the playoffs, a win is a must this week. Park Crossing has shown little ability to break its 11-game losing streak. Nothing new to see here and Julian has to (probably) wait for the tiebreakers to kick in. Julian, 22-12.
Talladega at Tallassee (4A R3) – If you had Tallassee in the regional title poll, you are a happy camper this week. The Tigers have been impressive the second half of the season. No reason to think any different in the Homecoming extravaganza. Tallassee, 36-13.
Holtville at Marbury (5A R4) – Holtville was down and out a week ago playoff-wise. But one win changed that feeling. No reason to see that momentum go away this week. They get it down and make the playoffs. Holtville, 27-20.
Trinity at Houston Academy (3A R2) - A playoff bid is taken care of for both. A home game in the first round is not. Winner gets it with a shot at the region title, at least for Trinity. That would take an ACA win over MA for that to happen. Houston Academy has beaten up everyone but MA. Ditto for Trinity. Tough call but HA is the home team and gets a slight nod. Houston Academy, 35-31.
THE REST
Thompson over Prattville, 45-21; Central-PC over JAG, 50-21; Autauga Academy over Notasulga, 34-30; Billingsley over Keith, 28-20; Elmore County over Sylacauga, 30-14; St. James over Munford, 40-6; Slocomb over PCA, 28-25; Autaugaville over Ellwood Christian, 44-13; Abbeville Christian over Edgewood Aca, 34-16; Lowndes Aca over Valiant Cross, 43-16; Hooper Aca over Banks Aca, 14-13; Cornerstone Christian over Macon East, 45-34; Evangel over Lakeside, 47-14.
OPEN: Pike Road
RECORD: Last week 14-5; Season 125-44 (.740)