Hanceville Bulldogs (2-5, 1-3) @ Holly Pond Broncos (4-2, 1-2)
3A, Region 6
Thomas-Michelfelder Field – Holly Pond
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: Hanceville leads 22-11
LAST TIME: Hanceville defeated Holly Pond 60-50 in 2015
LAST WEEK: Hanceville lost to Susan Moore 56-21, Holly Pond lost to Locust Fork 37-31
A victory keeps the winner in the quest for a playoff berth, especially Hanceville, who has lost three straight games for new coach Craig Flanigan.
This game has huge dividends for Mike Bates and his Broncos. A year ago, the Broncos gave up four touchdowns to the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter with B.J. Smalls having a memorable rushing performance and Hanceville posting a 60-50 victory- the highest combined scoring total in one game between the two that have been battling one another since 1967. The Bulldogs have won the last four after they lost five in a row to the Broncos between 2003-08.
J.B. Pennington Tigers (4-2, 3-1) @ Vinemont Eagles (2-4, 0-3)
3A, Region 6
Mark Smothers Stadium – Vinemont
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: J.B. Pennington leads 11-3
LAST TIME: Vinemont defeated Pennington 40-20 in 2009.
LAST WEEK: Vinemont defeated Priceville 35-28, Pennington lost to Fultondale 49-34.
Getting a homecoming victory last Friday was important for Vinemont to restore confidence with Pennington coming to town on the heels of two consecutive losses.
The Tigers got outscored by region leader Fultondale last week in Blountsville. The Eagles scored three times in the fourth quarter to pull out a 35-28 win as Garrett Boland accounted for 142 yards rushing, three touchdowns, 138 yards passing and a score.
Vinemont must somehow slow down Pennington RB Trey Griffin. In two games against Cullman County schools who are Region 6 foes, Griffin has gained 550 yards on 74 carries and five touchdowns. He netted 260 on 41 attempts and two scores in a 34-32 win at Holly Pond Sept. 2, and on Sept. 16 rushed for 290 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers held off Hanceville 44-30.
Pennington's road schedule is 60 percent Cullman County and 40 percent visiting schools in Marshall County. The Tigers have played at Holly Pond and Hanceville and now battle Vinemont on the first Friday of October.
The visitors from Blountsville are looking to go 3-0 vs. the county for the first time since 1989 when they defeated Hanceville and Holly Pond in the regular season and upset Good Hope in the first round of the 3A playoffs.
This is Vinemont's second straight game at home with the Eagles 1-1 on campus so far for second-year coach Matt Norris.
Winston County Yellow Jackets (1-5, 0-3) @ Cold Springs Eagles (4-2, 3-0)
2A, Region 7
Cranford Stricklin Stadium – Cold Springs
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: Winston County leads 4-0
LAST TIME: Winston County defeated Cold Springs 41-0 in 2009.
LAST WEEK: Cold Springs defeated West End 26-16, Winston County lost to Tarrant 40-16.
At stake for the Eagles is a chance to clinch a playoff berth on the home turf and then get ready for two challenging regional road games with Tanner and Cleveland Oct. 14 and Oct. 21.
The Eagles rallied from a 16-13 halftime deficit to defeat West End and stay tied for the region lead with Tanner, who crushed Cleveland 58-20.
Winston County comes to Stricklin Stadium for the first time in seven years. The Jackets are back in 2A after playing the previous six years as a 3A in the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
This is the final game for the Eagles at home, who have won four straight for Rod Elliott after opening the season with a 20-8 home loss to Hanceville and a 26-24 road defeat to Berry-Fayette.
West Point Warriors (3-3, 3-1) @ Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils (4-2, 3-0)
5A, Region 6
Jimmie Trotter Field – Kimberly
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: Mortimer Jordan leads 7-4
LAST TIME: Mortimer Jordan defeated West Point 48-21 in 2011.
LAST WEEK: West Point defeated Fairview 38-24, Mortimer Jordan had the week off.
