Jimmy Mitchell
Vestavia students cheer their team during warmups after a weather delay during a game between Homewood and Vestavia Hills on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, at Thompson Reynolds Stadium in Vestavia Hills.
Region play begins for many high school football teams this week. Here's a look at some of the matchups around the area.
Vestavia Hills (1-0) at Spain Park (1-1)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Jaguar Stadium
Vestavia Hills and Spain Park begin Class 7A, Region 3 play on Friday night.
What to watch: Vestavia Hills comes into the game on a high note after holding off Homewood last week, while Spain Park suffered a close defeat to Bessemer City in the rain last Friday.
Impact player: Vestavia Hills defensive back Gyasi Hill came up with the play of the game last week, intercepting a Homewood pass at the goal line with 30 seconds remaining. The Rebels allowed just 10 points to Homewood.
Last meeting: Spain Park rolled to a 33-14 victory over Vestavia Hills on Sept. 8, 2017.
What this game means: Both teams have playoff aspirations in one of the state’s toughest regions, so a win to open the region campaign would go a long way.
Chelsea (0-2) at Carver-Birmingham (1-0)
Date: Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Carver High School
Chelsea opens Class 6A, Region 5 play at Carver-Birmingham on Thursday night.
What to watch: Chelsea is still looking for its first win under first-year head coach Dustin Goodwin. The Hornets have played two really tough opponents in the opening two weeks in Oak Mountain and Briarwood, so they should be adequately prepared for region play already.
Impact player: Chelsea wide receiver Lando Nichols scored the Hornets’ only touchdown last week, as he caught a 6-yard pass from Turner Griffin. Nichols will need to step up again this week, after Andrew Bartlewski went down with an injury last week.
Last meeting: Chelsea and Carver have never met on the football field.
What this game means: Chelsea has back-to-back tough region games against Jackson-Olin and Pelham after this week, so the Hornets need to pick up a win to gain some momentum heading into that stretch.
Briarwood (1-0) at Pleasant Grove (2-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Pleasant Grove High School
Briarwood begins Class 5A, Region 4 action on Friday night at Pleasant Grove.
What to watch: Briarwood has gone unbeaten in region play each of the last two seasons, but begins its 2018 region slate with no slouch. Pleasant Grove is off to a 2-0 start under first-year coach Darrell LeBeaux. Even though Briarwood has won the last eight meetings in the series, the last two games were decided by a combined 12 points.
Impact player: Briarwood running back Luke Prewett showed why the Lions felt comfortable moving JR Tran-Reno to quarterback last week against Chelsea. Prewett scored a 59-yard receiving touchdown and added a 47-yard run in last week’s contest.
Last meeting: Briarwood defeated Pleasant Grove, 21-14, on Oct. 27, 2017, to wrap up a perfect region campaign and improve to 9-0 on the season.
What this game means: Region 4 is likely to be one of the toughest in 5A, with the likes of Wenonah and Ramsay in the mix as well, so whichever team wins gets a leg up in what is sure to be a battle for the region crown.
Oak Mountain (1-0) at Hewitt-Trussville (1-1)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Hewitt-Trussville Stadium
Oak Mountain begins a brutal three-game stretch against Hewitt-Trussville on Friday, as the Eagles look to back up a season-opening win.
What to watch: Oak Mountain took its bye week last week ahead of consecutive games against Hewitt-Trussville, Thompson and Hoover. The Eagles saw encouraging signs in its season-opening rout of Chelsea and will look to back that up. Hewitt rebounded from a tough loss to take down West Forsyth (GA) last week.
Impact player: Oak Mountain quarterback Evan Smith accounted for four touchdowns in the Eagles’ 42-9 win over Chelsea on Aug. 24. Smith showed the ability to run and throw effectively, but the challenge will be great over the next few weeks.
Last meeting: Hewitt-Trussville routed Oak Mountain, 63-21, to advance to the second round of the Class 7A playoffs on Nov. 4, 2016.
What this game means: Region 3 only got tougher with the addition of Hewitt-Trussville this fall, so any region victory is a huge one.
Homewood (1-1) vs. Pelham (2-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Waldrop Stadium
Homewood begins Class 6A, Region 5 play against rival Pelham on Friday night, in the Patriots' first game at Waldrop Stadium.
What to watch: Homewood is looking to rebound after a tough loss to another rival, Vestavia Hills, last Friday. The Patriots will have to, as they face a Pelham team on the rise and off to a strong start this season.
Impact player: Homewood defensive lineman John Firnberg has established himself as a leader on Homewood’s defense, which features a strong front seven. Firnberg picked off a pass late in last week’s contest that allowed the Patriots a chance at a game-tying drive.
