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AL.com - 5 High School Games to Watch in the Tennessee Valley in the Quarterfinals

The following is a reprint of an article published by AL.com on November 16th




CLASS 4A

NO. 1 MADISON ACADEMY (11-1) AT GOOD HOPE (9-3)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, James W. Shabel Stadium


Last week: Madison Academy beat visiting Priceville 35-7. Good Hope won 35-21 at No. 4 Northside.


The skinny: Madison Academy is in the quarterfinals for the first time since reaching the Class 4A state championship game in 2016. ... The Mustangs have outscored their first two playoff opponents 90-7. .... Madison Academy’s Will Stokes ran for 243 yards and five touchdowns against Priceville. He has 2,366 yards rushing and 40 TDs on the ground this season. ... Good Hope last reached the quarterfinals in 2018. ... Ethan Anderson rushed for three touchdowns against Northside, the team that eliminated Madison Academy in the 2020 second round. ... Madison Academy took three of five meetings against Good Hope from 2002-07.


Winner plays: No. 5 Brooks (12-0) or Oneonta (11-1)



CLASS 4A

ONEONTA (11-1) AT NO. 5 BROOKS (12-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, E.D. Redding Stadium, Killen


Last week: Brooks defeated visiting Randolph 42-21. Oneonta beat visiting No. 6-ranked Gordo 36-26.


The skinny: Brooks has tied the program record for wins in a season. ... The Lions are in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. They last reached the semifinals in 2007, which happened to be the other Lions team to win 12 games. ... Brooks quarterback Kyler Murks accounted for six touchdowns -- four rushing and two passing -- against Randolph. For the season, he has 25 TDs through the air and 21 on the ground. ... Oneonta last reached the quarterfinals during a run to the semis in 2018. ... Oneonta had a pick-6 and two blocked punts against Gordo, which helped the Redskins overcome a four-touchdown night by Oregon quarterback commit Tanner Bailey. ... The lone previous meeting between Brooks and Oneonta was a Redskins’ 43-34 victory in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.


Winner plays: No. 1 Madison Academy (11-1) or Good Hope (9-3)



CLASS 3A

NO. 5 SAKS (11-1) AT NO. 2 FYFFE (10-1)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Paul Benefield Stadium


Last week: Fyffe won 43-14 at J.B. Pennington. Saks defeated visiting Oakman 36-22.


The skinny: Fyffe’s playoff winning streak is now at 17 games. The Red Devils began that streak following their last quarterfinal loss in 2017. ... Fyffe’s Kyle Dukes ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns against J.B. Pennington. ... Red Devils coach Paul Benefield has tied Fayette County’s Waldon Tucker for fourth-most wins in state history with 322. ... Saks is seeking its first trip to the semifinals since 2017. The Wildcats were eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2020 and 2018. ... Saks quarterback Sean Parnell scored touchdowns via three runs and two passes against Oakman. ... This is the first meeting between Fyffe and Saks.


Winner plays: No. 3 Winfield (12-0) or No. 4 Piedmont (10-2)



CLASS 2A

NO 5 SPRING GARDEN (12-0) AT NO. 4 MARS HILL BIBLE (9-3)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, Mars Hill Bible Stadium, Florence


Last week: Mars Hill beat visiting Tanner 47-20. Spring Garden defeated visiting Aliceville 40-35.


The skinny: This is a rematch from last season’s semifinals. Mars Hill won 32-14 at home, racking up 505 yards of offense, 457 of which came on the ground. ... Jay Dobbs ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns against Tanner. ... The defending Class 2A state champion Panthers haven’t lost a game to an in-class opponent since falling to Lanett in the 2019 1A title game. ... This year’s Spring Garden team has tied the 2020 squad for the program record for most wins in season. ... Chapel Pope threw five touchdown passes against Aliceville. He scored six touchdowns -- three passing and three rushing -- in an opening-round win against Hatton.


Winner plays: No. 7 Cleveland (10-2) or Southeastern (8-4)



CLASS 1A

NO. 5 PICKENS COUNTY (10-2) AT NO. 4 DECATUR HERITAGE (10-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, West Morgan High, Trinity


Last week: Decatur Heritage won 76-60 at Ragland. Pickens County defeated visiting Winterboro 38-16.

The skinny: Decatur Heritage quarterback Brayden Kyle shattered parts of the AHSAA record book with his performance against Ragland, setting new single-game records for touchdowns accounted for (11) and points scored (68), while tying the record for rushing TDs (eight). His 609 yards of offense ranks third all-time. In two playoff games, Kyle has accumulated 1,116 yards of offense and 18 touchdowns. For the season, he has 33 touchdown passes and 29 TD runs. ... Decatur Heritage and Ragland combined for 136 points, which tied the third-highest total in AHSAA history and while setting the record for most in a playoff game. ... Pickens County defeated Decatur Heritage 48-28 in the second round last season and 48-12 in the 2016 quarterfinals. ... The Tornadoes, last year’s state runner-up, have advanced to the semifinals the past five seasons. ... Pickens County quarterback Javion Bell-McCrary threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores against Winterboro.


Winner plays: No. 8 Wadley (11-1) or Woodland (5-7)





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