Check out five games to watch involving Birmingham area teams this week during the third round of AHSAA playoffs.

RELATED: Vote for the Birmingham area player of the week.

It’s semifinal week for Class 7A while the other six classes will play quarterfinal games.

The complete schedule follows.

CLASS 7A PLAYOFFS

HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE (9-3) AT THOMPSON (10-1)

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

Last week: Hewitt-Trussville beat Hoover 40-7 and Thompson beat Vestavia Hills 34-14.

The skinny: Thompson leads the series 10-6 and has won five straight, including 40-14 earlier this season. Hewitt-Trussville is ranked No. 9 and Thompson is No. 2. Hewitt-Trussville scores 40.3 points a game and allows 21.2 while Thompson averages 40.2 and allows 10.2 points a game with three shutouts.

Winner plays: Mary G. Montgomery at Central-Phenix City winner for state championship

Coaches: Josh Floyd (181-63-1, 20th season) moved to the state for the job at Hewitt-Trussville (82-34, 10th year) in 2014 and has appeared in the playoffs nine times, reaching the second round six of those. It’s Hewitt-Trussville’s first trip to the semifinal round since a 1996 loss to Mountain Brook. Floyd formerly coached in Arkansas at Shiloh Christian (99-29, 10 years), leading the Saints to four state championships and another trip to the title game. Mark Freeman (257-56, 25th season) has guided the Warriors (93-19, 9th year) to four straight Class 7A titles and reached the title game five straight years and the semifinal round for the seventh straight season with a 5-1 record in six previous semifinals. Freeman also has two state titles at Spanish Fort (50-7, 4 years) after coaching at Gulf Shores (13-9, 2 years) and he won four state championships at Bessemer Academy (101-21, 10 years).

HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE players to watch: Offense — TE Donovan Price, QB Peyton Floyd, WR Jacob Serena, WR Jadon Loving, OL Kade Martin, OL Braden Valdez. Defense — DB Riggs Dunn, DL Tyrell Averhart, DE Ayden Moore, DE Drew Ollis, LB Parker Floyd.

THOMPSON players to watch: Offense — QB Trent Seaborn, RB AJ Green, WR Deuce Oliver, WR Colben Landrew, WR Kolby Hearn. Defense —DB Kaleb Harris, DB Anquon Fegans, LB Jayden Davis, LB Tyler Hicks, DB Payton Lewis.

CLASS 6A PLAYOFFS

CLAY-CHALKVILLE (11-0) AT MUSCLE SHOALS (11-0)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., J.F. Moore Stadium, Muscle Shoals

Last week: Clay-Chalkville beat Mount Brook 17-13 and Muscle Shoals beat Fort Payne 41-10.

The skinny: Clay-Chalkville won the only previous meeting 35-14 in the second round of 2014 playoffs. Clay-Chalkville is ranked No. 2 and Muscle Shoals is No. 4. Clay-Chalkville scores 39.8 points a game and surrenders 8.9 with three shutouts while Muscle Shoals scores 43.9 points a game and allows 14.5 with two shutouts.

Winner plays: Gadsden City at Parker winner

Coaches: Drew Gilmer (78-12, 7th season) got his first head coaching job in 2017 and has led the Cougars to the playoffs all seven seasons, including winning the 2021 championship and two more trips to the semifinals. Scott Basden (218-74, 24th season) took over at Muscle Shoals (149-45, 16th year) in 2008 and has been to the playoffs 15 straight seasons with three trips to the semifinals and one championship appearance. Basden also coached at Cordova (37-12, 4 years) with a 2007 Class 3A state championship and Parrish (32-17, 4 years) making the playoffs all four seasons.

MUSCLE SHOALS players to watch: Offense — QB Cole Woods, WR Jamir Goodloe, RB Jaquez Green, RB Nattarruean Hampton, WR Hadden Vance. Defense — LB Braylen Jones, CB Xavier Johnson, S Uzziah Johnson, FS Zion Fitzgerald, DE KaMhariyan Johnson.

CLAY-CHALKVILLE players to watch: Offense —Jaylen Mbakwe, WR Mario Craver, RB Aaron Osley, RB Taurus Chambers, OL Jac’Qawn McRoy, OL AJ Williams, OL Adrian Spivey. Defense —DJ Barber, DB Tevis Metcalf, LB Rod Ivy, DE Avion Pickett, S Deion Gunn.

CLASS 6A PLAYOFFS

GADSDEN CITY (9-3) AT PARKER (11-1)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Major Brown Memorial Stadium, Birmingham

Last week: Gadsden City beat Hartselle 22-15 and Parker beat Oxford 21-14.

The skinny: It’s the first meeting between the teams. Gadsden City is ranked No. 15 and Parker is ranked No. 5. Gadsden City averages 39.3 points a game and allows 18.7 with three shutouts while Parker scores 40 points a game and allows 12.3.

Winner plays: Clay-Chalkville at Muscle Shoals winner

Coaches: Ali Smith (25-29, 5th season) earned his first head coaching job with Gadsden City in 2019 and has his first quarterfinal playoff appearance after reaching the second round in 2022. Frank Warren (35-13, 4th season) got his first head coaching job at Parker in 2020 and has guided the Thundering Herd to the playoffs each of the past three years with the second trip to the quarterfinal round.

GADSDEN CITY players to watch: Offense — QB Luke Waldrop, RB TJ Worthy, WR Matthew Sparks, OL Tre Williams, OL Kileque Jones, OL James Wood, K Gabriel Brito. Defense — DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., DL Jerrell Brasher, LB Chris Butler, DL Nemo Samples, DB Ty Sims.

