5 Birmingham area high school football games to watch in 1st round of playoffs

Hoover vs. Hewitt-Trussville Football

Hewitt-Trussville's Armoni Goodwin breaks loose against Hoover in Trussville, Ala., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. (Mark Almond | preps@al.com)

Here are five Birmingham area games to watch this week during the first round of playoffs with the full schedule below.

All games are subject to change due to COVID-19. Please check with home teams for possible crowd restrictions and ticket information.

BLOUNT (6-4) AT HUEYTOWN (5-5)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Hueytown Stadium, Hueytown

Last week: Blount had an open date after downing Gulf Shores 31-7 on Oct. 22 while Hueytown fell 63-62 to Spain Park.

The skinny: The two teams have never played. Blount is the Class 6A, Region 1 No. 4 seed while Hueytown is the Region 4 No. 1 seed.

Blount is making its 13th playoff appearance in the past 14 seasons, but looking for its first postseason win since 2016. Blount’s 6-4 record is deceiving after the Leopards forfeited their opener against rival Vigor due to COVID-19 then lost back-to-back games to traditional powers Spanish Fort and McGill-Toolen by a total of five points at the end of the season. The roster features a bevy of college commitments, including DT Lee Hunter (Auburn), RB Jarris Williams (Troy), DB/WR Armani Diamond (Louisiana Tech) and DB/WR Kameron Grays (Kansas).

This marks the fifth straight trip to the playoffs for Hueytown, which won to the quarterfinal round last season. The Gophers exploded for 62 points and 727 yards of offense against Spain Park last week behind the arm and feet of QB Alex Young. WR DeAndre Coleman lines up all over the field while WR Quindarrius Mayes is also dangerous. RB Michael Carpenter leads the ground game along with Glass behind the OL anchored by Richard Pearce. LB Deontae Hall and DL Jonathan Files are key on defense.

GRISSOM (6-4) AT THOMPSON (10-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Warriors Stadium, Alabaster

Last week: Grissom beat Hazel Green 19-0 while Thompson was idle after beating Hoover 39-23 the previous week.

The skinny: It’s the first meeting between the teams with Class 7A top-ranked Thompson the No. 1 seed in Region 3 while Grissom is the No. 4 seed in Region 4.

Grissom is making its first trip to the playoffs since 2004. The Tigers offense is led by RB Caleb Hunt (21 rushes for 171 yards and 2 TDs last week) while QB Jakob Foss was 14-24 with 179 yards and a TD along with four runs for 62 yards. Elijah Johnson caught eight passes for 89 yards against Hazel Green. The Tigers defense has posted three shutouts this season with DB Landon Currie, DE Kahlil Saunders and LB Jesse Moffitt leading the way, but containing the prolific Thompson offense will be a challenge.

Defending state champion Thompson has been to the playoffs each of the past three seasons, including the championship game the previous two years. The Warriors average 43.2 points a game with QB Conner Harrell staying protected behind a strong OL that includes by Conner Howard, Anthony Butler and Cole Hall. The WR corps is the deepest in the state with J.B. Mitchell, Tre Roberson, Ryan Peppins and Sam Reynolds while RB Jarrett Crockett adds balance to the offense.

The Warriors allow only 15.7 points a game with LB Jax Van Zandt the leader while LBs Jeremiah Alexander and Triston Woody help back a strong DL of K’Marion Hambright, Greg Green, Nathan Riddle and Kobe Stewart. DBs include Tony Mitchell Gavin Shipman, Karston Haywood and Trevor Hardy.

HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE (8-2) AT JAMES CLEMENS (8-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Madison City Stadium, Madison

Last week: Both teams were idle last week and both won on Oct. 23 with Class 7A No. 10 James Clemens beat Albertville 49-7 and third-ranked Hewitt-Trussville defeated Oak Mountain 51-21.

The skinny: Hewitt-Trussville leads the series 3-1 and it’s the third time in the past six seasons the teams have met in the first round of the playoffs with the Huskies winning 43-41 in 2018. James Clemens is the Region 4 No. 2 seed while Hewitt-Trussville is the Region 3 No. 3 seed.

Hewitt-Trussville shows the strength of Region 3 as the Huskies only losses are to No. 1 Thompson and No. 2 Hoover by a combined 15 points. The offense is run-based with RBs Armoni Goodwin and Sean Jackson leading the attack behind a strong OL. QB Cade Ott Carruth threw four TDs against Oak Mountain and WR Omari Kelly is a top target. Justice Finkley leads the defensive front while LBs Mike Edwards and Landen Berguson along with DBs Connor Thomas and Trey Washington are key on defense.

