Erin Nelson
Week 5 is in the books. We're nearly halfway through the regular season in high school football, and it's time for a breather in the way of a non-region week.
Things lined up perfectly for Hewitt-Trussville High School last Friday. The Huskies were playing on the 18th birthday of their quarterback, Peyton Floyd.
They rose to the occasion, defeating the Bucs soundly and throwing their name in the hat for the second-best team in Class 7A, Region 3, along with Vestavia Hills.
Vestavia Hills took care of its own business, defeating Spain Park behind dominant performances from defensive end Jordan Ross and quarterback John Paul Head. Ross was in the backfield all evening and Head ran for a bunch of yards, as he is wont to do.
Vestavia Hills and Hewitt-Trussville clash Oct. 13, for those wondering.
Oak Mountain nearly came up with a Region 3 win of its own, falling just short against Tuscaloosa County. The Eagles mounted a late rally that included recovering an onside kick and scoring a second touchdown in a short span. Instead of setting for overtime, head coach Shane McComb rolled the dice and went for two points and the win. But the conversion attempt failed and County escaped with a win.
Thompson asserted its dominance in a blowout win over Chelsea.
One of the most impressive performances of Friday night came from Homewood, as the Patriots completely dismantled a Benjamin Russell team projected to be a contender in Class 6A, Region 3. Are those young Homewood players beginning to find their footing? It sure looks like it, because that’s the second straight win for the Patriots.
John Carroll ran its impressive start to 5-0 with a win over Carver-Birmingham. The Cavs simply keep taking care of business and get an open week before back-to-back games that, let’s be honest, will probably put an end to the unbeaten season. Pleasant Grove and Ramsay will certainly be a significant challenge for John Carroll, but the Cavs will also have three winnable games after that stretch.
Mountain Brook earned a third straight shutout, beating Jackson-Olin 49-0. The Spartans are outscoring region foes 128-0 so far. After a game at Hoover and an open date, Mountain Brook gets the meat of its region schedule.
Clay-Chalkville kept rolling right along with a 39-14 win over Center Point. The Cougars will travel to Thompson on Thursday for a nationally televised showdown. This game certainly features two of the very best defenses in Alabama, so points will be at a premium.
The local teams take a break from region play this week. John Carroll, Spain Park and Vestavia Hills are taking open dates.
Here are the games Starnes Media will be covering this week:
- Clay-Chalkville at Thompson (Thursday)
- Oak Mountain at Briarwood
- Chelsea at Pelham
- Hewitt-Trussville vs. Huffman
- Homewood at Pinson Valley
- Mountain Brook at Hoover
