5 Coastal Alabama high school football games to watch in Round 2

5 Coastal Alabama high school football games to watch in Round 2

All four Class 5A, Region 1 teams advanced in the playoffs last week.

Two of them – No. 1-ranked Gulf Shores and No. 3 seed B.C. Rain – will be at home for the second round this week. No. 2 Faith Academy and No. 4 UMS-Wright will both be on the road.

Here are 5 second-round playoff games to watch involving Coastal Alabama teams this week.

Enterprise coach Ben Blackmon, center, and Baker coach Steve Norman talk with AHSAA official Robert Lose before their first-round 2022 playoff game at Baker. (Tom Deck | [email protected])

CLASS 7A: ENTERPRISE (9-2) AT MARY G. MONTGOMERY (11-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Grider Field, Semmes

Last week: Enterprise defeated Daphne 63-28; Mary G. Montgomery defeated Dothan 21-13.

The skinny: The two teams have never played. … Enterprise’s two losses came to Central-Phenix City (48-7) and Dothan (21-14). The Wildcats have won four straight since losing to Dothan on Oct. 13. Eric Winters and Keion Dunlap combined for 486 total yards and 8 TDs in last week’s first-round win over Daphne. The team finished with 560 total yards. Enterprise is averaging 46.8 points a game in its nine wins and has scored 52 or more points five times. … MGM recorded the first playoff win in school history last week. The Vikings had previously been 0-8. MGM has outscored is competition 393-94 during its perfect season. Shondell Harris ran for 85 yards and 2 TDs on 14 carries as the Vikings rallied to beat Dothan last week. South Alabama QB commit Jared Hollins is completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,553 yards and 29 TDs. He’s been intercepted just twice. He’s also rushed for 388 yards and 8 TDs. … Zach Golson is 17-5 in two seasons at MGM. The Vikings won a total of 17 games in the previous seven years under three head coaches. … Former Spanish Fort coach Ben Blackmon is 17-6 in his second season with the Wildcats.

Winner plays: No. 4 Auburn or No. 1 Central-Phenix City

Bessemer City at Spanish Fort football

Bessemer City’s Javion Madison pursues Spanish Fort’s Nehemiah Hixon in the first half of a prep football playoff game Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, in Spanish Fort, Ala. (Mike Kittrell | [email protected]) Mike Kittrell | [email protected]

CLASS 6A: SPANISH FORT (9-2) AT PIKE ROAD (9-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Pike Road Stadium

Last week: Spanish Fort defeated Bessemer City 28-0; Pike Road defeated Homewood 10-9.

The skinny: The two teams met in the first round of the playoffs a year ago with Pike Road rallying for a 22-21 victory. It was first loss in the opening round of the playoffs for Spanish Fort. The Toros are 28-2 all-time in the first and second rounds. … Spanish Fort has won seven straight games since losing 49-7 to No. 1 Saraland. The Toros have allowed 64 points combined in those games with two shutouts. The defense is led by Louisville EDGE commit Cole McConathy (101 tackles, 29 TFL, 18 sacks) and Alabama LB commit Sterling Dixon (120 tackles, 28 TFL, 12.5 sacks). On offense, Sawyer Wilson has rushed for 790 yards and 7 TDs. Nemo Hixon has rushed for 559 yards and 4 TDs and caught 24 passes for 269 yards and 2 TDs. … Pike Road has won nine straight games since losing its first two against Marist, Ga., and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. Mike Jones has rushed for 997 yards and 17 TDs on 166 carries. QB Cason Myers is completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 1,919 yards and 13 TDs. Auburn DT commit Malik Blocton has 93 tackles, 25 TFL and 13 sacks. … Former Trinity head coach Granger Shook is in his first year at Pike Road. Chase Smith is in Year No. 2 at Spanish Fort.

Winner plays: Hueytown or No. 10 Benjamin Russell

Gulf Shores at Murphy football

Gulf Shores’ Kolin Wilson, left, celebrates his touchdown with Chase Jennings against Murphy in the first half of a prep football game Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Kittrell | [email protected])

CLASS 5A: CHARLES HENDERSON (7-3) AT GULF SHORES (11-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium, Gulf Shores

Last week: Charles Henderson defeated Marbury 64-20; Gulf Shores defeated Beauregard 48-7

The skinny: First meeting between the two teams. … Charles Henderson played for the 5A state title a year ago, losing to Ramsay 41-20. The Trojans eliminated three 5A, Region 1 teams (Williamson, UMS-Wright and Faith Academy) on the way to the championship game. … Charles Henderson has won six of its last seven games. The only loss in that span was a 30-27 defeat at Rehobeth on Oct. 6. Recent Alabama 2025 commit Zion Grady leads the defense with 70 tackles, 21 TFL and 9 sacks. Troy commit Jywon Boyd has 56 receptions for 962 yards and 14 TDs. He also has rushed for 321 yards and 4 TDS. QB Parker Adams has completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,029 yards and 22 TDs. … Gulf Shores is in the midst of its best season ever, having outscored the competition 434-110. N.C State commit Ronnie Royal has rushed for 619 yards and 11 TDs and caught 26 passes for 406 yards. On defense, he has 35 tackles and three interceptions. Junior RB Kolin Wilson has rushed for 1,366 yards and 22 TDs. Braden Jackson (344 yards, 4 TDs) and Royal are the leading receivers. Isaiah Hammac leads the defense in tackles with 84. Otto Brewer has 48 tackles, 23.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks. … Mark Hudspeth has three playoff wins in the last two years as Gulf Shores’ head coach. The Dolphins won just one playoff game in their history before Hudspeth.

