PREP CAPSULES (Week 2): Opening week for region play with teams showing improvement
STAFF REPORT
Hope everyone remembers to statement from last week regarding jumping to conclusions about first-game results…
Some of it proved to be the case as teams such as Tallassee, Holtville, Prattville all turned fortunes around. And a couple more, St. James and Billingsley, didn’t win but looked better.
That’s what is to be expected this season. Heading into the first week of region play, 13 teams have a 1-1 record in the River Region. No record has been kept but there is a good chance that is a first.
What does it mean? Parity? Lack of dominant teams? Or nothing?
It’s too early to tell but before we reach the midpoint of the season, some of it will iron out.
A couple of key games open region play including a big one down in Dothan where Montgomery Academy battles Class 3A state runner-up Houston Academy. The Eagles defeated the Rebels last year.
Catholic saw its 30-game win streak snapped last week. The Knights try to start a new one against Eufaula.
Prattville Christian attempts to end a modest three-game losing streak to Trinity and give new coach Shane Moye his first win as a Panther.
The new RRS feature…
Week 1 Top 5 performances
KYLE BOICE (Billingsley) - Rushed for169 yards and thee TDs on just 16 carries in a losing effort for the Bears.
JACOB BURGESS (Holtville) - Passed for 262 yards and four scores in the Bulldogs’ first win of the year.
ZION CRUMPTON (G.W. Carver) - Passed for five touchdowns to lead the Wolverines to their first win of the season.
JAIDEN GORDON (Tallassee) - Scored three times and rushed for 130 yards to lead the Tigers over Elmore County..
JEREMY HARDY (Lowndes Academy) - Running back rushed for 131 yards and thee touchdowns on just 10 carries in the win over Crenshaw Christian.
Week 2
All games begin at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise
P. JULIAN at STANHOPE ELMORE (6A/R2)
Thursday at 17 Springs, Millbrook
2025 Records: Julian (1-1), SE (1-1)
Series: Julian, 1-0
Last Season: Julian, 22-20
Last week: Prattville def. Stanhope Elmore, 43-13; G.W. Carver def. Julian, 39-6
Key Numbers: Julian managed just 76 yards in total offense against Carver… Stanhope will open the new football facility at 17 Springs this week.
The skinny: First, the Mustang faithful will celebrate their new football stadium that is one of the finest in the River Region. It will be a palace for Stanhope Elmore for years to come. Second, the Mustangs need to figure out a few things before Thursday’s home debut. Last week, Prattville left little doubt about which team was superior but the Mustangs aided that output. A long touchdown pass was impeded due to a celebration rule that left the Mustangs down a point early. It wasn’t the act as much as the fact that the situation was augmented by other mistakes, throughout the night, namely penalties and turnovers. It would have been difficult enough to win without mistakes but as coach Hunter Adams said, that can’t happen if the streak of playoff-less seasons is to end. Luckily, Julian arrives having its own struggles. The Phoenix offense was basically non existent last week and defensively, they failed to put a clamp down on Carver’s ability to pass the ball. If Julian wants another playoff berth, Thursday might be the key to it happening. But after watching the struggles, that’s not a promising outcome.
PREDICTION: Stanhope Elmore, 27-16
MONTGOMERY ACADEMY at HOUSTON ACADEMY (3A/R2)
Friday at Westgate Park, Dothan
2025 Records: MA (2-0), HA (2-0)
Last year: MA won, 12-10
Series: MA leads, 13-7-1
Last week: MA def. St. James, 14-3; HA def. Pike Co, 33-32
Key Numbers: After a 59-point effort in a win over Tallassee, MA managed just 14 against St. James but still won.
The skinny: Last year’s meeting turned out to be the difference in the region championship with MA winning a close battle. The Raiders were considered to be the favorite and ended up having the better finish to the season, losing to Mars Hill Bible in the championship game. Both teams have gotten off to similar starts with Houston Academy winning over Pike Road and G.W. Long and MA beating a good Tallassee team as well as St. James. Those wins may not tell us much but it’s not necessary since the Houston Academy program has been in good hands since Jamie Riggs took over in 2018 and then handed the reins to Eddie Brundidge in 2021. Houston Academy lost many of its stars including the quarterback Kadyn Mitchell, who was 3A Back of the Year. MA has several of its stars returning including Braden Gordon and Jarrett Friendly, who could be the difference in this one. One thing is certain, a loss won’t mean much to either team, considering last year’s outcome and where the two finished in the post season. Maybe the reverse happens… therefore…
PREDICTION: Houston Academy, 20-14
EUFAULA at CATHOLIC (5A/R2)
Friday at Knights Field
2021 Records: Eufaula (1-0), Reeltown (0-1)
Series: Catholic leads, 1-0
Last year: Catholic, 28-0
Last week: St. Clair Co def. Catholic, 42-28; Russell Co def. Eufaula, 35-14
Key Stats: Catholic’s win streak of 30-straight games began back on Aug. 25, 2023 against McGill-Toolen, a 21-0 shut out. It came to an end in Odenville last Friday. Wadley now has the longest winning streak at 15.
