BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY —
The 2022 high school football season is rapidly approaching its zenith. For area private schools Lee-Scott and Glenwood, wins last Friday night secured a first-round AISA Class 3A playoff bye week on Friday, Oct. 4. Public schools Auburn, Loachapoka and Beauregard continued to stack wins with just one loss on their records; Opelika was officially eliminated from the playoffs; and Beulah and Smiths Station suffered similar fates in defeat.
The following is a breakdown of how area teams fared in week nine of the 2022 high school football season. All stats were compiled firsthand, by school sources or by www.Maxpreps.com
AHSAA
AUBURN 37 | PRATTVILLE 29
The varsity Auburn High football team (8-1, R6-1) bounced back from its first defeat of the season to defeat region foe Prattville (6-3, R4-3), 37-29, last Friday night. The win kept AHS at No. 2 in the AHSAA Class 7A Region 2, and clinched at least two rounds of home-field advantage for the Tigers in the playoffs, which begin Nov. 4. Junior receiver Ean Nation led Auburn with 10 catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns while the Tigers racked up 206 passing yards in total. Auburn finishes its regular season Friday, Oct. 18, with a home, region game against Smiths Station (1-8, R1-6) on Friday, Oct. 28.
OPELIKA 7 | DOTHAN 14
The varsity Opelika football team (5-5, R4-4) fell, 14-7, on the road to region foe Dothan (6-3, R4-3) last Friday, eliminating the Bulldogs from playoff contention in their first season in 7A — the highest division in AHSAA sports — and ending their 2022 season. Senior running back Kaden Cooper was responsible for the lone Opelika score, a 25-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Opelika had a chance to tie the game on a final play Hail Mary, but the pass fell into the hands of a Dothan defender. In the season-ending loss, the Bulldogs allowed over 200 rushing yards.
SMITHS STATION 17 | LEE 22
The varsity Smiths Station football team (1-8, R1-6) lost its senior night game, 22-17, to region foe Lee (1-8, R1-6) last Friday night. Senior quarterback Jackson Greer led the Panthers, going 8-of-15 passing for 121 yards and one TD, while racking up another 22 yards rushing and one TD. The Panthers have been out of playoff contention for several weeks now, but have one final chance to salvage their season with a would-be upset over region foe Auburn (8-1, R6-1) on Friday, Oct. 28.
BEAUREGARD 54 | JEMISON 14
The varsity Beauregard Hornets (8-1, R4-1) racked up 452 total yards en route to a 54-14 win over Jemison (2-7, R1-4) last Friday night. The win kept the Hornets at No. 2 in the AHSAA Class 5A Region 4 rankings, behind Central of Clay County (who beat Beauregard, 28-3, on Oct. 14). Senior quarterback AJ Wallace led the Hornets with 19 completions on 22 attempts for 247 yards and one touchdown. His favorite target during the contest was junior receiver Corday Stinson, who hauled in nine catches for 111 yards. The Hornets were committed to the rush just as much as to the pass Friday, totaling 205 yards on the ground. Beauregard has one final non-region regular season game against Lincoln (4-5, R2-4) on Friday, Oct. 28.
BEULAH 14 | WEAVER 30
The varsity Beulah Bobcats fell to 1-8 on the season (1-6 in the region) with a 30-14 home loss to region foe Weaver (2-7, R1-5). The Bobcats totaled just 181 yards and committed six penalties for 60 yards and six turnovers, ultimately contributing to their downfall. Quarterback Noah Higdon posted the best day offensively, completing 7-of-16 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 15 yards and the only other Beulah score. Sophomore Demarion Foreman was his favorite target, catching four balls for 63 yards and a TD. Beulah finishes its season Friday, Oct. 28 at home against non-region Horseshoe Bend (3-6, R1-6).
LOACHAPOKA 40 | BILLINGSLEY 6
The varsity Loachapoka football team (8-1, R6-1) defeated Billingsley, 40-6, last Friday to maintain the No. 2 ranking in the AHSAA Class 1A Region 4 standings. The standout on the night was eighth-grader Cortez Cooks, who took both of his carries to the end zone and totaled 65 yards. The win closed out Loachapoka’s regular season. The next time Loachapoka will be on the field is Nov. 4, at home, for a first-round playoff matchup against Keith (5-4, R4-2).
AISA
LEE-SCOTT 49 | FORT DALE 14
The last undefeated team standing in Lee County, the varsity Lee-Scott Academy Warriors (9-0, R7-0) capped off a perfect regular season with a 49-14 victory over Fort Dale (3-6, R2-5). The Warriors allowed 203 total yards against the Eagles, compared to gaining 251 themselves. Quarterback Pelzer Reaves and four different receivers accounted for 63 passing yards, while seven rushers accounted for 188 yards on the ground. The Warriors have a first-round bye in the AISA Class 3A playoffs, with their second round, semi-final matchup set to be against either Monroe or Valiant Cross Academy — two teams Lee-Scott beat by a combined margin of 87-7 earlier this season. From there, Lee-Scott would need just one more win to secure the state championship at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery on Nov. 17.
GLENWOOD 63 | MORGAN ACADEMY 32
The varsity Glenwood Gators football team clinched a first-round bye in the AISA Class 3A playoffs with a 63-32 win over Morgan Academy last Friday night. The performance from the Gators was buoyed by the performance of senior running back JT Banks, who tallied over 150 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the game. Glenwood next faces a prospective matchup against either Morgan or Autauga Academy — who it beat by a combined margin of 112-45 earlier this season — in the semi-final round of the playoffs on Nov. 10. From there, the Gators would need just one more win to secure the state championship at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery on Nov. 17.