Winner plays: Headland or UMS-Wright

Gulf Shores vs. B.C. Rain

B.C. Rain RB Bryce Dowdlan (3) rushes against Gulf Shores on Friday, November 3,2023 at the Micky Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores (Jon Hauge | [email protected])Jon Hauge | [email protected]

CLASS 5A: DEMOPOLIS (9-2) AT B.C. RAIN (8-3)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Ben Glover Stadium, Mobile

Last week: Demopolis defeated Carroll 31-28; B.C. Rain defeated Valley 34-22

The skinny: Demopolis defeated B.C. Rain 49-6 in 2021 in the first round of the playoffs. … The Tigers have won at least one playoff game in six of the last seven years. … Lance Tucker’s team has won six straight games since losing to Class 4A No. 1 Montgomery Catholic 42-0 on Sept. 29. The Tigers are averaging 37 points during their six-game winning streak, while giving up 12. They’ve held three opponents to single digits during that span. … B.C. Rain’s losses came against Vigor (26-18), Faith Academy (29-21) and No. 1 Gulf Shores (43-21). Rain is averaging 31 points a game, while giving up 19. Last week, the Red Raiders were led by senior tailback Bryce Dowdlan, who rushed for 311 yards and 4 TDs on 33 carries. Amari Yelding scored Rain’s final TD. Jordan Vines had a pair of interceptions on defense. … Coach L.T. Yelding is 19-32 in his fifth year at B.C. Rain. Tucker, a former Alabama QB, is in his first year at Demopolis. He is 118-57 in 14 years as a head coach overall.

Winner plays: Eufaula or Faith Academy

Faith Academy vs. Vigor

Faith Academy running back Edwin King Jr.(1) breaks free for a touchdown against Vigor. (John O’Dell | [email protected])

CLASS 5A: FAITH ACADEMY (8-3) AT EUFAULA (8-3)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Eufaula

Last week: Faith Academy defeated Elmore County 31-7; Eufaula defeated Shelby County 65-19

The skinny: Faith Academy defeated Eufaula 21-15 in the first round a year ago. … Jack French is 10-5 in the playoffs in six years as the Rams’ head coach. Faith had not been to the AHSAA playoffs under five previous coaches. … Last week, Ty Goodwill caught seven passes for 146 yards and 2 TDs in Faith’s win. EJ King rushed for 68 yards and 2 TDs and also had 14 tackles, 3 assists, 5 TFL and 2 sacks on defense. Carson Ratliff added 9 tackles, 3 assists, 4 TFL and a sack. The Rams have won five straight games since losing three of four early in the season. … Eufaula has won three straight games since a 51-31 loss to Charles Henderson on Oct. 13. The Tigers have surrendered an average of 30 points per game. Eufaula hasn’t missed the playoffs since 1997. … QB Browning Anderson has thrown for 2,403 yards and 19 TDs. He’s been intercepted 9 times and has 5 rushing TDs. Marquia “Red” Harris has rushed for 933 yards and 9 TDs on 158 carries. Antron Mitchell (51 receptions, 1,166 yards, 8 TDs) is the leading receiver. Jay Moss leads the defense with 110 tackles and 18 TFL,

Winner plays: No. 10 Demopolis or B.C. Rain

This Week’s Coastal Alabama Playoff Schedule

AHSAA

All games Friday night

CLASS 1A

Georgiana (10-1) at Leroy (10-0)

Maplesville (7-4) at Sweet Water (9-1)

Millry (9-2) at Elba (11-0)

CLASS 2A

Clarke County (6-5) at Goshen (9-2)

CLASS 3A

Houston Academy (10-1) at Mobile Christian (11-0) (WNSP-FM 105.5)

Trinity Presbyterian (10-1) at Flomaton (7-4)

Thomasville (9-1) at Straughn (10-1)

CLASS 4A

Andalusia (10-1) at Jackson (10-0)

T.R. Miller (8-3) at Montgomery Catholic (11-0)

CLASS 5A

Charles Henderson (7-3) at Gulf Shores (11-0) (Sunny 105.7 FM)

UMS-Wright (7-4) at Headland (9-2) (Sports Talk 99.5 FM)

Demopolis (9-2) at B.C. Rain (8-3)

Faith Academy (8-3) at Eufaula (8-3)

CLASS 6A

Saraland (11-0) at Briarwood Christian (6-5)

Spanish Fort (9-2) at Pike Road (9-2)

CLASS 7A

Enterprise (9-2) at Mary Montgomery (11-0)

AISA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Thursday at Cramton Bowl, Montgomery)

CLASS AAA

Lee-Scott (10-1) vs. Glenwood (10-1), 7 p.m.

CLASS AA

Chambers Academy (11-1) vs. Banks Academy (11-1), 4 p.m.

CLASS A

Lowndes Academy (12-0) vs. Wilcox Academy (10-3), 1 p.m.