The Aliceville High School football team will try to earn a quality win Friday night when it travels to Greensboro for a key Class 3A, Region 4 Alabama High School Activities Association matchup.
Greensboro and Gordo are 4-0 marks in the region, while Aliceville is third at 3-1. The top four teams in the region make the playoffs, while the top two will play host to an opening-round game.
Elsewhere in the coverage area Friday night, Lamar County will play host to Lexington and Sulligent will play host to Cherokee in Class 2A, Region 8, Pickens County will play host to Sunshine in Class 1A, Region 4, South Lamar will play host to Parrish in Class 1A, Region 5, and Pickens Academy will play host to Lakeside in an Alabama Independent School Association Class 2A, Region 1 matchup.
All games start at 7 p.m.
Aliceville (3-4, 3-1) at Greensboro (5-2, 4-0)
The Yellow Jackets will need to win their final two region games to have a chance to play host to an opening-round playoff game.
Still, Aliceville should be in good shape to make the postseason if it can find a way to get past winless Northside next Friday night.
“We really want to play a home playoff game,” Aliceville coach Charles Moody said. “No one on my team has played a playoff game at home. No one on my team has ever won a playoff game. I want that to change. I want us to beat Greensboro and Gordo to beat Greensboro next week so we can finish second and get that home game.”
Aliceville snapped a three-game losing streak last week with a 55-20 win against Hale County. Aliceville scored 36 points in the second quarter to blow the game open. The margin of victory was the largest for the Yellow Jackets since a 40-15 win against Lamar County in 2006.
Wide receiver DeMario Lanier had touchdown receptions of 16 and 33 yards. Quarterback Christopher Crowell (1,492 passing yards) and Lanier (10 touchdowns) are key reasons why Aliceville is averaging 27.3 points per game.
“I have some guys on offense that can cause problems for everyone,” Moody said. “DeMario Lanier is one of the best receivers in the state. Terry Mayhew is a smart kid and he can play anywhere. Crowell is a smart kid and makes plays. We have some big targets that can cause some problems.”
Greensboro enters unbeaten in region play, but it is coming off a 46-18 loss at Piedmont. The Raiders are led by junior quarterback Quante Brown, who is athletic and can run and throw. His favorite targets are juniors Jevontey Smith and Willie Parker and sophomore Tyrez McCain.
“The key is to contain the quarterback and not give him running lanes,” Moody said. “We cannot let him run around all night. We have to keep in the pocket. We also have to tackle. They do a great job of breaking tackles and making big plays.
“We are a little similar. They throw the ball more than we do. They are about 80 percent pass and 20 percent run. They like to sling it around and they have a lot of talented people to sling the ball too. We are similar in that we have those types of targets to throw the ball, too.”
Lexington (4-3, 4-1) at Lamar County (4-3, 3-2)
The Bulldogs hope to continue their push toward a playoff berth in a critical Class 2A, Region 8 matchup at George Bell Stadium in Vernon.
Lamar County hold the fourth and final playoff spot in the region, and is one game behind Lexington and Colbert Heights, both of whom are tied for second.
“We talk about not ever being satisfied,” Lamar County coach Ken Adams said. “I am not sure this bunch understands what each game means. Motivation is a fine line. You have to know how to push the button, when to push the button, and not to push the button too hard and get them uptight. We don’t want to put too much pressure on them because in the course of a 48-minute game there will be some good things and bad things. We have to know how to respond.
“Last week, we trailed 27-14 and wound up losing 33-28 with a chance to win the game at the end. Our kids never quit. We played hard throughout the game. We made mistakes and they saw those mistakes were reasons we did not win. This group is always learning. That part is really fun.”
In the 33-28 defeat to region rival Colbert Heights, Lamar County held the upper hand on the stats sheet. Lamar County finished with 252 rushing yards, including 91 yards and one touchdown by DeShawn Thomas, and 64 yards and one touchdown by Dallas Cockerham.
“Coming off last week, we felt like that was a game we should have won, but we did not get it done,” Adams said. “These next two weeks we have to step up and do something. We have to approach the next two weeks like a playoff game. It is still in our hands. Lexington is a good football team, and they like to run the football. We have to be ready this week.”
After opening with back-to-back losses, Lexington has won four of its past five games. It won 35-21 last week at region rival Hatton.