Displaying a running game that netted 313 yards between Cameron Moore and Alex Hernandez with five touchdowns, West Point won a shootout over Fairview to extend its winning streak to three, all victories in 5A, Region 6.
Now comes the biggest game of the season thus far for Don Farley's squad. The Warriors meet the 2015 Class 5A state runner-up who had a week to get some rest and scout the Warriors last Friday during West Point's homecoming.
Mortimer Jordan's two losses have been to Cordova 21-14 in the opener and to Briarwood Christian 23-14 on Sept.23.
A win by West Point puts the Warriors into second place, depending on what happens between Hayden (3-0 region) and Corner (2-2) not far away in Jefferson County. The Warriors lock up a playoff berth if they execute the game plan, visiting Mortimer Jordan for the first time since 2010.
Curry Yellow Jackets (1-5, 0-3) vs. Fairview Aggies (2-4, 0-3)
5A, Region 6
West Point Stadium
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: Curry leads 10-1
LAST TIME: Curry defeated Fairview 10-9 in 1991
LAST WEEK: Fairview lost to West Point 38-24, Curry lost to Corner 43-19.
Fairview was hoping to be playing at Dafford Smith Stadium by now. But the bleachers on the home side are not completely ready and the Aggies will have to play homecoming at West Point.
George Redding's Aggies have become accustomed to the West Point surface, with three straight games. The Aggies battled West Point tight last week before a late interception gave West Point a short field to get the game clinching TD and keep the Aggies winless in regional play.
The Aggies and Yellow Jackets are the only squads in Region 6 that have not been able to put together a victory. One will leave West Point Stadium Friday night with smiles on their faces and victory in their hearts.
Good Hope Raiders (0-6, 0-4) @ Haleyville Lions (5-1, 3-0)
4A, Region 6
Bubba Scott Field – Haleyville
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: Haleyville leads 2-0
LAST TIME: Haleyville defeated Good Hope 52-7 in 2011.
LAST WEEK: Good Hope lost to Winfield 32-0, Haleyville lost to Madison Academy 31-21.
Now comes a trip for the Raiders into Winston County against the team with the best record in Region 6: Haleyville. The Lions won their first five before they went outside the region last week and fell to Madison Academy at home.
Coach Alan Scott is putting together a game plan for the Raiders to avoid their fourth shutout of the season and try to prevent the Lions from clinching a playoff berth on the first Friday in October.
Meek Tigers (4-3, 1-2) @ Addison Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0)
1A, Region 7
A.G. Hicks Stadium – Addison
Friday 7 p.m.
SERIES: Addison leads 55-10
LAST TIME: Addison defeated Meek 47-8 in 2013.
LAST WEEK: Addison defeated Decatur Heritage 26-21, Meek defeated R.A. Hubbard 52-15.
After escaping a Decatur Heritage comeback when Chandler Cookenmaster intercepted a pass at the Addison 32 with 1:54 left in the game, the Bulldogs now encounter their neighbors from Arley who will make the 10-mile journey to A.G. Hicks Stadium with Addison in position to win the regional championship.
David Smothers' Bulldogs earned a playoff berth last week in a matchup of Top 10 programs from the 1A rankings. This will be the final time for Addison to play at home prior to the postseason as they travel to R.A. Hubbard Oct. 14 and visit Winston County the 28th.
Addison presented Smothers his 35th victory in just his 50th game as Addison coach last week, a winning percentage at .700. The 7-0 start by the Bulldogs under Smothers matches a 7-0 start by his 2013 squad.
Meek has not defeated the Bulldogs since a 9-0 shutout in Arley in 2002. In the last seven meetings, the Bulldogs have yielded 20 points to the Tigers and shut them out five times.
Cullman Bearcats (4-3, 2-2) are idle.
NEXT GAME: vs. Southside-Gadsden Oct. 14
6A, Region 7 at Oliver Woodard Stadium 7 p.m.
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