Alabama High School Football Games Crimson Tide Fans Should Keep an Eye on This Weekend
This weekend, we are getting some semblance of normalcy back in our lives here in Alabama.
High school football is back all across the state.
The season kicked off Thursday night with 25 games, but Friday night is when the action really picks up with over 100 games, all taking place at 7 p.m (CT).
Here are the three games that Crimson Tide fans should keep an eye on the most:
Hewitt-Trussville at Pinson Valley
Arguably, the headliner of the evening on Friday. The 7A Huskies travel to take on 6A Pinson, who has won the state title in two of the last three seasons (2017 and 2018) and has the state's No. 1 overall player in 2021 corner/wide receiver Ga'Quincy McKinstry. The talented athlete is down to Alabama, LSU, and Auburn in his high-profiled recruitment.
The Indians coach, Sam Shade, who is a former Crimson Tide defensive back will be making his debut, replacing Patrick Nix, who took the job at Central-Phenix City this past offseason.
On the other hand, the Huskies have talent all over the field and it starts with running back Armoni Goodwin, who is currently committed to Auburn, but holds an Alabama offer. Riley Quick, a 2022 offensive lineman and brother of the Crimson Tide's Pierce Quick, is still waiting get that call from Alabama, but it seems like it is only a matter of time.
Another prospect to keep an eye on is 2022 four-star defense end Justice Finkley for Hewitt-Trussville, who earned a scholarship from Alabama back in June.
Ramsay at Bessemer City
Bessemer City, who finished 8-3 last year, is another program that now has ties to Alabama, as former standout defensive tackle Rudy Griffin is in his first year at the helm for the Tigers.
Griffin's debut will come against a Ramsay program that is led by two defenders drawing SEC-type recruitments - four-star defensive tackle Tim Keenan and four-star linebacker Jeremiah Williams.
Keenan recently listed Alabama among his final schools as he is nearing a decision on Aug. 29, while Williams cut the Crimson Tide from his final four, that includes Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
Oxford at Thompson
On Saturday night in Alabaster, we will have the 6A state champion Oxford Yellow Jackets going tot-to-toe with the 7A state champion Thompson Warriors. There might not be a better way to start the season than that.
Thompson is led by 2022 Crimson Tide commit, four-star defensive end Jeremiah Alexander. Coach Mark Freeman's program has an abundance of youthful talent on his defense that includes, 2023 defensive lineman Peter Woods and defensive back Tony Mitchell, who both have tons of Power Five interest and hold Alabama offers.
That stout Thompson defense will have to find a way to stop Oxford wide receiver Roc Taylor, who is a verbal pledge to Tennessee.
The Yellow Jackets offensive line is anchored by Bradyn Joiner, who holds offers from multiple SEC programs like Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Tennessee.
Cornerback Trequon Fegans is an Oxford standout in the 2022 recruiting class, who has garnered interest and an offer from the Crimson Tide coaching staff earlier this offseason.
Games 2021 Alabama commits will participate in:
LB Ian Jackson - Jackson, who finished with 91 total tackles in 2019, will have the honor of leading the Prattville Lions against Wetumpka at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.
DT Anquin Barnes - The 6-foot-6, 315 pound Barnes and his Lee-Montgomery squad will travel to Daphne in a matchup against former Crimson Tide defensive tackle Kenny King, who is in his fifth-year as coach of the Trojans.
LB Deontae Lawson - Mobile Christian and Lawson, who is Alabama's longest tenured commit in the 2021 class, will have a jamboree matchup with Monroe County before kicking off the regular season against UMS-Wright next Friday.
Full list of games in Alabama:
Friday, August 21
Addison at Haleyville
Alma Bryant at B.C. Rain
Anniston at Walter Wellborn
Asbury at Gaston
Austin at Hartselle
Baker at UMS-Wright
Bayside Aca. at Escambia Co.
Beauregard at Valley
Benjamin Russell at Huffman
Boaz at Hayden
Brewer at Danville
Briarwood at Fort Payne
Brookwood at West Blocton
Buckhorn at Madison Co.
Calera at Demopolis
Carver-Birmingham at Cherokee Co.
Center Point at Wenonah
Central-Clay Co. at Chilton Co.
Central-Florence at Colbert Heights
Chelsea at Oak Mountain
Clay-Chalkville at Shades Valley
Cleburne Co. at Ohatchee
Clements at Wilson
Collinsville at Section
Cordova at Dora
Dale Co. at Ariton
Daleville at Elba
Dallas Co. at Helena
Elberta at Gulf Shores
Elmore Co. at Moody
Eufaula at Carroll-Ozark
Excel at W.S. Neal
Faith-Mobile at Andalusia
Fayetteville at Woodland
Foley at Robertsdale
Gadsden City at Etowah
Gaylesville at Whitesburg Chr.
Geneva at Opp
Gordo at Oakman
Greensboro at Bibb Co.
