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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

I think we were all reminded quickly on Thursday and Friday just how much we missed football.

We had plenty of entertaining matchups across the county as well as some statement performances that both lived up to preseason hype and were completely unexpected.

Some of the results even threw Alec and me for a loop, including Oak Mountain and Shelby County grabbing wins that led to me receiving more than a few told-you-so messages on social media.

Even with a few missed picks, we’re rolling straight into a Week 2 slate that has a little bit of everything as all 14 teams are in action for the first time this season.

 

Last Week’s Record: 7-4

 

Spain Park (1-0) at Hoover (1-0) (Co-Game of the Week)

This is the game Spain Park wanted to keep on the schedule even if it had to go to the Met this year, and now, the Jags have a chance to get a statement win over their crosstown rivals. Both teams are coming off big performances in their own way, with Spain Park dominating Sparkman on both offense and defense while Hoover gutted out a walk-off win in Florida over Western. However, the Jags have a little extra motivation after last year’s 28-20 loss with an injury-depleted squad kept them out of the Class 7A playoffs. I’d argue already that this year’s team is better than last year’s, especially with the midseason form they showed last week, but it’s still going to be an uphill battle to earn their first win over the Bucs since 2015. While the passing game stepped up in a big way when Sparkman stopped the run, the offense will need to be prepared to respond again if Hoover shuts down one or both aspects of the attack. This is the closest matched these two rivals have been in years, and with few things separating them on paper, the turnover battle will likely make the difference. With two picks and two fumbles in Week 1, that inclines me to lean toward the Jags, but both sides of the ball will need to have their best game yet to finally bring a win back to Spain Park. Spain Park 27, Hoover 24.

 

Pelham (0-1) vs. Oak Mountain (1-0) (Co-Game of the Week)

While Pelham wound up winning this rivalry 24-21 last year, both teams already look very different from where they were a year ago. Oak Mountain’s offense looked great in a 38-28 win over Briarwood led by a dual-threat performance from Will O’Dell. Conversely, Pelham didn’t have much room to work with after surrendering some early scores at Pell City, leaving the offense to play catch-up with a lot of inexperienced pieces. The encouraging thing for the Panthers is that they found some traction with a late touchdown and the Eagles defense let Briarwood stay in the game for a while with an offensive unit that was largely figuring things out on the fly. If Pelham can capitalize on those the opportunities that Oak Mountain presents, then it could make the game even closer. While the Eagles had a similar 38-point flash in the pan last year in Week 1 before losing their final nine games, I’m more confident that the offense will strike gold more frequently this season, including this week. Oak Mountain 28, Pelham 17.

 

Thompson (0-1) at Lipscomb Academy (TN, 0-1) (Thursday)

Let’s start with the good news out of Thompson’s overtime loss to Grayson that many watched on ESPN2: the defense looks incredible. For a unit that was already one of the best in the state last year, the way they got turnovers and stepped up big on third down in the first game of the season was remarkable. It was the only reason the Warriors had business contending in that game, which takes us to the bad news: the offense needs some work. Receivers were unable to get separation and run the routes needed to take advantage of Trent Seaborn’s throws, and the run game continued to be a problem. Granted, I don’t envy Thompson for breaking in three new receivers and four new offensive linemen against one of the best defenses in Georgia, but after the air attack was one of the Warriors’ calling cards last year, to see both aspects of the offense struggle out of the gate is discouraging. I’m confident that the newer players will use that game as a learning experience and come back better and stronger, especially with a Lipscomb Academy team that struggled in the first half against Orlando’s The First Academy in Week 1. Expect Jared Smith, Vini Pires, Anquon Fegans and Trent McCorvey to continue to lead the way on defense while the offense gains a little more traction ahead of region play next week. Thompson 13, Lipscomb Academy 7.

 

Helena (0-0) at McAdory (1-0)

The Huskies start their road this week with a short trip to McAdory, a team that got into a fire fight in Week 1 against Pleasant Grove before winning 38-35. That bodes well for an offense that looked rough at times during its jamboree against Leeds. While it is just preseason and a couple of weeks have passed since then, the Huskies will need to step up on the offensive line to give quarterback Nate Ferguson and their talented running back duo of Jeremy Spratling and Domynyck Santiago the space to make plays. I’m also looking to see who steps up on defense as the big playmakers this year, especially with the potential that Jonathan Roberto and JT Alvis have shown. This should be a close one, but Helena should make a couple more big plays to seal the win. Helena 28, McAdory 21.

