SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2009 |
8C
TO THE
Road to the Super Six EXPLANATION KEY
The playoffs begin Friday with 16 teams in each classification playing for a spot in the Super Six Championship Series in Tuscaloosa. Here is a breakdown of the playoffs in Classes 6A, 5A and 4A.
CLASS 6A YELLOW BRICK
Hoover (9-1) The Buccaneers’ only loss came to No. 3 Vestavia Hills, which cost Hoover the Region 6 title. They would like nothing more than to get another shot at Prattville in the Super Six title game. Junior quarterback Ryan Carter, who has thrown for approximately 2,220 yards this season. Hoover hosts
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YELLOW BRICK
Teams favored to reach the Super Six or teams with the easiest path to Tuscaloosa.
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
Strong teams with a good shot at being in the Super Six if things go their way.
CLASS 5A YELLOW BRICK
Cullman (10-0) Cullman has been the top-ranked team in 5A for most of the season. The Bearcats have been tested just once this season in a 29-28 win at Pleasant Grove. Since then, Cullman has been held to less than 35 points just once, in a 28-13 win over Class 6A Mountain Brook. Cullman hosts Wenonah on Friday.
Hillcrest on Friday.
Prattville (8-2) The three-time defending state champion’s only two losses have come to out-of-state teams — North Gwinnett (Ga.) and Don Boscoe Prep (N.J.). Quarterback Sam Gibson and safety Nick Perry (Alabama commitment) are the leaders on offense and defense, respectively. Prattville hosts Dothan in the first round of the playoffs on Friday.
Greenville (10-0) Much of the talk about Region 3 surrounded Carver-Montgomery and Demopolis, both of which returned strong teams. However, Greenville was the squad left standing with the region championship after the regular season ended. The Tigers’ closest game was a 28-24 win in the second win of the season against Carver. From there, Greenville cruised to an undefeated regular season and region title. Greenville hosts Moody on Friday.
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
FILE PHOTO
Prattville’s Jerodis Williams
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
Auburn (10-0) Even though it is ranked No. 1 in the ASWA poll, Auburn doesn’t have the name recognition of a Hoover or Prattville. What the Tigers do have, however, is an undefeated football team with an excellent chance to be the South bracket’s representative to play in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Auburn hosts LeeMontgomery on Friday.
Russellville (7-3) The perennial North-bracket power uncharacteristically lost three regular-season games — St. Paul’s, Hartselle and Athens. For Russellville to make back-to-back trips to the Super Six, it would have to potentially knock off Athens or Hartselle in the quarterfinals. Russellville hosts Southside-Gadsden on Friday.
ROAD
Vestavia Hills (9-1) The Rebels are the state’s only team to beat Hoover, although they had to withstand a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Buccaneers. Vestavia Hills hosts Minor on Friday.
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Gadsden City (8-2) The Titans are a totally different team than the squad that lost its season-opening game to Tuscaloosa County. They have the offense rolling along and with highlytouted recruit Dale Trimble leading the defense, Gadsden City could be the dark horse of this season. Gadsden City hosts Huntsville on Friday. ROAD
Vigor’s Deangelo Miller
Tuscaloosa County (7-3) Much like Hillcrest, Tuscaloosa County plays a tough brand of defense. The Wildcats have been in every game they’ve played this season. To make a run at a state championship, TCHS must make plays down the field in the passing game to loosen the running game up for Damian Minor and Willie Layton. Tuscaloosa County hosts Spain Park on Friday.
FILE PHOTO
Hillcrest’s Edgreg Chandler
Hillcrest (7-3) Hillcrest boasts a stout defense and a playmaking wide receiver in Lance Wilson. The senior seems to come up big for the Patriots each week. To play in the Super Six, Hillcrest will first have to beat Hoover in Hoover. If it can take care of the football and continue to play great defense, Hillcrest has the capability of playing with anyone in the state. Hillcrest plays at Hoover on Friday.
Fort Payne (8-2) Led by junior quarterback Kyle Crabtree, Fort Payne put together a five-game winning streak in the middle of the season that ended last Friday night in a loss to Class 6A Gadsden City. Crabtree has thrown for 1,500 yards and run for 450. The Wildcats have never been beyond the second round of the playoffs. Fort Payne hosts Muscle Shoals on Friday. Spanish Fort (8-2) Spanish Fort’s most impressive win came in a 37-16 thumping of defending state champ Vigor. The Toros also beat Gulf Shores, but lost contests to St. Paul’s and LeFlore. Spanish Fort could potentially see Vigor for a rematch in the second round and could meet Gulf Shores or LeFlore in the quarterfinals. Spanish Fort plays at Eufala on Friday.