Cherokee (1-6, 0-5) at Sulligent (1-6, 1-4)
Despite a five-game losing streak, the Blue Devils remain in the hunt for the fourth and final playoff spot in Region 8-2A.
To have any chance to grab that spot, Sulligent must knock off Cherokee and Phil Campbell and get help elsewhere around the region.
In its last outing, Sulligent hung tough before falling 38-6 at region leader Red Bay. Sulligent had only 59 yards of offense.
“We had a real tough time generating any type of offense,” Sulligent coach Scott Marchant said. “Defensively, we battled. I thought the overall effort was good and we played hard. We just couldn’t keep any drives going.”
Sulligent’s lone touchdown was a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ladaderick Coleman to Michael Sides.
“We are looking forward to being back home to face Cherokee,” Marchant said. “They have had some struggles, just like we have. The key to the game will be a fast start. We need to come out ready to play and have a strong first couple of series.”
Cherokee has dropped six straight after a season-opening non-region home win against Vina.
Sunshine (1-6, 1-4) at Pickens County (6-1, 4-1)
The Tornadoes will look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when the Tigers come to Spruill Stadium.
Pickens County saw a season-opening six-game win streak snapped in a 47-26 loss to undefeated Maplesville last week. It led 13-7 before Maplesville scored 33 of the game’s next 39 points to take a 40-19 halftime lead.
“We have to put that in the past and move on,” Pickens County coach Patrick Plott said. “We have to focus and get ready for Sunshine, Holy Spirit, and then Gordo. We have not had a problem putting the loss behind us. We are getting ready for Sunshine this week.
“It was a real good atmosphere. They were really good. We still have some work to do, but if we continue to improve I think we have a chance to see them again in the playoffs.”
Pickens County also played the second half without De’Marko Hall. Hall, who has 25 touchdowns this season, injured his shoulder during the second quarter of the Maplesville game. Plott expects him to be back at full speed for the Sunshine contest.
“(Hall) is fine and will be available,” Plott said. “He just banged up his shoulder. It was an injury he had and he just re-injured it.”
Maplesville had only allowed 22 points before Pickens County eclipsed that mark Friday. Lajuan Doss had a 75-yard touchdown reception from Devonte’ Simon.
The challenge should be lighter the next two weeks as Sunshine and Holy Spirit, next week’s opponent, are a combined 2-10. The Tornadoes remain second in the region and can enhance their chances of earning the right to play host to a first-round playoff game in the next two weeks.
“(Sunshine) likes to run the football,” Plott said. “They are big up front, not as big as some of the others we have faced, but they do have size up front. If our defense can stop the run and we can establish the run on offense, we can win the game.”
South Lamar (0-7, 0-5) at Parrish (2-5, 1-4)
The Stallions might have played their most complete game of the season Friday in a 14-7 home loss to undefeated Class 1A, Region 5 leader Lynn.
South Lamar had lost five games by a touchdown or less.
“We are so close. The kids can feel it,” South Lamar coach Josh Harper said. “The biggest thing about this team is they have played hard all year. They have competed and not given up. We have not had a lot of things go our way.”
Jordan Smith paced South Lamar with 10 carries for 89 yards and a 34-yard touchdown. Hank Parker also ran 12 times for 46 yards. Lynn broke a 7-7 tie with a touchdown late in the third quarter.
After opening with back-to-back wins, Parrish has lost five straight. The Tornadoes have had four losses by three points or less, a 36-35 region loss last week at Hubbertville.
Lakeside (2-5, 0-3) at Pickens Academy (1-6, 0-4)
Both teams will look for their first region victory when they meet Friday at Billy McGee Stadium. Pickens Academy has lost to Restoration Academy, Springwood, Edgewood, and Evangel Christian in the region.
With an open date last week, Pickens Academy spent most of that time giving players a chance to rest and to nurse injuries.
“We have a good week,” Pickens Academy coach John Gartman said. “We had a bye week last week, which came at a real good time. It gave us a chance to heal some bumps and bruises and re-charge out batteries.”
Pickens Academy is averaging 17 points per game. Conversely, Lakeside is allowing 30.4 point per game.
“We have got to prevent the big plays,” Gartman said. “They are pretty good on offense. They have a talented backfield. They run a three-back, wishbone set, or what I call the stack-I. They also have a real good receiver who they like to get the ball to in the open field, and he can make plays. We will have our hands full.
“On offense, we will be challenged, too. Their defense has a lot of speed and they run to the football.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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