To borrow a golf term, the past two weeks for most of our area high school football teams have been mulligans. I’m not trying to say those games weren’t important, but they aren’t the end of the world if you lose them.
That’s something Cedar Bluff head coach Garrett Crane and I briefly talked about following the Tigers’ loss last week to Collinsville.
“You really want to get momentum rolling in those first two games, but at the end of the day, region play is what projects you going forward,” Crane said. “It starts this week. They’re all for real from here.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Maybe region play is what I need going forward. I’m not saying an 8-2 start to the season is bad by any means, but I’m on my weekly quest for perfection, and I haven’t gotten it yet.
Will Week 3 be the charm for me? Or will I have to wait another agonizing week to try again? For what it’s worth, here’s this week’s ‘What In the World Shannon Fagan is Thinking?’
Cedar Bluff (0-2) at Gaston (1-0)
The injuries have mounted for the Tigers the past two weeks. Last week they lost senior quarterback Hunter Stallings to a leg injury on just their second offensive series against Collinsville. In their opener at Valley Head, the Tigers lost running back Hunter Jenkins, but he’s expected to play this week.
You have to go all the way back to 1985 to find the last time the Tigers went 0-3 to begin a season. Cedar Bluff began that year with a 13-7 loss at Gaston.
Here’s thinking the Tigers will be resilient, finally find a little momentum, and avoid that 0-3 skid.
The pick: Cedar Bluff.
Spring Garden (2-0) at Ragland (0-1)
John Welsh, Connor Bates and Noah Barber have been quite the trio for the Panthers the past two weeks. They’re working together like a well-oiled machine, one that I don’t see slowing down any time soon.
I look for the Panthers to roll over Ragland.
The pick: Spring Garden.
Sand Rock (1-1) at North Sand Mountain (2-0)
Wildcat senior fullback Kane Robison helped carry Sand Rock past West End last week. He ran for 164 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns on 27 carries, lifting the Wildcats to a 14-8 victory.
It’s going to take another a big performance from Robison in Higdon against the Bison. Their defense has given up a total of six points in wins over Woodville and Ider.
While I do think Robison has some success running the football, I like North Sand Mountain to come out with the win in this one.
The pick: North Sand Mountain.
Gaylesville (2-0) at Valley Head (2-0)
The Trojans are back to playing some good old fashioned smash-mouth football. They’re 2-0 for the first time since 2013 and have a little momentum heading to Valley Head.
But the Tigers are a team that knows a little something about playing that smash-mouth style too. They’re also 2-0 following decisive wins over Cedar Bluff and Section.
While I don’t think it’s going to be a 53-14 decision like last year’s contest, I do feel Valley Head has the edge here, especially since the Tigers are playing at home.
The pick: Valley Head.
Ohatchee (1-1) at Piedmont (2-0)
Following his near record-setting receiving performance against the Cherokee County Warriors back in Week 0, I thought senior Rollie Pinto was a shoe-in for the AHSAA’s Spotlight Performance of the Week.
That was before I heard about Ohatchee and New Hope’s record-setting 76-71 game.
The Indians have proven to have plenty of firepower to start the 2024 season behind quarterback Jake Roberson, but on the flip side, their defense has given up 71 and 58 points respectively.
It should be a fun game at the Field of Champions in Piedmont on Friday night.
I look for Pinto, fellow senior receiver Ishmael Bethel and senior quarterback Cole Wilson to put up some pinball numbers of their own against Ohatchee.
The pick: Piedmont.
Fyffe (0-1) at Collinsville (1-0)
Collinsville can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to seven-time state champion Fyffe. Both teams moved up to Class 3A this season, and the AHSAA kept them both in the same region.
Collinsville clicked in its season-opening 42-0 rout at Cedar Bluff, which was head coach Ernie Willingham’s 100th with the program. Meanwhile, Fyffe suffered a rare loss in its 30-22 setback to Pisgah. As Willingham put it following last week’s win, the Panthers will be dealing with a mad Red Devil team on Friday night.
History isn’t on the Panthers’ side either.
The last time Fyffe was 0-2 was 1986. You have to go back even further to find Collinsville’s last win over Fyffe, a 14-0 decision in 1983.
I think Collinsville will give Fyffe a game, but I just don’t see the Panthers posting another milestone win this week.
The pick: Fyffe.
Cherokee County (1-1) at Oneonta (1-0)
The Warriors rebounded nicely last week in their 42-21 victory at Class 5A Arab last week. Keyshawn Woods ran for 192 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns.
Here’s thinking the Warriors have found their groove and are now ready to take their first step toward another region championship with a win over the Redskins.
The pick: Cherokee County.