 

Chelsea (1-0) vs. Wetumpka (1-0)

Out of all the units across the county that made big statements in Week 1, the Chelsea defense has to be at the forefront of that discussion. Holding a defending state champion to just three points while limiting both the pass and run games is impressive, even if that team is Mobile Christian and only just coming up to Class 4A. Now, you match that defense up against a Wetumpka team that only scored 19 in its opening win against Beauregard, and that looks like another recipe for success. If the defense leads the way, the offense will follow. My only concern is with how run-heavy the Hornets are right now with Chase Stracener and Morgan Barnes, which could spell trouble if the passing game doesn’t develop alongside it and someone comes along who can stop the run. With that said though, Chelsea’s strengths at defense and running back are more than enough to get a victory here. Chelsea 21, Wetumpka 10.

 

Calera (0-1) at Central-Tuscaloosa (1-0)

This is a very intriguing matchup for me because both teams took massive steps forward last week. Calera got another step closer to its first victory since 2022 with a 30-27 loss to Northridge, and all Central went and did was win 31-28 over Class 7A rival Tuscaloosa County, a team many expected to be improved as well this year despite working in a new coach and quarterback. That’s the kind of statement win that can provide momentum the rest of the way and one of the big reasons I favor the Falcons this week. However, I think Calera will still compete because of the same reason they challenged Northridge: their offense, particularly their passing game led by AJ Johnson and receiver Cameron Hagler. This is a team that knows how to use its speed and Johnson’s arm strength to make big plays, and that will make the Eagles dangerous throughout the season. The only worry is the same one I had going into the season, and it’s about the defense. While they started well, the Calera defense quickly squandered a 14-7 lead and let Northridge go on a big run that even a late Eagles comeback couldn’t overcome. Avoiding those runs in the future will help Calera compete for more wins. While I don’t think the winless run ends this week, I feel safe saying a win is coming very soon. Central-Tuscaloosa 42, Calera 24.

 

Briarwood (0-1) at Homewood (1-0)

While I expected the Lions defense to lead the way in Week 1 against Oak Mountain, it was actually the offense that made the bigger impact despite rotating two quarterbacks in Brayden Robertson and Charles Dedmon and losing Luke Reynolds early with an injury. Chalk that up as another reason why you really don’t know what’s going to happen until these teams take the field. However, Briarwood’s defense will need to play a bigger role this week as it faces one of its biggest tests of the season in Homewood. Quarterback Will Myers and running back Evan Ausmar are two of the best offensive weapons in Class 6A, and they proved as much with a commanding 35-6 victory over the Lions’ new region-mate John Carroll. If they get room to be dynamic, especially early on, look out. I think this game and likely next week’s region opener with Ramsay will show less about where Briarwood is and more about where their opponents are as title contenders in their respective classifications. That doesn’t mean the Lions can’t use this game to continue to figure out their offensive and defensive identities after showing positive signs last week, but it likely does mean another road loss here. Homewood 35, Briarwood 17.

 

Montevallo (1-0) at Sylacauga (1-0)

For Montevallo and Sylacauga last week, it was the tale of two dominant offensive performances against teams they are definitely a step above in Class 4A Tarrant and Class 2A Central Coosa, respectively. Now, they’ll match up against each other to see how accurate those results were in telling how good they will be, which means this should be a competitive one. While much of the deserved praise went to Razareo Conwell and the offensive line for scoring four touchdowns in Week 1, the defense is going to be what makes this Montevallo team truly special. I expected growth from this defense as Garrett Langer remained in charge of the unit that was second only to Thompson in points allowed per game last year. However, a shutout in Week 1 led by big tackling numbers and turnovers from a wide range of playmakers is the kind of statement that has me dreaming big about the Bulldogs’ potential. The aerial attack still needs some time to reach its final form, but if the run game and the defense show up ready to play aggressively, that should lead to success in road tests like this. Montevallo 31, Sylacauga 21.

