BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
FOR THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY — With the regular season now in the record books, teams across Chambers and Lee counties are preparing for the first round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association state football playoffs. Here’s what you need to know about each matchup.
- Auburn High School vs. Vestavia Hills High School – Nov. 7 at Duck Samford Stadium, 1600 E. University Drive in Auburn.
Last season, Auburn High School rode the high of perhaps the program’s best-ever season before losing to eventual 7A state champions Thompson High School in the second round of the playoffs. This year, the No. 4 Tigers (8-2) will host a first-round playoff game for the ninth-straight year after finishing second in 7A Region 2.
AHS will host No. 2 Vestavia Hills High School (8-2), which finished third in 7A Region 3, in a rematch the Rebels won 42-14 at home on Aug. 28. Since then, the Tigers have won every game except for a 36-0 defeat to No. 1 Central High School on Oct. 3, while VHHS has won every game except for a 28-14 loss to No. 5 Hewitt-Trussville High School on Sept. 5 and a 35-3 loss to No. 3 Thompson High School on Sept. 19.
Through 10 games, the Rebels have scored 38 points per game while allowing 18.9 points per game. In comparison, AHS has scored 29.3 points per game while allowing 14.1 points per game. - Opelika High School at Hewitt-Trussville High School – Nov. 7 at Husky Field, 5469 Trussville Clay Road, Trussville, Alabama.
Since becoming a 7A school in 2022, Opelika High School has experienced its fair share of growing pains, failing to make the playoffs in its first two years in the new classification. However, the No. 10 Bulldogs (7-3) are now postseason bound for the second year in a row after finishing third in 7A Region 2.
OHS will travel to No. 5 Hewitt-Trussville High School (8-2), which finished second in 7A Region 3. Notable victories for the Bulldogs this season include a 24-22 win over Pike Road High School (6A) on Sep. 26 and a 24-14 region win over Carver High School on Oct. 24. Important victories for the Huskies include a 28-14 win over No. 2 Vestavia Hills High School on Sept. 5 and a 17-14 win over No. 9 Hoover on Sept. 12.
Through 10 games, HTHS has scored 33.9 points per game while allowing 12.7 points per game. In comparison, OHS has scored 26.7 points per game while allowing 23.2 points per game. - Beauregard High School at Northside High School – Nov. 7 at Northside Stadium, 19230 Northside Parkway, Northport, Alabama.
When Beauregard High School hired Shenan Motley in May, a school searching for its second state championship had found a head coach whose resume includes a 1A state championship win and another appearance. While there have been some growing pains, the Hornets (3-7) again find themselves in the hunt in November.
After finishing fourth in 5A Region 4, BHS will pay a visit to No. 6 Northside High School (10-0), which finished first in 5A Region 3. Notable victories for the Hornets this season include a 27-0 region win over Holtville High School on Oct. 3 and a 14-7 region win over rivals Valley High School on Oct. 24. Important victories for the Rams include a 49-17 win over Shelby County High School on Sept. 19 and a 48-14 win over Demopolis High School on Oct. 24.
Through 10 games, NHS has scored 49.6 points per game while allowing 10.2 points per game. In comparison, BHS has scored 16.5 points per game while allowing 25.3 points per game. - Glenwood School vs. Thomasville High School – Nov. 7 at The Swamp, 2730 Lee Road 248 in Smiths Station.
As an increasing number of small private schools join the Alabama High School Athletic Association, few have found immediate success quite the way the Glenwood School has. For the second consecutive year, the Gators (8-2) have gone undefeated in region play and look to make a deep run in the 3A playoffs.
After finishing first in 3A Region 4, Glenwood will host Thomasville High School (6-4), which finished fourth in 3A Region 3. Notable victories for the Gators this season include a 49-22 region win over Randolph County High School on Oct. 3 and a 20-7 region win over rivals Lee-Scott Academy on Oct. 17. Important victories for the Tigers include a 51-6 win over Dallas County High School on Oct. 17 and a 50-16 win over Greensboro High School on Oct. 24.
Through 10 games, THS has scored 37.6 points per game while allowing 20.9 points per game. In comparison, Glenwood has scored 38.3 points per game while allowing 16.3 points per game. - Lee-Scott Academy vs. Hale County High School – Nov. 7 at Judd Scott Field, 1601 Academy Drive in Auburn.
When Lee-Scott Academy first joined the Alabama High School Athletic Association last year, there was no shortage of challenges when it came to fielding a competitive team against established competition. That has not phased the Warriors (8-2), who will host a first round playoff game after making the AHSAA 3A playoffs for the first time in school history.
After finishing second in 3A Region 4, LSA will host Hale County High School (7-3), which finished third in 3A Region 3. Notable victories for the Warriors this season include a 58-33 region win over Randolph County High School on Sept. 19 and a 26-19 overtime region win over Dadeville High School on Oct. 3. Important victories for the Wildcats include a 42-35 win over Thomasville High School on Oct. 10 and a 33-0 win over Dallas County High School on Oct. 24.
Through 10 games, HCHS has scored 34.7 points per game while allowing 25.6 points per game. In comparison, LSA has scored 35 points per game while allowing 22.3 points per game. - Loachapoka High School at Goshen High School – Nov. 7 at Eagle Field, 286 Eagle Circle, in Goshen, Alabama.
In his first season at the helm of the Loachapoka High School football team, Branden Hall knew he potentially had something special on his hands with veterans on the line of scrimmage and playmakers on the perimeter. His hunch was indeed correct as the Indians (7-3) have lived up to that billing with a high-powered offense and their sixth-straight playoff appearance.
After finishing third in 2A Region 4, LHS will hit the road to face Goshen High School (6-3), which finished second in 2A Region 3. Notable victories for the Indians this season include a 58-6 region win over Central Coosa County High School on Oct. 2 and a 41-13 region win over Ranburne High School on Oct. 16. Important victories for the Eagles include a 31-21 win over Zion Chapel High School on Sept. 5 and a 38-26 win over Highland Home High School on Sept. 19.
Through nine games, GHS has scored 31.7 points per game while allowing 22 points per game. In comparison, LHS has scored 43.7 points per game while allowing 20.1 points per game through 10 games. - Trinity Christian School vs. Evangel Christian Academy – Nov. 6 at Moore Stadium, 611 N. Eighth St. in Opelika.
Before the season began, Trinity Christian School head coach Mike Adams posed a question: “Why not us?” In their first-ever season of eight-man football, Adams knew his team could make noise in an increasingly competitive division. Those sentiments have proven to be true as the Eagles (6-4) are flying high as they prepare to host a first-round playoff game in their inaugural season.
After finishing fourth in AISA A, TCS will take on Evangel Christian Academy (6-4), which finished fifth in AISA A, in a rematch that the Eagles won 31-22 on Sept. 19. Since then, TCS has gone 4-2, including a 53-34 win over Snook Christian Academy on Oct. 17, while the Lions have gone 3-2, including a 35-20 win over Coosa Valley Academy on Oct. 10.
Through 10 games, the Eagles have scored 41.6 points per game while allowing 35 points per game. In comparison, ECA has scored 35.4 points per game while allowing 24.8 points per game.
