Third Round Pairings

Four Defending Champs still alive as AHSAA Playoffs Head to Third Round

MONTGOMERY – Four defending state champions survived the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s grueling State Football Playoff second round to advance to this week’s quarterfinals.

Class 6A defending state champion Prattville (10-1) won its 10th game in a row with a 44-11 win over Opelika to set up this week’s quarterfinal game at Stanley Jensen Stadium against unbeaten Auburn (12-0).

In Class 3A, defending champion Cordova (9-3) out-scored Trinity of Montgomery 54-40 with senior running back Tim Simon rushing for 363 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries. The Blue Devils now play at home against Region 4 rival Gordo (9-3) Friday night in the third round.

Leroy (12-0), the Class 2A defending state champion, rolled past Houston Academy 47-27 and now takes on Region 1 rival Millry (10-2), a 29-24 winner over Washington County.

And in Class 1A, defending state champ Sweet Water (11-1) goes on the road to meet unbeaten Brantley (12-0) Friday night. Coach Stacy Luker’s Bulldogs advanced with a 48-0 win over McIntosh and Brantley advanced with a 49-16 win over J.U. Blacksher.

Many of this week’s quarterfinal clashes are region rematches, including all in Class 4A and 5A. The 5A matchups are Spanish Fort (11-1) playing Region 1 top seed Vigor (12-0) at Prichard, Demopolis (8-4) meeting Region 3 winner Carver-Montgomery (12-0) at Cramton Bowl, Walker (11-1) going to Region 6 winner Cullman (10-2), and Russellville (11-1) taking on Region 8 champ Hartselle (12-0).

In Class 4A, UMS-Wright (10-2) goes to Region 1 winner Jackson (9-3), Handley (9-2) has a rematch with Region 4 champion Lincoln (11-1), Oneonta (10-2) takes on Region 6 champ Cherokee County (12-0) and Deshler (9-3) faces Region 8 champ Brooks (11-1) at Killen.

Other region rematches include: in Class 6A, Davidson (10-2) vs. Murphy (10-2) at Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium and Mountain Brook (11-1) versus Region 6 winner Hoover (11-1) at Regions park; in Class 3A, in addition to the Gordo-Cordova battle, Piedmont (10-2) visits Region 5 champ Leeds (12-0).

Other unbeaten teams still alive are Class 1A Linden (12-0), Class 2A Clay County (12-0) and Tanner (12-0), Class 3A T.R. Miller (12-0) and Hamilton (12-0).

The complete third-round pairings are listed below. All games will be Friday night, Nov. 21, with kickoffs at 7 p.m.

Class 1A

Sweet Water (11-1) at Brantley (12-0)

Linden (12-0) at Loachapoka (9-2)

Appalachian (10-2) at Gaston (10-2)

South Lamar (9-3) at Speake (10-2)

Class 2A

Millry (10-2) at Leroy (12-0)

Reeltown (11-1) at Pickens County (11-1), Reform

Clay County (12-0) at Fyffe (9-3)

Sulligent (10-2) at Tanner (12-0)

Class 3A