 

Shelby County (1-0) vs. Holtville (0-1)

Last week, I said I needed to see it to believe it about Shelby County. And boy, did we all see it. A record offensive performance for the Zeb Ellison era combined with a stellar defensive showing combined for a 57-10 win on the road at Lincoln. Coming into this season, I felt like there was a different energy and motivation with this team, and years of work are finally starting to show on the field. Now, they’ll get a literal test of their progress: a Holtville team that beat the Wildcats 41-18 in region play last year. Shelby County will need another big rushing performance to make up the difference on the scoreboard, especially from Devan Alexander after his two-touchdown night on Friday. The big problem from last week’s win was that the passing game was nonexistent. I get sticking to a plan when it’s working like it obviously was on Friday, but you need a backup plan when Plan A gets stopped, and that’s what Ryan Sipes and the passing attack can provide. Call it more bulletin board material if you will, but enough of my doubts about this team have subsided to do something I couldn’t bring myself to do last week: pick a Wildcats win. Shelby County 28, Holtville 14.

 

Vincent (1-0) at B.B. Comer (0-1)

Both teams will want a get-right game here, as Vincent had to work for a 19-6 win against Winterboro and B.B. Comer had a very disappointing 34-6 loss to Wadley in the Tigers’ first game in Class 3A. That immediately points to a potentially easier time for the Jackets this year, but this is still a Comer team that dismantled them 36-0 in 2023 and has beat them handily in all but one of their meetings since 2014 (Vincent’s 36-35 loss in 2022 that prevented its undefeated regular season). Despite all the adversity that the Jackets faced in Week 1, whether that was from injuries, officiating or Winterboro itself, I’m encouraged by two things: the fact that they won and that they only allowed six points in the process. There’s still plenty of things that Vincent will be working on in pursuit of its ultimate goal, but with the defense already operating at a high level against a Tigers offense that sputtered against a 1A defense, I’m feeling bold enough to pick Vincent to get its first win over its former region rivals in a decade. Vincent 21, B.B. Comer 14.

 

Evangel (2-0) at Banks (0-1)

After kicking off its 8-man season in spectacular fashion in Gatlinburg, the Lightning are now 1-0 in 11-man play after beating Abbeville Christian in front of a big crowd at Larry Simmons Stadium. Evangel started out a little bit slow, but the offense picked up the pace later in the first quarter before hitting the end zone three times in the first half while the defense had another big game. It’s exactly what you want to see from your first 11-man game since 2021. The only caveat was the 28-7 win was against one of the worst teams in the AISA last season. This week, they’ll get a team that played for the Class AA championship in 2023 and is currently ranked in the top five of the entire AISA in Banks. While the Jets fell to Flint River Academy 27-9 in Week 1, that team is a powerhouse at its level of football in Georgia. If the Lightning can keep building off positive results, I like their chances to compete here, but this is a quality Banks team looking for a bounce-back win, so I lean toward the Jets breaking Evangel’s 35-game win streak. Regardless of the result, it should show a lot of what the Lightning are made of while the players get to show their skills in a historic stadium like Legion Field. Banks 21, Evangel 14.

 

Cornerstone (1-0) at North River (0-1)

The Cornerstone Chargers looked to be in midseason form last week with a commanding 62-14 win over last season’s ACSC runner-up Lighthouse. While the Zeke Adams-helmed offense was as impressive as always, it was the four pick-sixes that left the biggest impression on me, and ironically Adams was responsible for multiple of those. I definitely believe the defense will continue to step up and do big things for this team. Now, a Chargers team that’s coming off a 48-point win will face a North River side that lost by 72 to East Central. That’s a recipe for another win and a 2-0 start. Cornerstone 65, North River 6.

 

Coosa Valley (0-0) vs. Southern Prep (0-1)

The Coosa Valley Rebels enter the 2024 season with a lot of unknowns as they take the field in a new format with a largely new roster. They definitely have some athletes, including a couple new additions from their successful baseball team, but their first challenges as a team will be to adjust to the speed of the 8-man game, especially for the players new to football, and also stay healthy with a small roster. That said, the Rebels already have a great shot to win against the ACSC’s Southern Prep, which lost 34-0 last week to Sparta Academy, a team that Coosa Valley beat 48-24 in its season finale last year. Expect a good performance against a weak Rangers team that could set the table for more success in 8-man once region play kicks off. Coosa Valley 38, Southern Prep 12.