Addison Bulldogs (6-0, 3-0) vs. Decatur Heritage Eagles (4-1, 2-0)
1A, Region 7
Thursday 7 p.m.
West Morgan High School Stadium – Trinity
SERIES: First meeting
LAST WEEK: Addison defeated Vinemont 43-36, Decatur Heritage defeated Shoals Christian 42-22
First place in the region is hanging in the balance with the No. 4 Bulldogs getting the No. 8 Eagles on the campus of West Morgan High School. Decatur Heritage uses West Morgan for its home games since the Eagles don't have a playing site on campus, located east of the Decatur city limits.
Since 2015, the Eagles have gone 16-3. Decatur Heritage had an incredible run that got the Eagles to the 1A semifinals last season. The Eagles face an Addison squad that is coming off a good test by a fourth quarter rally to edge Vinemont and remain undefeated.
This will be the 50th game for the Bulldogs under David Smothers. Addison is 34-15 with a winning percentage of .693. The percentage has climbed from .650 when the season began.
Pell City Panthers (4-1, 2-0) @ Cullman Bearcats (3-3, 1-2)
6A, Region 7
Friday 7 p.m.
Oliver Woodard Stadium – Cullman
SERIES: Pell City leads 1-0
LAST TIME: Pell City defeated Cullman 25-7 in 2003 playoffs
LAST WEEK: Cullman defeated Fayette County 38-14, Pell City defeated Anniston 49-14
Momentum has been built by Cullman in the last two weeks on the road. Now the Bearcats have homecoming and face one of the co-leaders in Region 7 in Pell City. The Bearcats are in a must win situation to qualify for the playoffs with four games left in the region. Mark Britton's squad is in fifth place entering the final week of September.
Pell City comes to Woodard Stadium for the first time. Keith Etheredge is in his first year at Pell City after coaching the previous 10 years at Leeds High School, posting a 107-34 record with four state 4A championships, including last year when the Green Wave defeated Fayette County 55-7.
Fairview Aggies (2-3, 0-2) @ West Point Warriors (2-3, 2-1)
5A, Region 6
Friday 7 p.m.
West Point Stadium
SERIES: West Point leads 28-16-1
LAST TIME: West Point defeated Fairview 41-14 in 2013
LAST WEEK: Fairview defeated Priceville 49-0, West Point had the week off
For the third straight week, Fairview is playing on West Point's turf. But this time, the Aggies are the visitors and it is West Point's homecoming.
The game looms large for West Point who is a game behind Mortimer Jordan (3-0) and Hayden (2-0) in the regional standings. Coach Don Farley knows the Warriors need to perform well and stay near the top of the leaderboard when they head to Mortimer Jordan the following week.
Fairview dominated Priceville last Friday to give George Redding his 60th career win at his alma mater. Redding is five wins behind Hall of Fame coach Dafford Smith in all-time victories at Fairview.
The Aggies are 1-3 against the Warriors with Redding in command. Fairview has not beaten the Warriors in West Point since 2003 by the final score of 18-7. The Warriors have won three straight home games against their county rival.
Holly Pond Broncos (4-1, 1-1) @ Locust Fork Hornets (4-2, 2-1)
3A, Region 6
Friday 7 p.m.
Pate Field – Locust Fork
SERIES: Locust Fork leads 11-7
LAST TIME: Holly Pond defeated Locust Fork 36-7 in 2003
LAST WEEK: Holly Pond defeated Asbury 54-0, Locust Fork lost to Weaver 30-10
Holly Pond is very aware the second half of the schedule will be challenging for a squad that has started well in 2016 with four wins in its first five games.
The Broncos will look to move up in the regional standings as they visit Locust Fork for the first time in 14 years. Holly Pond has won its last four assignments away from Thomas-Michelfelder Field.
Two weeks ago, the Broncos were in Blount County and came home with a 34-28 win over Susan Moore. The Broncos meet a Hornets squad that was held to their lowest point total (10) of the season and lost at home for the first time this year.
Hanceville Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2) @ Susan Moore Bulldogs (0-5, 0-2)
3A, Region 6
Friday 7 p.m.