Last meeting: Homewood opened the season with a 29-22 win over Pelham on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017.
What this game means: Before the season, Homewood coach Ben Berguson said this game could be for the region championship, even with it being so early in the season. Jackson-Olin will have something to say about that, but the winner has a leg up in the race.
Hoover (1-1) vs. Thompson (2-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Hoover Met
Hoover welcomes one of its top challengers in Class 7A, Region 3, to the Hoover Met on Friday night, as the Bucs face Thompson.
What to watch: The two teams split their meetings last fall, with each road team winning. Their regular season matchup comes much earlier this season, but still has the potential to be the game that decides the region title.
Impact player: Hoover running back Larry McCammon rushed for 152 yards last week and was a bright spot for a Bucs team that was defeated handily by St. John’s College (DC). McCammon is beginning to establish himself as one of the state’s top backs.
Last meeting: Hoover avenged a regular season loss by taking down Thompson, 31-12, in the Class 7A semifinals on Nov. 24, 2017.
What this game means: With Hewitt-Trussville joining the region this fall, this game has added implications for two of the state’s top teams.
Mountain Brook (2-0) at Tuscaloosa County (1-1)
Date: Friday, Sept, 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Tuscaloosa County High School
Mountain Brook makes its second trip to Tuscaloosa in three weeks, as the Spartans open Class 7A, Region 3 action against Tuscaloosa County.
What to watch: Mountain Brook did what it should have done the first two weeks and took care of business against inferior opponents. This week, the Spartans begin region play and will need to show that they are ready for the competition to stiffen.
Impact player: Mountain Brook wide receiver Blake Roth scored two touchdowns last week against Center Point and has emerged as one of quarterback Strother Gibbs’ top targets.
Last meeting: Mountain Brook picked up a solid road win, defeating Tuscaloosa County 31-7 on Oct. 6, 2017.
What this game means: It’s a chance for the Spartans to begin the region slate with a win, because the road gets no easier in the battle for one of four playoff spots in Region 3.
John Carroll (0-2) at Fairfield (0-2)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Fairfield High School
John Carroll tries to get on the board this season as it heads to Fairfield to begin Class 5A, Region 4 action.
What to watch: John Carroll has lost its first two games, surrendering a combined 100 points, but the Cavs improved greatly from the first game to the second. Fairfield has dropped a pair of contests to start the season, so it could be a prime opportunity for John Carroll to pick up a win.
Impact player: John Carroll running back Aaron Mason built on a promising performance in the first game and exploded for 140 yards and two touchdowns on Friday night.
Last meeting: Fairfield defeated John Carroll, 12-11, in a low-scoring affair on Oct. 21, 2011.
What this game means: Both teams face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs this fall, so a win to open the region slate would be huge.
Clay-Chalkville (2-0) vs. Niceville (FL) [2-0]
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Cougar Stadium
Clay-Chalkville plays its first Friday game of the season after opening with a Saturday-Thursday turnaround.
What to watch: Clay-Chalkville has backed up its 2017 Class 6A semifinals appearance with a strong start this fall and plays a Niceville team that is normally a strong team.
Impact player: Clay-Chalkville defensive lineman DJ Dale has made a name for himself thwarting opposing offensive attacks, but the big man has found a niche on the offensive side of the ball as well. Dale scored two touchdowns from the fullback position in the Cougars’ 31-24 win over James Clemens last week.
Last meeting: Clay-Chalkville opened the season with a 44-23 win over Niceville on Aug. 23, 2014, in front of a national television audience.
What this game means: It’s Clay-Chalkville’s final tune-up before Region 6 play begins next week and is the Cougars’ only home game until Oct. 5.
Pinson Valley (1-1) at Shades Valley (0-1)
Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Shades Valley High School
Pinson Valley begins its Class 6A, Region 6 journey with a trip to Shades Valley on Friday night.
What to watch: Pinson Valley rebounded from a loss to Hoover in a big way, as the Indians dominated Ramsay, 41-12, last Friday. The Indians will look to start region play on the right foot as they take on a Shades Valley team that was defeated by Jackson-Olin, 30-7, last week.
Impact player: Pinson Valley running back Jay Sharp scored four touchdowns last week, three rushing and one on a punt return. He has proven to be a dynamic support player to balance the Indians offense.
Last meeting: Pinson Valley used a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Shades Valley, 28-27, in overtime on Sept. 29, 2017.
What this game means: Pinson Valley posted a perfect 6-0 region record last fall and begins the road of defending its title. With teams like Clay-Chalkville, Oxford and Gardendale looming, every region win is critical.