PARKER players to watch: Offense — QB Malik Muhammad, RB A’mari Brundidge, RB Martavius Purnell, WR Jeremiah Jelks, OL Jamarcus Smith. Defense — DL Jeremiah Beaman, DL Jourdin Crawford, DL Phillip Davidson, DL Jeremiah Hall, LB Davion Lake, LB Carlton Duncan, DB Na’eem Offord, DB Eric Tarrant, DB Timothy Merritt.

CLASS 5A PLAYOFFS

PLEASANT GROVE (10-1) AT GUNTERSVILLE (10-1)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Chorba-Lee Stadium, Guntersville

Last week: Pleasant Grove beat Boaz 49-7 and Guntersville beat John Carroll 20-17.

The skinny: Pleasant Grove leads the series 2-1, all three in the playoffs, with the Spartans winning 42-21 in the 2020 second round. Pleasant Grove is ranked No. 4 and Guntersville is No. 8. Pleasant Grove averages 42 points a game and allows 14 with three shutouts while Guntersville scores 32.3 points a game and gives up 10.6 with two shutouts.

Winner plays: Ramsay at Moody winner

Coaches: Darrell LeBeaux (66-13, 6th season) took over at Pleasant Grove in 2018 and has led the Spartans to six straight previous playoff appearances, including winning to the Class 5A title game in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and the semifinals last year. Lance Reese (118-41, 14th season) got his first head coaching job at Guntersville in 2010 and has the Wildcats in the playoffs for the 13th time, 11th straight.

PLEASANT GROVE players to watch: Offense —QB Eric Handley, ATH/WR Clarence Taylor, RB Collin Moore, WR Arron Tift, OL Jordan Foy. Defense — DB/ATH Cam Wormley, DL Andre Watts, DB Micheal McGuire, DL Carlos Colston.

GUNTERSVILLE players to watch: Offense — OL Royce Baucom, DB Enelson Delva, QB Eli Morrison, RB Julyon Jordan, WR Dadrien Waller. Defense —LB EJ Havis, CB Braden Holsonback, OLB Treyvon Avery, LB Avery Clifton, DE Brooks Frazier.

CLASS 5A PLAYOFFS

RAMSAY (10-2) AT MOODY (10-2)

Time/location: Friday, 7 p.m., Bill Morris Stadium, Moody

Last week: Ramsay beat Leeds 42-7 and Moody beat Russellville 42-21.

The skinny: It’s the first meeting between the teams. Ramsay is ranked No. 2 and Moody is ranked No. 6. Ramsay averages 38.8 points a game and gives up 9.8 points with three shutouts while Moody scores 33.4 points a game and allows 13.7.

Winner plays: Pleasant Grove at Guntersville winner

Coaches: Ronnie Jackson (29-9, 3rd season) has his first football head coaching job and has guided the Rams to the playoffs each season, winning the 2022 Class 5A title and making it to the second round in 2021. Jake Ganus (20-4, 2nd season) earned his first head coaching job at Moody in 2022 where the Blue Devils have their second straight playoff appearance with the first quarterfinal spot since a 2004 loss to Deshler.

RAMSAY players to watch: Offense – QB Kameron Keenan, RB Ashton Ashford, WR Tremell Washington, WR Kristian Stinson, OL Lance Williams. Defense —QB Reese, LB Marquel Patterson, DL Demarcus Wynn, DB Fletcher Taylor, SS O’Conner Jones.

MOODY players to watch: Offense —RB Blaine Burke, QB Charlie Johnston, WR KD Barnes, WR Braden Wright, WR Aidan Robinson, OL Brennan King, OL Jaxon Huckeba. Defense —DB Amon Lane, DB Chase Jackson, LB Zane Smith, LB Gavyn Baker, DB AJ Madison, DB Sidney Walton, DL Cam Mallory, DL Logan Hall, OLB Baroc Willis.

COMPLETE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

(all games Friday at 7 p.m. unless noted)

CLASS 7A

Semifinals

Mary Montgomery (12-0) at Central-Phenix City (11-0)

Hewitt-Trussville (9-3) at Thompson (10-1)

CLASS 6A

Quarterfinals

Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (12-0) at Saraland (12-0)

Pike Road (10-2) at Benjamin Russell (10-2)

Gadsden City (9-3) at Parker (11-1)

Clay-Chalkville (11-0) at Muscle Shoals (11-0)

CLASS 5A

Quarterfinals

Gulf Shores (12-0) at Headland (10-2)

Eufaula (9-3) at Demopolis (10-2)

Ramsay (10-2) at Moody (10-2)

Pleasant Grove (10-1) at Guntersville (10-1)

CLASS 4A

Quarterfinals

Jackson (11-0) at BTW-Tuskegee (8-4)

Montgomery Catholic (12-0) at Jacksonville (10-2)

Westminster Christian (10-2) at Brooks (8-4)

Cherokee County (11-1) at West Morgan (12-0)

CLASS 3A

Quarterfinals

Mobile Christian (12-0) at Trinity (11-1)

Saint James (10-2) at Thomasville (10-1)

Geraldine (11-1) at Lauderdale County (12-0)

Sylvania (10-2) at Madison Academy (12-0)

CLASS 2A

Quarterfinals

B.B. Comer (12-0) at Clarke County (7-5)

Reeltown (11-0) at Cottonwood (10-1)

Tuscaloosa Acaaemy (10-2) at Pisgah (11-1)

Locust Fork (12-0) at Fyffe (11-1)

CLASS 1A

Quarterfinals

Leroy (10-0) at Brantley (7-4)

Elba (12-0) at Maplesville (8-4)

Hackleburg (11-1) at Coosa Christian (6-5)

Wadley (11-1) at Pickens County (9-3)

Some information provided by the Alabama High School Football Historical Society website.