Larry Patterson Field – Susan Moore
SERIES: Susan Moore leads 5-2
LAST TIME: Susan Moore defeated Hanceville 56-48 in 2015
LAST WEEK: Hanceville lost to Clements 10-7, Susan Moore lost to Oneonta 30-14
Victory got away from Hanceville last week on homecoming. The Bulldogs have to erase that from their minds and regroup with their next two games in Region 6 to be on the road.
The two sets of Bulldogs are in the same region for the third straight year. The two previous games have been close encounters with Susan Moore coming from behind in the fourth quarter to win 15-14 in 2014 and outscoring Hanceville last year at Ray Talley Stadium 56-48, knocking the Bulldogs out of the playoffs.
Cold Springs Eagles (3-2, 2-0) @ West End Patriots (3-3, 1-2)
2A, Region 7
Friday 7 p.m.
Patriot Stadium – Walnut Grove
SERIES: West End leads 5-1
LAST TIME: West End defeated Cold Springs 42-14 in 2011
LAST WEEK: Cold Springs defeated Good Hope 42-39, West End defeated Pleasant Valley 27-25
Trying to stay undefeated in the region, the Eagles go into Etowah County for the final Friday in September. They will be wanting to know the outcome of another regional battle the same time they are playing West End as Cleveland (3-0) travels to Tanner (2-0).
The Eagles have games at Tanner and Cleveland in the middle of October. Rod Elliott's squad outlasted Good Hope in a shootout last week.
Cold Springs is on the road for the first time this month after playing its last three games in the friendly confines of Cranford Stricklin Stadium.
West End has shown they can score points. The Patriots rolled past Susan Moore in week two 65-42. Cold Springs has scored 90 points in its two previous meetings, confident they can match the Patriots in putting points on the scoreboard.
Winfield Pirates (3-2, 0-2) @ Good Hope Raiders (0-5, 0-2)
4A, Region 6
Friday 7 p.m.
James Shabel Stadium – Good Hope
SERIES: Winfield leads 5-1
LAST TIME: Winfield defeated Good Hope 45-22 in 2013
LAST WEEK: Good Hope lost to Cold Springs 42-39, Winfield defeated Sulligent 28-6
One of these teams will be able to get out of the cellar of the region on the final Friday of September.
Good Hope played another close game, but gave up a late touchdown to Cold Springs and remains winless on the season.
Winfield's victory over Sulligent snapped a two-game losing streak in which the Pirates lost regional games to Cordova 20-14 and Haleyville 28-12.
Coach Alan Scott's Raiders are looking to win at Shabel Stadium for the first time since week five of 2015 when they routed Curry 47-6.
Matt Dixon returned for the Raiders last week and responded with two rushing touchdowns and scored on a 97-yard kickoff return, the longest in the county so far this season.
Priceville Bulldogs (0-5) @ Vinemont Eagles (1-4)
Friday 7 p.m.
Mark Smothers Stadium – Vinemont
SERIES: First meeting
LAST WEEK: Vinemont lost to Addison 43-36, Priceville lost to Fairview 49-0
Vinemont is glad to get back home for the first time since Labor Day weekend. The Eagles played three straight on the road, coming up a touchdown short in two of the assignments.
Having a winless Priceville team visiting, plus this week being homecoming, will motivate the Eagles in the quest to end four consecutive losses.
Priceville has been shut out in its last two games, failing to score last Friday when they were in Cullman County and lost to Fairview at West Point Stadium.
The Bulldogs are off to their roughest start since 2012 when they were 2-8. Last season, Priceville went 8-2 in regular season play and dominated the opposition by having 22 seniors. The seniors are gone and the Bulldogs have become young again.
Garrett Boland continues to shine at quarterback for coach Matt Norris. The left-hander accounted for 185 yards passing, two touchdowns, 82 yards rushing and two scores. Wide receiver Colby Nicholas caught six passes from Boland for 91 yards and scored a touchdown.
Playing Vinemont means Priceville has faced all teams in the Cullman County school system since they were officially eligible to play in the AHSAA back in 2006.
The Eagles are at home for the next three games.
