Edgewood Academy playing for home playoff seeding

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Coming off a huge region win over Macon East, the Edgewood Academy football team now has an even bigger game in front of it.

Edgewood Academy hosts Hooper Academy this Friday night in an AISA AA Region 1 matchup. The Wildcats, which are 3-4 overall and 2-2 in region play, can clinch a first-round home playoff game with the win.

Edgewood has not hosted a first-round playoff game since 2019 and have played all three playoff games (1-2) on the road since Chad Michael took over as

ELMORE COUNTY (4-3)

AT VALLEY (3-4)

The Players

Elmore County: QB

Payton Stephenson has completed 77 of 138 passes for 1,166 yards and 13 touchdowns; he’s rushed for 516 yards, 7 TDs. … RB CJ Wilkes has rushed 121 times for 796 yards and 7 touchdowns.

… WR Garrett Allen has 31 catches for 492 yards and 6 TDs.

FOUR DOWNS

Elmore County lost to Beauregard, 31-20;Valley lost to Tallassee, 25-7.

Both teams are 1-3 in AHSAA Class 5A, Region 4.

The winner of this game clinches a playoff spot while the loser is left out.

Both teams have lost two straight games entering the matchup.

NEXT UP: Elmore County hosts Holtville;Valley hosts Carroll.

DEMOPOLIS (7-1)

AT HOLTVILLE (4-4)

THE PLAYERS

Holtville: RB Shawn Brackett has scored 12 touchdowns this season; he has over 900 yards of total offense. … QB Keiland Baker has totaled 851 yards of offense and 10 touchdowns. … LB Conner Hackett has recorded 80 tackles and 14 tackles for loss.

FOUR DOWNS

Holtville lost to Marbury last week, 35-12; Demopolis beat Jemison, 68-22.

Demopolis is 4-0 in AHSAA Class 5A, Region 3; Holtville is 2-2.

Demopolis has won six straight games and is allowing only 14 points per game.

Holtville and Demopolis have never played each other before.

NEXT UP: Holtville at Elmore County; Demopolis hosts Greenville.

PIKE ROAD (5-2) AT STANHOPE ELMORE (1-6)

The Players

Stanhope Elmore: QB Jacob Bryant returned from injury and passed for 293 yards and a touchdown last week. … WR Tevin Landrum had seven catches for 84 yards last week. … WR Jackson Thomas had seven catches for 79 yards last week; he also scored a rushing touchdown out of the wildcat formation.

head coach in 2020.

“This a huge game and a huge opportunity for us,” Michael said. “I’m not sure anyone but us would believe we’d be in this opportunity four weeks ago. To be in this situation, it’s a big opportunity for us and it’s something we’re excited about. We have to go out there and compete and hopefully come out with a victory.”

Hooper Academy enters the game with a 2-5 overall record and an 0-2 record in region play. The Colts lost their first three games of the season, including region games to Abbeville Christian and Macon East, but

FOUR DOWNS

Stanhope Elmore lost to Lanier, 41-17, last week; Pike Road beat Russell County, 40-7. Pike Road is 4-0 in AHSAA Class 6A, Region 2; Stanhope Elmore is 1-3.

Stanhope Elmore and Pike Road have never played each other before.

Stanhope Elmore has allowed over 41 points in three of its last four games.

NEXT UP: Stanhope Elmore at Park Crossing3; Pike Road at Carver.

SYLACAUGA (0-8) AT TALLASSEE (4-4)

The Players

Tallassee: QB Tyler Ellis has rushed for 593 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. … RB Joshua Griffin rushed for 482 yards and six touchdowns this season. … DB Travarious Langford recorded an interception for the Tigers defense last week.

FOUR DOWNS

Tallassee beat Valley, 257, last week; Sylacauga Tallassee is 2-2 in AHSAA Class 5A, Region 4 and has already clinched a playoff spot.

Tallassee RB Josh Griffin has rushed for 358 yards and five TDs the last two weeks.

Sylacauaga’s defense is allowing 46 points per game this season.

NEXT UP: Both teams have a bye week next week.

HOOPER ACADEMY (2-5) AT EDGEWOOD ACADEMY (3-4)

The Players

Edgewood Academy: QB Austin Champion has completed 58 of 117 passes for 1,062 yards and 9 touchdowns. … DL Bryson Boone recorded a team-high seven tackles last week. … ATH

Gabe LeMaster totaled 211 yards and a touchdown last week.

Four Downs

Edgewood beat Macon East, 35-34, last week; Hooper beat Sparta, 7250.

Edgewood is 2-1 in AISA AA Region 1; Hooper is 0-2.

With a win, Edgewood will clinch a first-round home playoff game.

Hooper’s defense is allowing 39 points per game this season.

NEXT UP: Edgewood Academy at Lakeside; Hooper at Chambers Academy.