Here are five games to watch in the Birmingham area this week as the final games of region action feature plenty of playoff spots still undecided.

The top four teams from each region advance to the playoffs with region No. 1 and No. 2 seeds hosting the first round of playoffs against selected region No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.

The complete schedule follows.

BENJAMIN RUSSELL (6-2, 3-2) AT HELENA (6-2, 3-2)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Husky Stadium, Helena

Last week: Benjamin Russell beat Briarwood 16-14 and Helena fell 52-51 in 4 overtimes to Calera.

The skinny: Helena leads the series 3-1 and won 32-0 last season. It’s a crucial Class 6A, Region 3 game, particularly for Helena.

The Huskies could finish as high as second in the region — Homewood is the No. 1 seed — with a win, but a loss could put Helena completely out of the playoff picture, depending on other outcomes.

Benjamin Russell is guaranteed a spot in the playoffs and could earn the No. 2 seed or fall into the third or fourth spot.

Benjamin Russell QB Gabe Benton (115-183, 2,148 yards, 22 TDs passing) has a good corps of WRs in Corri Millner (27-634 yards, 10 TDs), Chris Foster (40-545, 3 TDs) and David Lawson (10-188, 3 TDs). RB Malcolm Simmons (85-600 yards, 8 TDs rushing; 20-344 yards, 3 TDs receiving) flourishes behind offensive linemen Collin Thompson and Cooper Spears. Ty Williams is a ball-hawking DB (38 tackles, 4 INT) as is Ensley Goggans (53 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INT). The linebacking group is outstanding with Jy Hicks (71 tackles, 5 TFL), Savon Spradley (64 tackles, 10 TFL, 5 sacks), Caiden Hyde (58 tackles, 10 TFL) and Bryan Simmons (42 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 sacks).

Helena’s running game is keyed by Jordan Washington (113-671 yards, 11 TDs rushing), AJ Horstead (110-556 yards, 5 TDs) and QB Dalton Lewellyn (44-338 yards 4 TDs rushing; 79-131, 1,193 yards, 9 TDs passing). Top receivers are Hunter Hale (45-631 yards, 6 TDs), Kennth Jones (13-154 yards), Nathan Wade (7-171 yards, 2 TDs) and Torrey Ward (12-188 yards, TD). The defense features linebackers Nathan Thomason and Mason Johnson along with linemen Derrick Wilson and Xavier Guy. Kevin Pinkard and Desmon James are strong in the defensive backfield.

GARDENDALE (6-2, 5-0) AT MOUNTAIN BROOK (7-1, 5-0)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Spartan Stadium, Mountain Brook

Last week: Class 6A No. 10 Gardendale beat Woodlawn 37-20 and fifth-ranked Mountain Brook beat Mortimer Jordan 56-14.

The skinny: Mountain Brook leads the all-time series 10-5 with the Spartans winning the last meeting 6-0 in 2020. The game will decide the Class 6A, Region 3 top two seeds.

Two good defensive teams feature run-based offenses.

Gardendale’s defensive front 7 is stout with linemen Caiden Combs (78 tackles, 12 TFL, 5 sacks) and Kelby Collins (73 tackles, 7 TFL, 10 sacks) along with LB Caden McGruder (64 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks) the top three tacklers. DB Dallas Young (50 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks) leads the back end. The fast-starting offense — 104 first quarter points this season — is led QB Tyler Nelson (1,238 yards, 14 TDs rushing; 893 yards, 11 TDs passing). Lawson Hughes heads an OL that opens holes for Nelson along with RBs Kedrick Storey (3 TDs) and Jonathan Harris (4 TDs) while Carter Jenkins (12 catches) and Harris (10 catches) are the top receivers.

Mountain Brook’s defense allows 11.8 points a game, but the three Class 7A schools account for 61 of the 94 points surrendered. The linebacking group leads the way with bell cow Trent Wright, Vaughn Frost and Braxton Dean roaming behind a line that includes Parker Avery. Mac Palmer heads the secondary. The Spartans also pound the ball, but use running backs Cole Gamble (222 yards, 5 TDs last week), Will Waldrop and Jack King to do most of their damage. QB John Colvin keeps defenses honest with accurate passing, particularly the long ball, to WRs Jackson Beatty and Clark Sanderson.