Theodore (9-1) The state’s No. 10 team will have to come out of the South bracket, which is no easy road. To get to Tuscaloosa, Theodore would potentially have to knock off a combination of Muprhy, McGill-Toolen, Davidson, Auburn or Prattville. Theodore hosts Daphne on Friday.
ROCKY ROAD
Carver-Montgomery (9-1) Not much has changed from last year for Carver, as the Wolverines rolled over the competition this season just like they did in 2008. Carver could face a combination of Chilton County, Demopolis or Greenville before a return visit to the semifinals, where the Wolverines bowed out last season. Carver hosts John Carroll on Friday.
Hartselle (8-2) While it may seem strange for a team that held the No. 1 spot a few weeks ago to be on a rocky road path, Hartselle enters the playoffs on a two-game losing streak. The Tigers could get a shot at redemption against Muscle Shoals, the first team to beat Hartselle, in the quarterfinals and would probably need to beat top-ranked Cullman in the semifinals to reach the Super Six. Hartselle hosts Albertville on Friday.
ROCKY ROAD
Demopolis (7-3) Demopolis returned a lot of talent from a team that almost knocked Carver out in the quarterfinals last season. Defensive end/lineback Martaze Jackson is a force on the defense and running back Demarcus James is capable of a big game any week. For the Tigers to make it to Tuscaloosa they will have to get by Shelby County and then probably Greenville and then Carver. That’s just to get to the semifinals. Demopolis plays at Shelby County on Friday.
ROAD
Teams that could make a surprise run to the Super Six.
ROCKY ROAD
CLASS 4A Thomasville (9-1) Thomasville seemed on cruise control before dropping a 39-20 game to Jackson in week nine. The Tigers proved how good they are on Friday when they controlled a good 5A Demopolis team throughout the game. To get to the Super Six, Thomasville would potentially have to knock off a dangerous UMS-Wright squad in the second round before trying to get revenge its loss against Jackson in the quarterfinals. After that, the Tigers would most likely have to beat an unbeaten Bibb County team in the semifinals. Thomasville plays at Alabama Christian on Friday.
YELLOW BRICK
Cherokee County (10-0) In you are a believer that a team must be playing its best football as it enters the postseason, take a look at the Warriors. Over the last two games, Cherokee County beat its two opponents by a combined 99-0. Cherokee County hosts Haleyville on Friday.
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
Bibb County (10-0) This Choctaws’ team may go down as the school’s best — ever. No disrespect to any other Bibb County team, but this year’s Bibb County squad is for real. They get great play on the offensive and defensive lines and senior running back Quail Rutledge, in my mind, is one of the best players in the state. Through 10 games, he has rushed for 33 touchdowns. Bibb County hosts Lincoln on Friday. Deshler (9-1) If it seems like Deshler is making a deep playoff push every season, it’s because it does. Deshler is in the mix again thanks to players like Alabama commit FILE PHOTO Deion Belue, the Tigers’ Bibb County’s 6-foot, 175-pound verQuail Rutledge satile playmaker. Deshler hosts Fairview on Friday. UMS-Wright (8-2) UMS-Wright has spent all season in the Top 10 and its only two losses were to Class 6A Fairhope and a five-point defeat to Thomasville. The Bulldogs have failed to score less than 31 points just once and that was against Fairhope.
Jackson (9-1) ROAD Jackson is on the road less traveled simply because not much was known about the Aggies before the season started. They started the season outside of the Top 10, but have steadily climbed up the rankings, culminating with a 39-20 beatdown of top-ranked Thomasville two weeks ago. Their only blemish is a 51-24 loss to UMS-Wright, whom the Aggies wouldn’t have to face until the quarterfinals. Jackson hosts Ashford on Friday.
ROCKY ROAD
Fayette County (7-3) If the Tigers can get by 8-2 Oneonta in the first round, the Tigers would have to beat undeated, top-ranked Cherokee County. The road doesn’t get much rockier than that. Quarterback Evan Sims needs to play his best football if Fayette County wants to go deep in the playoffs. Fayette County hosts Oneonta on Friday.
FILE PHOTO
Fayette County’s Carlos Quarles FILE PHOTO
Demopolis coach Tom Causey
Solid teams that have an uphill climb to the Super Six.