Five prep storylines: Piedmont, Anniston, Handley the last three still standing
Nov. 17—And then there were three coverage-area teams.
Anniston, Handley and Piedmont carry on in the AHSAA quarterfinals this week. Anniston plays host to Andalusia, and Handley goes to Catholic-Montgomery in Class 4A, and Piedmont plays host to Gordo in 3A.
Lots to talk about. Let's get to it:
1. Hayes' record pursuits
Jack Hayes inched closer to the last of the four major AHSAA career quarterbacking records last week, passing for 106 yards in Piedmont's second-round victory at Colbert County.
Piedmont plays host to Gordo in the quarterfinals Friday, and the Bulldogs' senior quarterback needs 207 passing yards to pass JaMarcus Russell's AHSAA career record of 10,774. Hayes has 10,568.
Hayes broke three other major career records this season, and those records stand as follows: career touchdown passes (154), total touchdowns (208) and total yards (14,081).
2. Tough region
Piedmont's region showing out in the playoffs is an old story, and that story track survived realignment.
Class 3A, Region 6's top three playoff qualifiers — Piedmont, Sylvania and Geraldine — advanced to the quarterfinals. Piedmont beat Colbert County on the road. Geraldine, unranked in the season's final Alabama Sports Writers Association poll, eliminated top-ranked Mars Hill Bible on the road. Unranked Sylvania upended No. 10 Madison Academy.
Third-ranked Piedmont will play host to No. 2 Gordo in Friday's quarterfinals. Geraldine will go to Sylvania in a region rematch. Geraldine and Sylvania didn't receive votes in the final poll.
With Region 6 claiming three of the four remaining 3A north teams, it's just like the good old days, before realignment sent Calhoun County's 3A pack and Randolph County their separate ways.
Piedmont would be guaranteed the semifinals at home, should they beat Gordo, because the Bulldogs hold the region's top seed.
3. Swain brings pain
During Anniston's second-round victory at Booker T. Washington last week, game announcers read shoutouts. For a price, anyone could submit a shoutout request, and announcers obliged.
Anniston's Grayshun Swain earned lots of free shoutouts.
The sophomore defender, one of the top younger players on Anniston's roster, kept getting his name called, because he kept making plays. He finished with 12 total tackles, with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
Add Javon Thomas' two interceptions in the end zone and Love Kirby's return of a blocked punt, and defense and special teams were stars in a 38-20 victory.
As a side note, shout out to Booker T. Washington principal Brelinda Gail Copeland Sullen for her megaphone work from the student section. Those kids have no bigger cheerleader.
4. Anniston's hopes
Stars are aligning perfectly in Anniston's run for what the Bulldogs hope will be their third state title and first since 1994.
They won their road game last week and will play Andalusia at home, in Friday's Class 4A quarterfinals. Should Anniston win, it's guaranteed to play the semifinals at home.
Why?
Of the two possible opponents, Handley finished second to Anniston in Region 4. Anniston gets the home game by virtue of the higher region seed.
Catholic Montgomery has matched Anniston, travel wise, going home-away-home in the playoffs so far, and Anniston comes from the top half of the south bracket.
5. Handley road warriors
Anniston and Piedmont can size up the possibilities of playing semifinals at home, but Handley is a proven road warrior.
The Tigers won at T.R. Miller last week and will play Catholic-Montgomery on the road this week. They would go on the road to play either Anniston or Andalusia in the semifinals.
If anybody can do it, Handley can.
The Tigers' run to the 2016 Class 4A state football title was a roadshow romp through UMS-Wright, Thomasville and Andalusia that ended in victory over Madison Academy in Auburn.
Handley's run to the 2020 4A title included wins at Montevallo and American Christian.
Veteran Handley coach Larry Strain must have the magic sauce for road success in the playoffs. His 2006 Woodland team won three on the road en route to the state finals, and his 2004 Woodland team won twice on the road while advancing to the final.
For those keeping score, Strain has four AHSAA "map" trophies for football, two blues and two reds. He won 10 road games and two neutral-site games to get there, winning state finals in Auburn and Tuscaloosa.
Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-235-3576. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.