HOOVER (8-1, 6-0) AT THOMPSON (7-2, 6-0)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Warriors Stadium, Alabaster

Last week: Third-ranked Hoover beat Chelsea 38-0 while second-ranked Thompson beat Tuscaloosa County 49-7.

The skinny: Hoover leads the series 23-7, but Thompson has won five of the past six meetings, including last year’s semifinal playoff game after losing to the Bucs in regular season play. As usual, the teams are battling for the No. 1 seed in Class 7A, Region 3.

Expect this one to be a defensive struggle with two of the top defenses in the state.

Hoover allows only 9.1 points a game and no team has scored more than 17 on the Bucs. The front 7 is outstanding with a DL that features Jordan Norman (29 tackles, 11.5 TFL), Andrew Parrish (24 tackles, 4 TFL), Michael Nixon (4 TFL) and Chaleb Powell. The LB corps of Kaleb Jackson (56 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3 sacks, INT), Bradley Shaw (41 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks, INT) and DJ Estes (33 tackles, 15 TFL, 2 sacks, INT) lead the team in tackles. The back end is just as strong with Jay Avery (30 tackles, 3 INT), Keith Christein (22 tackles) and Devan Carlisle (14 tackles, INT). The offense is patient no matter who starts at QB (probable is Noah Schubach). Backs Lamarion McCammon (92-650 yards, 8 TDs rushing) and Kamal Anderson (57-269, 3 TDs) run behind an OL that includes Ethan Hubbard, AJ Franklin and Rashad Smith. Receivers KJ Law (30-296 yards, 2 TDs) and Jordan Woolen (26-334, 3 TDs) are targets. Kickers will be crucial with Peyton Argent converting 7-of-8 field goals.

The Thompson defense surrenders 14 points a game, but only 7.1 since losses to Buford (Ga.) and Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.). The Warriors front 7 is just as formidable as Hoover’s with Peter Woods (53 tackles, 17 TFL, 6 sacks), Dylan Campbell (31 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks) and Caleb Ballard (51 tackles, 12 TFL, 7 sacks) fronting LBs Jake Ivie (61 tackles, 9 TFL), Seth Hampton (58 tackles, 11 TFL) and Kelby Taylor (47 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 INT). DBs are star-studded with Tony Mitchell (50 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 PBU), Anquon Fegans (44 tackles, 7 INT) and Payton Lewis (21 tackles, INT). QB Zach Sims (85-135, 1,152 yards, 6 TDs) directs the offense that features WRs KB Williams (32-358 yards, 5 TDs) and Deuce Oliver (24-316, 3 TDs). AJ Green is a workhorse at RB (114-789 yards, 12 TDs) along with Michael Dujon (42-357, 5 TDs). Kicking duties are handled by John Allen McGuire with 2 FG, including a long of 42.

OXFORD (4-4, 3-2) AT CENTER POINT (7-1, 4-1)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Bowman Field, Center Point

Last week: Oxford fell to 25-20 Clay-Chalkville and Class 6A ninth-ranked Center Point was idle.

The skinny: The series is tied 1-1 with Oxford beating Erwin (now Center Point) 26-21 in 2005. The four Class 6A, Region 6 teams are set and Clay-Chalkville is the top seed, but the other three (Center Point, Pinson Valley and Oxford) are battling for seeding.

Oxford QB Mason Mims (18-of-23, 127 yards, TD last week) heads the offense while Nick Richardson (3 catches, 48 yards last week) and Judd Syer (3 catches, 30 yards) are WR targets. RB Caleb Wynn (16-56 yards, TD last week) leads the ground game, but dangerous ATH DK Wilson gets involved in a variety of offensive situations. Caleb Tinner and Keenan Britt are strong on the DL while linebackers Mike Battle and Hudson Gilman are stoppers. The defensive backfield is headed by Emari Carroll.

