PREP CAPSULES (Round 2/AISA Semis) River Region has nine teams looking to advance
STAFF REPORT
For nine teams in the River Region, the door is still open for a state championship.
In the case of the AHSAA teams, six in all, it is just the second wave while the three remaining teams in AISA are one step from playing for a state championship.
This time last year, only five teams reached the second round. Lowndes was playing for a third state title as the AISA schedule was a week ahead.
This time, there are plenty of opportunities, particuarly in Class 3A where three teams from the River Region are still in the running. Alabama Christian, Trinity and Montgomery Academy will play on Friday.
Tallassee wasn’t in the playoffs last year after a disappointing 1-9 season. The Tigers earned a region title this time and are in the second round, playing at home.
Catholic won the state title a year ago and has moved up a class to 5A but looks just as strong.
Pike Road was on a roll last year before getting knocked out in the semifinals. Can they keep that trend this time around?
Two teams from 8-man football, Macon East and Evangel Christian, need one more win to face off in the AISA Class A title game.
It sets up for a big Friday night.
PLAYOFFS - 2nd ROUND (AISA Semifinals)
Games begin FRIDAY at 7 p.m. unless stated otherwise.
RIVER REGION GAMES
CLASS 6A
(1st-R2) PIKE ROAD (8-3) at (3rd-R1) ST. PAUL’S (9-2) –It’s that time of the playoffs when everyone scrambles to look at the opposition’s schedule. In this case, the Saints have marched into the second round having faced one of the top schedules in the state. The Saints defeated UMS-Wright to open the season as its only non-region game. UMS won over Demopolis last week. The rest were the nine region games with more than half finishing at .500 or better. What does that mean to Pike Road? Not much. Beyond scheduling, the Patriots have made giant strides during the season winning all but one of its last nine games and that was to Opelika, which plays in the second round of the 7A playoffs on Friday. There is no history between Pike Road and St. Paul’s. The only meeting was in ‘21 when the Patriots won a second-round game. Defense may be the key where St. Paul’s, at least on average, has the advantage, allowing less than 10 points per game. They pitched a shut out in the first round. Pike Road wasn’t too bad either, allowing just a touchdown in the win over Bessemer City. It’s a tough call but this game has the feel that if the Patriots have trouble moving the ball, it’s defense will not make up for it. St. Paul’s is at home in Mobile and gets a slight edge. ST. PAUL’S, 21-16.
CLASS 5A
(1st-R2) CATHOLIC (10-0) at (3rd seed-R1) CITRONELLE (9-2) – Catholic continued its dominance lat week in an easy win over Holtville. That, honestly, was expected. Citronelle is the next opponent, or is it the next victim? The Wildcats have won six straight but are averaging a little more than 23 points offensively in those wins. Catholic will probably have that much after a half and should cruise in another rout. CATHOLIC, 39-8.
CLASS 4A
(2nd seed-R2) ASHFORD (6-5) at (1st-R4) TALLASSEE (8.-2) – Tallassee survived a test last week, eliminating a 2023 champion. Mobile Christian may not have been the same team from a year ago (certainly there was a change at the head coaching position) but there were plenty of returning players who were familiar with playoff championship football. The Tigers fell behind and trailed at halftime but got off the deck to earn a hard-fought 21-14 victory. Not sure if it gets easier in the second round but Ashford doesn’t exactly have the resume as Mobile Christian. This is the first time since 2014 the Yellow Jackets have made the playoffs and it comes from a region that has been somewhat down over the past few years. While Tallassee’s region isn’t exactly the best (the Tigers are the only team to survive the first round), it has made it to the second round the same way it won the region, making plays when it has to. No reason to believe that changes this week. TALLASSEE, 28-18.
CLASS 3A
(2nd seed-R2) SOUTHSIDE-SELMA (9-2) at (1st-R2) MONTGOMERY ACADEMY (10-1) – Nine-win seasons might be rare for Southside but they’ve had a few. You don’t have to go back to far to find the last one, 2021, but they were 1-and-done in the playoffs. This year, they’ve scored 50 or more points in six games but the schedule has been light, to say the least. MA had some struggles to get out of the first round but figured it out in time to advance. Avoid any mistakes and the Eagles should be in Round 3 next week after a win. MONTGOMERY ACADEMY, 42-23.