The skinny: Most figured the streak would end. The question was when? Second week of the season was probably not on the Bingo card and certainly not to a program that has struggled for several years… no make that forever until the last season when it finished 5-5. (Yes, RRS is aware the program won a state title in 1993 but between 2011-2024, the Saints had one significant season.) But the streak ended. Now, the fight begins to stay atop the region and the first test comes against Eufaula, which is also trying to get back to being a powerhouse. The Tigers have not missed the playoffs since 1997. But recently, getting beyond the second round has been a struggle. They have bounced back and forth between 5A and 6A and it seems to show up in the third round almost every year. Catholic is still a premium program but it will attempt to do something it hasn’t done in the regular season since 2020 - win a game after a loss in the regular season. By the way, you have to go all the way back to find the last time the program lost two consecutive games. That team went 4-6. That streak should stay in place.
PREDICTION: Catholic, 22-21
PRATTVILLE CHRISTIAN at TRINITY (3A/R2)
Friday at Ragsdale-Boykin Field
2025 Records: PCA (0-2), Trinity (1-1)
Series: Trinity leads, 3-0
Last season: Trinity, 49-0
Last week: McKenzie def. PCA, 48-25; Reeltown def. Trinity, 34-6
Key Stat: Cody Chapman had three touchdowns including a 70-yard kickoff return in a losing effort for PCA. Freshman Land Sharpless had a touchdown pass for Trinity’s only points in the loss to Reeltown.
The skinny: This seems like a setup. PCA has never beaten Trinity… never come close. The Wildcats are reeling after losing their starting quarterback. Chances are they will struggle to score regularly in the remaining eight games on the schedule. PCA has a championship coach who is molding a program that has seen little success since joining the AHSAA. The almost identical scores in the two losses may seem strange but the Panthers have scored points so far. If they pull it off, it will be on the road. Is this enough to pick the Panthers to get their first win over Trinity in program history? Why not….
PREDICTION: PCA, 16-14
KEY GAMES
JAG vs. G.W. Carver (7A/R2) – Mismatch for a multitude of reasons. JAG is going to struggle this season. Carver will be in the playoff hunt. The Region opener will tell all about these two. CARVER, 42-8.
St. James at Bullock Co (4A/R2) – St. James put up a good fight last week against MA. They will need more of the same to knock off the Hornets. Close but no dice. Bullock Co, 20-17.
Rehobeth at Pike Road (6A/R2) – Rehobeth is a growing community. But not enough to win this one… Pike Road, 31-15.
Wetumpka at Russell County (6A/R2) - Russell County still has its dynamic quarterback in Bryson Riggins. He’s still slinging touchdown passes with three last week. The Indians need to find a better defense fast. Russell Co., 28-24.
Munford at Tallassee (4A/R3) - The perfect example to not jump to conclusions… even if RRS did that last week after the debacle against MA. Tigers should roll…. Tallassee, 28-14.
Oak Mountain at Prattville (7A/R3) - First test in the region for Prattville but should be the first win for the Lions. Unfortunately, it gets tougher after this one. Prattville, 36-24.
Hooper Academy at Hope Christian (AA/R1) - The Colts break their 14-game losing streak… HOOPER, 27-12.
THE REST
Alabama Christian over Northside Methodist, 22-17; Autauga Aca over Billingsley, 20-14; Elmore County over Carroll, 35-21; Holtville over Sylacauga, 41-20; Beauregard over Marbury, 34-15; Lakeside over Edgewood, 23-19; Lowndes over Ft. Dale, 32-24; Chambers Aca over Valiant Cross, 43-23; Macon East over North River, 47-23; Southern Prep over Evangel Christian, 43-21.
OPEN: Park Crossing
RECORD: Last week 13-6; Season 27-10 (.711)