AREA TEAMS HOPE TO FINISH OFF REGULAR SEASON STRONG

By HENRY ZIMMER Sports Editor

ELMORE COUNTY (6-3, 2-3)

AT JEMISON (2-7, 1-4)

The Players

Elmore County: QB Payton Stephenson has completed 93 of 162 passes for 1,402 yards and 15 touchdowns; he’s rushed for 587 yards, 12 TDs. … RB CJ Wilkes has rushed 139 times for 951 yards and 9 touchdowns. … WR Garrett Allen has 34 catches for 514 yards and 6 TDs.

FOUR DOWNS

Elmore County beat Holtville, 63-48, last week; Jemison lost to Beauregard, 54-14.

Elmore County leads Jemison, 3-2, all-time in the series.

Jemison beat Elmore County, 21-10, last season.

Jemison has lost four straight games entering the matchup.

TALLASSEE (5-4, 3-2)

AT HOLTVILLE (3-6, 2-3)

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.

Holtville: RB Shawn Brackett has scored 14 touchdowns this season; he has over 1,000 yards of total offense. … QB Keiland Baker has totaled over 1,000 yards of offense and 15 touchdowns. …

FOUR DOWNS

Holtville lost to Elmore County, 63-48, last week; Tallassee did not

Tallassee leads Holtville, 29-31, all-time in the series.

Tallassee has won eight of the last nine matchups, with its only loss coming as a COVID loss in 2020.

Tallassee beat Holtville, 21-14, last season.

Stanhope

ELMORE (3-6, 3-3)

AT MINOR (4-5, 2-4)

The Players

Stanhope Elmore: DB Dashuan Caffee intercepted two passes and returned on for a touchdown against Park Crossing… QB Jacob Bryant threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns against Park Crossing… As a team, Stanhope Elmore’s 27 points were its most in five weeks, the defensive unit allowed only 79 yards of total offense against Park Crossing

FOUR DOWNS

Stanhope Elmore beat Park Crossing, 27-6, last week; Minor lost to Woodlawn, 22-18.

Stanhope Elmore and Minor have never faced each other before.

Stanhope’s season is over after this game as the Mustangs did not make the playoffs.

Since allowing 41 points to Sidney Lanier, the Stanhope Elmore defense has only allowed 19 points in its last two games.

WETUMPKA (7-2, 4-2)

AT CENTRAL CLAY COUNTY (7-2, 5-0)

THE PLAYERS

Wetumpka: QB Nate Rogers ran for over 200 yards and four touchdowns last week. … DB Tristan Bennett recorded an interception for a touchdown against Carver. …P/K Logan Weighall recorded a season-high eight punts against Carver.

FOUR DOWNS

Wetumpka beat Sidney Lanier, 34-16, last week; Central Clay beat Russell County, 26-14.

Wetumpka and Central Clay County have never played each other. Both teams are in the playoffs next week.

Wetumpka drew a first round playoff game at Saraland, Clay County will play at home against Holtville

EDGEWOOD ACADEMY (5-4, 3-1)

AT LEE-SCOTT (9-0, 7-0)

THE PLAYERS

Edgewood Academy: QB Austin Champion has completed 68 of 131 passes for 1,221 yards and 12 touchdowns. … LB Cooper Freeman recorded a team-high 5.5 tackles last week. … ATH Gabe LeMaster snagged his fourth interception in two games, returning his latest for a touchdown against Lakeside.

FOUR DOWNS

Edgewood Academy beat Lakeside, 31-12, last week; Lee-Scott beat Fort Dale, 49-14.

Lee-Scott’s defense has four shutouts this season.

Edgewood and Lee-Scott are tied, 9-9, all-time in the series.

Edgewood has won two straight in the series in 2018 and 2019.

PAYTON STEPHENSON, FOOTBALL School: Elmore County

Last week: While Stephenson may have just committed to play baseball at Montevallo last week, he sure looked more like a football star against Holtville. The quarterback threw for over 200 yards and two scores against Holtville, while also adding 71 yards and the ground and five scores. Elmore County’s 63