(1st-R1) T.R. Miller (11-0) at (3rd seed-R2) TRINITY (8-3) – A trendy pick is to take the Tigers who are undefeated and are demolishing the competition. They have averaged better than 42 points per game offensively while holding opponents to eight points a contest. Trinity put up 65 points in the opening round against Randolph County, their best output in 2024. The two programs have not met since 2011 and the series is even at 3-3. The Wildcats are at home and might have somewhat of an advantage, having won 9-of-10 second-round home games. But T.R. Miller is a different animal and gets the nod. T.R. MILLER , 21-17.
(2nd-R1) BAYSIDE ACADEMY (8-3) at (4th seed-R2) ALABAMA CHRISTIAN (7-4) – It’s getting harder to pick against ACA, which won in come-from-behind fashion last week. Confidence is high over on Wares Ferry Road and there is no reason to believe the Eagles will fall this week…just don’t look at the last meeting, which took place last season. A 35-7 loss finished off the regular season and ended a three-game winning streak at the time. That has to be part of the preparations as ACA looks for revenge, right? Sure. Eagles get a close win. ACA , 42-41.
AISA
AA (4th seed-R2 ) PATRICIAN (9-2 at (1st-R1) LOWNDES ACADEMY (10-0) – Lowndes is one win away from the chance to win its fourth-straight state title, something no one has done at the AISA level since Edgewood Academy did, winning six straight between 2010-15. The two teams did not meet this season. Lowndes’ current win streak is 29 games. The last team to hand the Rebels a loss? Patrician back on Oct. 6, 2022. There might be a player or two that dressed out for the Rebels that night but no doubt there has been a discussion about that last loss this week. It should be noted that Patrician last won a state championship in 2022, yep same year. Something will give and it won’t be the Rebels. LOWNDES ACADEMY , 34-20.
A-8-Man (3rd seed) MACON EAST ACADEMY (7-2) at (2nd seed) SPRINGWOOD (9-2) – The Wildcats caught a reprieve last week when their opponent, Meadowview Christian, bowed out of the first round due to lack of players. Or maybe the Trojans’ heart wasn’t in it after giving up 76 to Springwood a few weeks back. But that should not be a surprise. The Wildcats have scored 80 or more points in their last four games. Macon East was one of those teams to give up that much in an 85-54 loss. It’s not unusual to see teams in 8-man football score so many points but the Wildcats have made a habit of it. Ironically, in their two losses, their combined total didn’t add up to 40 points. Macon East will need to figure out how to slow down this offense and avoid the turnovers. It might be asking too much of the Knights to match Springwood on the scoreboard but it wouldn’t hurt to score more than 54 this time. That would certainly be too much to ask. .SPRINGWOOD , 60-47.
A-8-Man (4th seed) EVANGEL CHRISTIAN (6-4) at (1st seed) CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN (10-0)– Like Macon East, Evangel Christian has a tall order in slowing down the defending 8-man champions. They did a pretty good job of it in the season’s previous meeting allowing only 34 points in a loss. These two met last year in the semifinals with Cornerstone winning by 24. The Lions are capable of putting up big numbers offensively, too, but they will need a big defensive outburst to win this one. CORNERSTONE , 48-30.
OTHERS
7A: Auburn over Thompson, 27-23; Hoover over Opelika, 26-20; Central-PC Vestavia Hills, 42-26; Enterprise over Baker, 24-21; 6A: Spain Park over Russell Co, 41-34; 5A: Central-Clay County over Williamson, 31-24; Vigor over Eufaula, 30-24; UMS-Wright over Andalusia, 23-22 4A: St. Jackson over Bibb Co, 38-25; 3A: Thomasville over Houston Aca, 35-24 2A: Reeltown over Luverne, 45-22; Cottonwood over Goshen, 32-20; Highland Home over Providence Christian, 36-13; 1A: Sweet Water over Maplesville,, 29-20; Elba over Linden, 31-22; Leroy over Georgiana, 25-21; AISA: Chambers Aca over Monroe Aca, 36-17; Ft. Dale over Bessemer Aca. 31-14; South Choctaw over Wilcox Aca, 42-28.
SEASON COMPLETED: G.W. Carver; JAG; Park Crossing; Prattville; Stanhope Elmore; Marbury; Prattville Christian; Billingsley; Autaugaville; Edgewood Academy; Hooper Academy; Percy Julian; Wetumpka, Holtville; Elmore County; St. James; Autauga Academy; Valiant Cross
RECORD: Last week 42-6; Season 192-60 (.762)