James Clemens ended the regular season with six straight wins, four on the field, two COVID-19 related. Jets sophomore QB Gio Lopez leads the attack with WR Manny Sanders getting plenty of touches caching and running the ball. Dante Snodgrass and Aaron Boone handle running back duties. LB Jaylin Grigsby leads the defense while DBs Ephraim Rolingson and Keenan Hill are the last line of defense.

MUSCLE SHOALS (6-4) AT MOUNTAIN BROOK (9-1)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Mountain Brook

Last week: Muscle Shoals lost to Class 7A Sparkman 14-10 while Class 6A second-ranked Mountain Brook beat Class 7A eighth-ranked Austin 31-22.

The skinny: It’s the first meeting between the teams with Muscle Shoals the Region 8 No. 4 seed and Mountain Brook the Region 5 No. 1 seed.

Muscle Shoals has been to the playoffs every year since 2009 with the previous six seasons in Class 6A where the Trojans fell in quarterfinal play last year. The Trojans offense is led by QB Luke Peoples (79-131, 872 yards 11 TDs) while WR AJ Cherry is not only a top target (27-316 yards, 5 TDs), but will handle some of the running game duties (28-207 yards, 1 TD). Brooks Berry (161-809 yards, 10 TDs) is the top RB. K Trey Stoddard is a weapon with 7-11 FG, including two 49 yarders and 36-yard game winner to beat Athens on the last play of the game.The defense is always tough, but the Trojans lost most of their stoppers from last season with LB Aiden Gay the only returning starter.

It’s the fifth straight playoff appearance for Mountain Brook, but first time the Spartans haven’t played in the state’s biggest classification since fielding the first team in 1966. The Spartans win with defense and running the ball. QB Strother Gibbs and RB Michael Brogan lead the ground game behind an experienced OL that features Drew Elliott, Will Grant and Charles Law Schilleci. Load up to stop the run and Gibbs can throw to WRs Jake Thompson Paulson Wright and Sims Brown. The defense is stout with a front keyed by NG Braxton Wexler while LBs John McMillian and Trent Wright lead the team in tackles. DBs Blake Pugh and James Nichols lead in interceptions while Brock Payne plays like a linebacker.

HARTSELLE (7-3) AT BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN (7-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Lions Pride Stadium, Birmingham

Last week: Hartselle was idle last week after beating Buckhorn 52-7 on Oct. 23 and Briarwood beat Corner 42-7.

The skinny: It’s the third straight year the two have met, splitting the past two, and the series is tied 2-all. Hartselle is the Class 6A, Region 8 No. 3 seed and Briarwood is the Region 5 No. 2 seed.

Hartselle is making its third straight playoff appearance and lost in the first round last season. The Tigers run a two-quarterback system with Parker Sawyer (79-138, 873 yards, 4 TDs) and JT Blackwood (57-101, 951 yards, 11 TDs). RB Kaleb Moore has 443 yards and 12 TDs while Ri Fletcher has 383 yards and four scores. WR Izayah Fletcher (44-762, 7 TDs) is the top target. LB Issac Osteen makes stops everywhere (138 tackles) while Kelvin Morris, a Clay-Chalkville transfer, anchors the DL with 96 tackles.

Briarwood hasn’t missed the playoffs since 1992 (28 straight years) and went to the Class 5A semifinal round last season. The Lions run the ball well behind a good OL. Luke Reebals (124-1,005 yards) is the primary RB while QB Christopher Vizzina has thrown for 1,622 yards and 13 TDs. Top targets are Brooks Donnelly (30-428, 6 TDs), Eli Steadman (24-401, 2 TDs), Nicholas Dicen (22-340, 2 TDs) and Reebals (33-361, TDs). The defense is allowing only 9.9 points a game with LB Tyler Waugh — he also plays RB and leads the team in scoring — along with OLB Parker Hutson and DE Miller Stubblefield leading the front seven. The back end is manned by Alastair Harris and Cal Higdon.

BIRMINGHAM AREA FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

(All games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

THURSDAY

AISA

Lee-Scott at Bessemer Academy (6 p.m.)

FRIDAY

CLASS 7A

Grissom at Thompson

Hewitt-Trussville at James Clemens

Oak Mountain at Austin

Sparkman at Hoover

CLASS 6A

Arab at Pinson Valley

Blount at Hueytown

Carver-Montgomery at Helena

Gardendale at Fort Payne

Hartselle at Briarwood Christian

Homewood at Athens

Lee-Montgomery at Pelham

McAdory at Spanish Fort

Minor at Oxford

Muscle Shoals at Mountain Brook

Shades Valley at Cullman

Southside-Gadsden at Clay-Chalkville

CLASS 5A

Boaz at Leeds

Center Point at Fairview

Fairfield at Russellville

Lawrence County at Ramsay (Lawson Field)

Mae Jemison at Pleasant Grove

Parker at East Limestone

Shelby County at Pike Road

CLASS 4A

Montevallo at St. James

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