AHSAA

Six weeks after having a plate and 13 screws inserted to help heal a broken collarbone, Tanner Bailey returned and led Gordo to a playoff win on Thursday night.

Now that the regular season has concluded, excitement is buzzing in the Druid City in preparation for the Super 7 State Championships that will take place at the beginning of December in Bryant-Denny Stadium. In a season that has seen unlikely upsets, high-scoring shootouts, and many forfeits due to COVID-19, six teams remain in contention for the state title.

In rivalry games, anything can happen as the Tuscaloosa County Wildcats (3-7, 1-6) illustrated tonight when they stunned the Northridge Jaguars (7-3, 4-2) 27-26.

The Rams scored all 29 of its points in the first half, led by sophomore quarterback Braden Green rushing for 54 yards on 11 carries while scoring all three offensive touchdowns for Northside.

The Gordo Greenwave closed its regular season on Thursday night with a 40-8 win over county rival Pickens County.

Now that region play is over, many teams across west Alabama are preparing for the first round of the playoffs. With that being said, the final week of the regular season stands in the way. From games that can determine a 10-0 perfect season to an intense cross-county rivalry, these games might not be regional, but they are still just as important.

The Pickens County Tornados (7-2, 6-1) defeated the South Lamar Stallions (1-8, 1-6) 26-6 tonight at home in the final region contest of the year for both schools.

The American Christian Academy Patriots (8-0, 6-0) are one of the strongest teams in the Tuscaloosa area. One of the leaders of the Class 4A Region 3 Champion Patriots is cornerback and wide receiver Kamari Lassiter. The senior athlete has been a major factor in his team's success and recently was invited to the All-American Bowl.

As the end of the high school football season in Alabama approaches, schools are starting to get a better picture of what the playoffs will look like. With only two weeks of the regular season left, it’s anyone’s game in west Alabama.

Friday night, the American Christian Patriots (8-0, 6-0) dismantled the Dallas County Hornets (3-5, 3-3) 47-16. From start to finish, ACA dominated with over 330 total yards and seven total touchdowns. This eighth straight win secured ACA a third straight region title.