Hazel Green at Jemison-Huntsville
Hewitt-Trussville at Pinson Valley
Highland Home at Maplesville
Hillcrest-Evergreen at Greenville
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa at Homewood
Holt at Central-Tuscaloosa
Hoover at Central-Phenix City
Hueytown at Minor
Ider at Woodville
Isabella at Fyffe
J.F. Shields at Orange Beach
Jackson at T.R. Miller
John Carroll at Fultondale
Kinston at Houston Aca.
Lamar Co. at South Lamar
Lanett at Georgiana
Leeds at Sylacauga
Lee-Huntsville at Columbia
Lee-Montgomery at Daphne
Luverne at J.U. Blacksher
Marion Co. at Waterloo
Mary Montgomery at Baldwin Co.
McAdory at St. Paul's
Meek at Cold Springs
Montgomery Aca. at St. James
Northridge at Sipsey Valley
Northside Methodist at Houston Co.
Oak Grove at Ashville
Opelika at Stanhope Elmore
Park Crossing at Auburn
Parker at American Chr.
Pelham at Mortimer Jordan
Phillips-Bear Creek at Phil Campbell
Prattville Chr. at Billingsley
Prattville vs. Wetumpka (Cramton Bowl)
Providence Chr. at Rehobeth
R.A. Hubbard at Sheffield
R.C. Hatch at Autaugaville
Ramsay at Bessemer City
Ranburne at White Plains
Randolph at Elkmont
Shoals Chr. at Tharptown
Southside-Gadsden at Lincoln
Sparkman at Gardendale
St. John Paul II at Jacksonville
Straughn at Pleasant Home
Sulligent at East Lawrence
Susan Moore at West End-Walnut Grove
Sylvania at Saks
Talladega at Munford
Theodore at Saraland
Valley Head at Ragland
Victory Chr. at Sumiton Chr.
Wadley at Horseshoe Bend
Weaver at Douglas
Wicksburg at Headland
Wilcox Central at Keith
Bessemer Aca. at Glenwood
Coosa Valley at Hooper
Edgewood at Southern Aca.
Evangel-Alabaster at Meadowview
Lowndes Aca. at Macon-East
Pickens Aca. at Banks Aca.
Presbyterian (Miss.) at Escambia Aca.
Snook at St. Patrick (Miss.)
South Choctaw Aca. at Wayne Aca. (Miss.)
Southern Prep at Cornerstone-Columbiana
Springwood at Abbeville Chr.
Valiant Cross at Lakeside
Saturday, August 22
Jackson-Olin at Woodlawn
Jeff Davis at Sidney Lanier
New Hope at Crossville
Oxford at Thompson
Idle/Plays Jamboree
7A (5): Bob Jones, Davidson, Dothan, Enterprise, Florence.
6A (8): Athens, Carver-Montgomery, Citronelle, McGill-Toolen, Muscle Shoals, Pell City, Scottsboro, Springville.
5A (13): Alexandria, Charles Henderson, Corner, Fairfield, Lawrence Co., Marbury, Pleasant Grove, Sardis, Satsuma, Selma, Shelby Co., St. Clair Co., West Point.
4A (14): Ashford, BTW-Tuskegee, Bullock Co., Deshler, Handley, Madison Aca., Mobile Chr., Montevallo, North Jackson, Priceville, St. Michael, Sumter Central*, West Limestone, Westminster-Huntsville.
3A (18): Childersburg, Cottage Hill, Dadeville, Geraldine, Glencoe, Hale Co., Hokes Bluff, J.B. Pennington, Monroe Co., New Brockton, Piedmont, Pike Co., Plainview, Pleasant Valley, Slocomb, Southside-Selma, Tarrant, Thomasville.
2A (25): Abbeville, Aliceville, B.B. Comer, Calhoun, Central-Coosa, Clarke Co., Cottonwood, Francis Marion, G.W. Long, Geneva Co. , Greene Co.*, Hatton, LaFayette, Leroy, Locust Fork, Midfield, North Sand Mountain, Pisgah, Randolph Co., Sand Rock, Southeastern-Blount, Spring Garden, St. Luke's, Winston Co., Zion Chapel.
1A (29): A.L. Johnson, Alabama-Deaf, Appalachian, Barbour Co.*, Brantley, Brilliant, Cedar Bluff, Central-Hayneville, Cherokee, Donoho, Ellwood, Florala, Fruitdale, Hackleburg, Hubbertville, Linden, Lynn, Marengo, McIntosh, McKenzie, Millry, Notasulga, Pickens Co., Red Level, Samson, Sweet Water, Talladega Co. Central, Verbena, Vina.
AISA (11): Autauga Aca., Crenshaw Chr., Fort Dale Aca., Monroe Aca., Morgan Aca., Patrician, Pike Liberal Arts, Snook, Sparta, Tuscaloosa Aca., Wilcox Aca.
*Canceled season/was to be idle this week: Barbour Co., Greene Co., Sumter Central.
