PREP CAPSULES 2021: Week 0 provides plenty of rivalries
STAFF REPORT
The 2021 season arrives with several big rivalries to pick in the opening week.
Tallassee and Reeltown renewed their rivalry last year. This year it moves to Nix-Webster-O’Neal Stadium.
Two big games are in the Capital City Conference, including a Thursday tilt between Trinity and Alabama Christian. On Friday, Montgomery Academy faces St. James.
The annual Kickoff Classic will be played on Thursday and Friday at Cramton Bowl followed by a Saturday contest featuring an inner-city matchup featuring Sidney Lanier and Jeff Davis.
In Wetumpka, the Indians will open the new stadium in a big matchup with Prattville.
Week 0
All games begin at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise
PRATTVILLE (7A) at WETUMPKA (6A)
Friday at Wetumpka Municipal Stadium
2020 Records: Prattville (7-4), Wetumpka (5-6)
Last year: Prattville, 40-10
Series: Prattville leads, 28-27-3
Key stat: Last year’s game was played as part of the annual AHSAA Kickoff Classic at Cramton Bowl.
The skinny: The new season means the Indians have a new stadium, officially. The thought was they would be on the new field following a date at Cramton Bowl last year. Instead, they got one more season at Hohenburg Field. Prattville enters with a new head coach in JB Wallace, an alum, who had some success at Marbury the last two seasons. But expectations are high in both camps this fall. Entering Friday, Wetumpka is trying to rebuild an offense with just three starters back. Prattville has a lot of its offense returning but not quite as many on defense. Big advantage is at quarterback for the Lions where E.J. Ousley returns while the Indians will start at sophomore in Nathan Rogers. That’s enough of an advantage to pick Prattville.
PREDICTION: Prattville, 26-17
ALABAMA CHRISTIAN (4A) AT TRINITY (3A)
Thursday at Ragsdale-Boykin Field
2020 Records: ACA (10-3), Trinity (10-3)
Last year: TPS, 24-7
Series: TPS leads, 27-7
Key Numbers: After losing two straight in the series (2016-17), Trinity has won the last three meetings.
The skinny: A pair of 10-win teams from a year ago meet to open the season. When is the last time that happened? How about never. The Eagles had just one 10-win season before last year. That was in 2017, which is also the last win they have over Trinity. The Wildcats got hot late, winning four straight until the playoff loss to rival Montgomery Academy in the Class 3A quarterfinals. ACA and new coach Michael Summers will break in a new quarterback, Hayes Hunt. Ditto for Trinity and Coleman Stanley. Both teams return a lot of veteran players, making this one tough to pick. But the Wildcats have owned this series and there is no reason to believe that will change this time.
PREDICTION: Trinity, 24-17
ST. JAMES (4A) AT MONTGOMERY ACADEMY (3A)
Friday at McLemore Field
2020 Records: STJ (7-4), MA (13-1)
Last year: MA, 24-0
Series: MA leads, 27-19
Key Numbers: Last year, the Eagles enjoyed its best season since 2006, which was the end of coach John Tatum’s tenure. Jimmy Perry begins his 10th year as the head coach at STJ, the longest of any coach at the school.
The skinny: Like most games among Capital City Conference teams this year, expect a nailbiter at the “Mac.” The Trojans suffered growing pains a year ago and still managed to earn a playoff bid at the end of the season and was an overtime loss away from winning the region title. MA did everything it needed to until the final few plays of the Class 3A semis against Catholic but lost its only contest of the season. This is a battle of two of the best coaches in the state. The two coaches combined for more than 300 wins over their careers (Perry was out of high school coaching for 10 years working with the Auburn football program). MA is probably replacing more since most of the Trojans’ starters were sophomores last year. Did they get enough experience to start the season with a win on the road? Not quite.
PREDICTION: MA, 28-24
PIKE ROAD (5A) AT McGILL-TOOLEN (6A)
Friday at Lipscomb Park, Mobile
2020 Records: Pike Road (11-1), M-T (7-3)
Last meeting: First meeting
Key Numbers: Pike Road finished with its second-straight 11-1 season in 2020, only this was in Class 5A for the first time.
The skinny: This game was set up due to Pike Road playing in the AHSAA Kickoff Classic a year ago while McGill had an open date for the first week of the season. There have been a few changes in the Yellow Jackets program, starting with a new head coach. Norman Joseph came from Louisiana to take the job and will attempt to bring the team back after what would be considered a below-expectations seven-win season. The Jackets had won four region titles in the last six years, two of those with former Prattville coach Caleb Ross at the helm. Pike Road has reloaded and should be stronger, if only with more experience. The Patriots bring back heavy hitters in the backfield plus they add a couple of newcomers including defensive lineman Khurtiss Perry. The difference in classifications may lean towards at a McGill pick but Pike Road is better.
PREDICTION: Pike Road, 36-20
SIDNEY LANIER (6A) vs. JEFF DAVIS (7A)
Saturday at Cramton Bowl (7 p.m.)
2020 Records: Lanier (3-6), JD (1-9)
Last year: Lanier, 12-7
Series: JD leads, 43-11
Key Numbers: Lanier averaged just eight points per game offensively a year ago. JD struggled as well with an offense that scored just 10 points per game.
The skinny: No two teams need a spark to start the season moreso than these two. Both would just like to forget 2020 (ironically neither had a COVID interruption on their schedule). At least JD finished the season on a winning note. The Poets were better on defense but part of that might be the level of competition. They have retooled their offense and will have one of the better offensive lines in the city. The Vols should be better defensively and will have a new quarterback in transfer Savion German (Valiant Cross). Is that enough to give JD the win? Maybe not, but that’s the pick.
PREDICTION: Jeff Davis, 13-8
KEY GAMES
Tallassee (5A) at Reeltown (3A) (Thurs) – The rivalry was renewed last year and didn’t disappoint. Tallassee believes they are better and are looking to get off to a good start. THS, 22-20
Moody (5A) at Elmore Co. (5A) – The Panthers are another team looking to turn around their fortunes. They won this game last year. No reason to expect anything different in ‘21. ECHS, 26-8.
Bilingsley (1A) at Prattville Christian (3A) – Maiden voyage for new PCA coach Norman Dean but the Bears are not he welcoming type. Billingsley, 35-14.
Macon East (AA) at Lowndes Academy (A) – Two teams with high expectations this season. Lowndes has a solid team but so do the Knights. Give Macon East a little edge. ME, 27-24
THE REST
Catholic over B.B. Comer, 41-6; Autaugaville over R.C. Hatch, 27-0; Marbury over Montevallo, 20-14; Stanhope Elmore over Selma, 31-13; Edgewood over Southern Aca, 27-14; Coosa Valley over Hooper Aca, 21-20; Handley over Guntersville, 24-14 (Kickoff Classic); Bob Jones over Dothan, 23-20 (Kickoff Classic).
BYE: Holtville (Game cancelled - COVID); R.E. Lee (Game cancelled); G.W. Carver; Valiant Cross
RECORD: Last week 0-0; Season 0-0 (.000)