Playoffs Under the Lights: Cougars head to Muscle Shoals

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The second round of the high school football playoffs is on the horizon. Several of them are big-time matchups that could go either way. Here’s a look at the games the Under the Lights team will be covering Friday night.

Clay-Chalkville (9-2) at Muscle Shoals (8-2)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: J.F. Moore Stadium – Muscle Shoals Middle

Last week: Clay-Chalkville beat Gadsden City 33-3; Muscle Shoals blew past Mortimer Jordan 52-7.

What to watch: Clay-Chalkville will travel to Muscle Shoals in the playoffs for the second straight year. The Cougars knocked off the Trojans in the quarterfinals last fall. Muscle Shoals is a program very familiar with the postseason, making its 16th straight playoff appearance. Clay-Chalkville will have its hands full, as its defense is tasked with slowing down a Trojans offense averaging 43 points per game. Clay scored on defense and special teams last week. If it can duplicate those efforts and execute more consistently on the offensive side of the ball, the Cougars will find themselves in good shape.

Last meeting: Clay-Chalkville beat Muscle Shoals 44-27 on Nov. 24, 2023, in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs. The Cougars have won both previous meetings, with the other coming in the 2014 playoffs.

What’s next: The winner gets the winner between Parker and Mountain Brook in the Class 6A quarterfinals.

Mountain Brook (8-3) vs. Parker (9-1)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Spartan Stadium

Last week: Mountain Brook blew out Southside-Gadsden 45-7; Parker shut out Cullman 35-0.

What to watch: This second-round matchup is a rematch of a game played earlier this season. In that game, Mountain Brook led at halftime before Parker pulled away with a dominant second half. Both teams love to run the ball, and both teams play great defense. Whichever team is able to assert its will first gets the edge. One of the things Mountain Brook struggled with in the first half of the year was putting together four strong quarters of football, something the Spartans have done better throughout recent weeks.

Last meeting: Parker beat Mountain Brook 30-16 on Aug. 30, 2024. Mountain Brook holds a 6-2 edge in the series, which dates back to 2000, but Parker has won the last two meetings.

What’s next: The winner gets the winner between Muscle Shoals and Clay-Chalkville in the Class 6A quarterfinals.

Homewood (9-2) at Fort Payne (8-3)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Fort Payne High School

Last week: Homewood beat Athens 31-24; Fort Payne edged out Pell City 24-23.

What to watch: Homewood put forth an inspirational effort to rally and beat Athens last week in the opening round of the playoffs. Fort Payne had to climb out of an early to hole to beat Pell City by a point. Health will be a question for the Patriots, as starting quarterback Will Myers went out with injury again. John Griffin, who was carted off last week, has been one of the defense’s key players this year, too.

Last meeting: Homewood beat Fort Payne 28-21 on Nov. 10, 2017, in the first round of the state playoffs. It is the only previous meeting between the two teams.

What’s next: The winner gets the winner between Hartselle and Oxford in the Class 6A quarterfinals.

Hoover (9-2) vs. Opelika (9-2)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Hoover Met

Last week: Hoover surged past Fairhope 35-10; Opelika beat Florence 43-7.

What to watch: This game features two of the best teams in Class 7A this year. The Bucs have been playing some of their best ball of the season the last few weeks, and they played like it last week against Fairhope to begin the playoffs. Opelika has been strong under first-year coach Bryan Moore, with its only two defeats single-digit losses to Auburn and Carver-Montgomery. That slate also includes wins over Enterprise and Central-Phenix City.

Last meeting: Hoover beat Opelika 29-7 on Oct. 31, 2013. The Bucs have won all three previous meetings between the teams, including a win in the 2012 state championship game.

What’s next: The winner gets the winner between Vestavia Hills and Central-Phenix City in the Class 7A semifinals.

Spain Park (11-0) vs. Russell County (9-2)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Jaguar Stadium

Last week: Spain Park rallied to beat McGill-Toolen 44-35; Russell County blew past Northridge 42-25.

What to watch: Spain Park launched its playoff run with a game against McGill-Toolen that got closer than it expected. After building a 21-7 lead, the Jags lost the lead and had to rally in the fourth quarter to earn the win. It was the program’s first playoff run since its state championship appearance in 2015. Russell County brings an explosive offense to Spain Park, one that averages nearly 40 points per game.

Last meeting: The two teams have never met.

What’s next: The winner gets the winner between Saraland and McAdory in the Class 6A quarterfinals.

Vestavia Hills (6-5) at Central-Phenix City (8-2)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 15
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • Location: Garrett-Harrison Stadium

Last week: Vestavia Hills beat Mary Montgomery 42-21; Central dominated James Clemens 70-14.

What to watch: Vestavia Hills hits the road yet again in the playoffs, a scenario that has yielded plenty of success over the last three seasons. The Rebels have won on the road in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two years before falling in the second round, so they will look to change that this time around. Central’s two losses this year are to Auburn and Opelika, two of the top teams in Class 7A, much less that region.

Last meeting: Vestavia Hills edged Central 22-19 on Nov. 28, 1997, in the third round of the state playoffs. It is the only previous meeting between the two teams.

What’s next: The winner gets the winner between Hoover and Opelika in the Class 7A semifinals.

Historical data courtesy of AHSFHS.org.

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