The Center Point duo of QB Jabari Collier (76-679, 10 TDs rushing; 64-109, 1,107 yards, 7 TDs passing) and RB Troy Bruce (126-1,187 yards, 19 TDs rushing; 18-211 yards, 4 TDs receiving) are tough to contain behind an OL that includes Gerald Perry. WR Harold Holloman (23-577, TD) is the top target along with Bruce. Cameron Bonner (42 tackles) leads in tackles while linebacking mate Malik Brown (33 tackles, 9 TFL, 4.5 sacks) is also part of a strong front 7 that includes linemen DeMario Hicks (38 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 4 sacks) and Jordan Jackson (38 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks). KeMarius Horne (32 tackles, 2 INT) and Deon Moore (21 tackles, 4 INT) handle DB duties.

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY (5-3, 3-3) AT VESTAVIA HILLS (4-4, 3-3)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Buddy Anderson Field at Reynold Stadium, Vestavia Hills

Last week: Tuscaloosa County lost 49-7 to Thompson and Vestavia Hills beat Oak Mountain 42-21.

The skinny: Vestavia Hills leads the series 12-6 and won 50-0 in 2021. The game decides the final seed for Class 7A, Region 3 with Thompson and Hoover battling for the top two seeds and Hewitt-Trussville earning the No. 3 spot.

Most of the damage for the Tuscaloosa County offense is done by QB Sawyer Deerman (he also plays defense) and RB Kevin Riley. Top receiving targets are Dre Brown and Coleman Cooper at WR and Riley out of the backfield. The defensive front 7 includes LBs Clayton Allen and Jackson Sprayberry along with linemen Kole Nicholson, Eli Herndon and Hunter Montgomery. Landon Smith, Mason Ray, Quilen Hale and Sheldrick McNeal roam the defensive backfield.

Vestavia Hills QB John Paul Head (87-158, 1,913 yards, 8 TDs passing; 102-747 yards, 15 TDs rushing) heads an offense that averages 30.5 points a game. RB William Tonsmeire (89-436 yards, TD rushing; 13 catches, TD receiving) along with WRs Keown Richardson (29-265 yards, 2 TDs), Tucker Smitha (17-209 yards, TD) and Copper Mollison (18-178 yards) comprise most of the offensive production. The defensive front 7 includes Jordan Ross (38 tackles, 16 TFL, 2.5 sacks), Andrew Sykes (31 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks), Lane Whisenhunt (22 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 sacks), Houston Owen (28 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks) and Samuel Hanson (27 tackles, 2 TFL).

BIRMINGHAM AREA SCHEDULE

(All games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

THURSDAY

Fayette County at Midfield

Minor at Woodlawn

Ramsay at Carver

FRIDAY

Benjamin Russell at Helena

Briarwood Christian at Homewood

Carbon Hill at Tarrant

Central-Tuscaloosa at Hueytown

Chelsea at Hewitt-Trussville

Clay-Chalkville at Shades Valley

Evangel-Montgomery at Cornerstone Christian

Fultondale at Hanceville

Gadsden City at Calera

Gardendale at Mountain Brook

Haleyville at Corner

Hayden at Fairfield

Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa at McAdory

Hoover at Thompson

Lincoln at Leeds

Montevallo at American Christian

Mortimer Jordan at Jackson-Olin

Northridge at Brookwood

Oak Grove at Dora

Oak Mountain at Spain Park

Oxford at Center Point

Parker at Huffman

Paul W. Bryant at Bessemer City

Pelham at Chilton County

Pickens Academy at Banks

Pinson Valley at Pell City

Pleasant Grove at Jasper

Shelby County at Rehobeth

Southern Academy at Coosa Valley

Southside-Gadsden at Moody

Thorsby at Vincent

Tuscaloosa Academy at Cold Springs

Tuscaloosa County at Vestavia Hills

Valiant at Bessemer Academy

Wenonah at John Carroll