Two playoff teams will meet in what promises to be a highly charged playoff atmosphere as Center Point travels to meet Leeds in the regular-season finale for both squads.

Center Point is 7-2 overall and the No. 3 seed from Class 6A, Region 6. Leeds is 7-2 and its seeding in Class 5A, Region 6 will depend on the results of the game – and how two other teams do in their finales. The Green Wave (5-1 in the region) is tied with Moody (8-2, 5-1) and Southside-Gadsden (7-2, 5-1) atop the standings.

“The biggest thing,” Leeds coach Jerry Hood said, “is if Southside beats Etowah, they will be No. 1. Their non-region wins’ total will add up to more than us and Moody can get. If Etowah beats Southside and other things happen, it could get interesting where Leeds is No. 1, Moody is 2 and Southside is 3. That would be like nine games turning out like Leeds wants. If we don’t beat Center Point, a whole different wrench is thrown in.”

Center Point and Leeds will play at 6 p.m. Thursday at Leeds’ Homer Smiles Field. The game was originally set for Friday.

Hood said his squad has practiced and played well in the past three weeks. “I’ve been proud of our kids ever since the Southside game (a 23-13 loss),” he said. “We’ve been on point in practice taking care of the little details that we feel probably cost us that game. When they do that, we probably perform better on Friday night.

“We still make mistakes, but I think we’re playing well at the right time of the year. We’re understanding what we are and not trying to be what we’re not. The kids understand our expectations a little better than they did early in the season, to be honest.”

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Center Point coach George Bates said his squad is excited to be playing against Leeds, which holds a 9-6 advantage in the all-time series, including wins in the past two meetings in 2021 and 2020 when the teams were in the same region.

“These are always games that our kids know are important for our program,” Bates said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing coach Hood, from our games when I was at Minor and he was at Clay-Chalkville. Our kids know we haven’t beaten them [in Bates’ tenure] and it’s a short drive and a unique venue. They know the ramifications of it and know how important it is to end the regular season on the right note.”

The Eagles’ first-round playoff opponent is Hartselle, the No. 2 seed from Region 7.

“We haven’t talked about the playoffs much,” Bates said. “We know Leeds is a great opponent and there’s no way we can look ahead. As the 3 seed, we know we’re playing Hartselle.”

Hood said the Green Wave is expecting a tough night in the finale.

“They’re really, really good,” he said. “They are very talented, maybe one of his best teams at Center Point. Their quarterback is amazing, they have skilled athletes everywhere, their offensive line is huge and on defense they’ve got speed, speed, speed. It will be an uphill challenge for us, no doubt.”

Leeds will rely on quarterback Conner Nelson, running backs ZJ Dale and Grayson Ford, working behind linemen 6-foot-6, 282-pound Gavin Bowlin (who has scholarship offers from Kentucky, Louisville and Georgia Tech) and 6-0, 260-pound Carlos Plascencia.

“Conner has done a really good job both running and throwing,” Hood said. “ZJ Dale is our leading rusher at tailback.

“Defensively, our D-line has played outstanding. They are led by Chris Burge (UAB commitment) and Kavion Henderson (a 4-star Arkansas commitment). Josh Lee has done a really good job at linebacker and Jeremiah Hall at cornerback has stood out for us this year.”

Bates said this year’s team is “not as quick-strike as we were last year,” when the Eagles scored 35.9 points a game behind All-State running back Troy Bruce and QB Jabari Collier. “I feel like we have more playmakers as a whole, and don’t have to rely on those two great guys,” the coach said.

Junior quarterback Deon Moore has passed for 1,110 yards with 16 touchdowns and run for 496 yards and 8 scores. “Deon heads up our offense. He’s a dual threat. The coaches mix and match for each game and have done a great job on that side of the ball,” Bates said.

Running back Julius Finnerson a 5-9, 195-pound junior, leads the Eagles with 550 yards rushing – 6.7 yards per carry – with 4 touchdowns. Senior Mekhi Brown has caught 13 passes for 274 yards and 3 TDs with junior Antonio Garfield hauling in 17 for 226 yards and 4 scores. Jaquoryae Busby also has 4 touchdowns on 13 catches.

Center Point’s defense has been productive behind the line of scrimmage with four players with at least 9 tackles for loss and four with at least 4 sacks.

“We try to do a couple different things to generate – not so much pressure, because we’re not a blitzing bunch – things up front,” Bates said. “Terence Tubbs is leading us in sacks (with 8) and Malik Brown is our captain on defense and he has 7.

“Our linebackers, I’m proud of those guys. Kaleb Parker-Holt is one of the top linebackers in the state. Cam Bonner is a do-it-all kind of guy. It’s been fun coaching those guys. They like to get after it. Ke’marius Horne is playing well and Javiyeen Taylor is our hybrid defensive guy, a sophomore, who had his best game last week.”

Parker-Holt, a 6-2, 185-pound junior, leads the Eagles with 76 total tackles with 5 TFL and 4 sacks. Bonner has 60 tackles, 9 tackles for loss and 3 sacks.