MOBILE, Ala. — With one month left in the regular season, the AHSAA playoff picture is starting to come into focus for high school football teams across Mobile and Baldwin counties. And this year, the stakes carry a local twist: the road to every Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) state championship will end in Mobile.
All 12 of the AHSAA’s football title games — six public school classifications, two private school classifications and four flag football championships — will be played at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium during the first week of December. For area teams, a deep postseason run would mean finishing the season close to home.
Before anyone can think about December, though, there is a regular season to finish and region titles to settle. Teams are heading into Week 8, and the final night of regular-season games falls on Oct. 31. Here is a look at where each local region race stands.
How Teams Qualify for the Playoffs
Understanding the region races starts with knowing the rules. The AHSAA uses region standings, not polls or overall records, to determine who advances to the postseason. A few key points:
- In Class 6A, the top six teams in each region qualify for the playoffs.
- In Classes 1A through 5A, the top four teams in each region advance.
- In the two private school classifications, every team makes the playoffs, because there are far fewer schools in those classes than in the public school classifications.
- Every team from the Mobile County-Baldwin County area competes in Region 1 of its classification.
- No local teams compete in Class 3A or Class 1A this season.
Because region games carry so much weight, a team with a strong overall record can still find itself on the outside looking in if it stumbles against region opponents — and a team with a modest overall record can sneak into the field by winning the right region games.
One more note for fans planning ahead: because of Tropical Storm Isaias, nearly all of this week’s local games have been moved from Friday to Thursday, Oct. 8. As of Wednesday morning, only Chickasaw’s game at Hillcrest-Evergreen remained on Friday night.
Class 6A, Region 1: Seven Teams Chasing Six Spots
Class 6A, Region 1 has an unusual wrinkle this season. The region includes eight teams, but only seven are eligible for the postseason. Mary G. Montgomery (MGM) is barred from playoff participation after the AHSAA sanctioned the program for recruiting violations. Games played against MGM do not count in the region standings.
With six playoff spots available and seven eligible teams, just one Region 1 team will miss the postseason.
Current region standings:
- Daphne, 4-0 (5-1 overall)
- Fairhope, 3-0
- Foley, 3-1
- Baker, 1-2
- Robertsdale, 1-2
- Alma Bryant, 0-3
- Davidson, 0-4
The bottom of the standings is where the drama may be greatest. Alma Bryant and Davidson are both still looking for their first region win, and the two teams meet at Davidson on Oct. 22. Unless the standings shift before then, that game could decide which team claims the final playoff berth and which one goes home.
At the top, Daphne and Fairhope are both unbeaten in region play. This week, Daphne travels to Foley and Fairhope hosts Baker, with both games now set for Thursday night. Alma Bryant also visits Robertsdale, a game with clear implications for the bottom half of the standings, and MGM plays at Davidson.
Class 5A, Region 1: A Clear Top Four — For Now
In Class 5A, Region 1, four teams have separated themselves from the pack. Gulf Shores and Spanish Fort are tied for first at 4-0, while Saraland and Theodore are tied for third at 3-1.
The rest of the region has some ground to make up:
- Blount, 1-3
- Murphy, 1-3
- Baldwin County, 0-4
- Elberta, 0-4
None of those teams currently has a winning region record, which suggests the four playoff teams from this region may already be identified. Seeding, however, is very much up for grabs.
The region’s headline game this week sends Spanish Fort to Theodore. A Spanish Fort win would keep the Toros tied for the lead, while a Theodore victory would create a logjam in the upper half of the standings. Elsewhere, Elberta plays at Gulf Shores, Saraland visits Murphy and Blount travels to Baldwin County.
Class 4A, Region 1: Perhaps the Toughest Region in Alabama
There is a strong case that Class 4A, Region 1 is the most competitive region in the state, regardless of classification. It is home to Williamson, the No. 1 team in Class 4A, along with several other programs that have spent time in the statewide rankings this season.
Current region standings:
- Williamson, 3-0
- Orange Beach, 3-1
- Citronelle, 2-1
- Vigor, 2-1
- Satsuma, 1-2
- LeFlore, 1-3
- B.C. Rain, 0-4 (0-7 overall)
Satsuma and LeFlore each have four overall wins despite their losing region marks, a reflection of how difficult the region schedule is.
This week brings another pivotal game, as Citronelle hosts Williamson on Thursday night. A Citronelle upset would scramble the top of the standings, while a Williamson win would further tighten the Lions’ grip on first place. Satsuma also plays at Orange Beach and B.C. Rain visits Vigor.
Looking further ahead, Williamson and Vigor meet on Oct. 16 in one of the most anticipated games remaining on the local schedule. The two programs have a recent history of high-stakes meetings, and that game could go a long way toward deciding the region title.
Class 2A, Region 1: Chickasaw Faces an Uphill Climb
Chickasaw is the only Mobile County-Baldwin County school in Class 2A, and the Chieftains have struggled this season. They are 1-5 overall and 0-3 in region play, and at this point they do not appear to be on track for a playoff berth. Only Monroe County, at 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the region, has a worse record.
The rest of the region shapes up this way:
- Luverne, 4-0
- Thomasville, 2-1
- Clarke County, 2-1
- J.U. Blacksher, 2-2
- Hillcrest-Evergreen, 2-2
J.U. Blacksher and Hillcrest-Evergreen are battling for what is currently the final playoff spot. Blacksher beat Hillcrest-Evergreen 24-18 earlier this season, so Blacksher would hold the tiebreaker if the two teams finish with identical region records.
Chickasaw’s game at Hillcrest-Evergreen is the lone local contest still scheduled for Friday night this week, giving the Chieftains a chance to play spoiler in the race for the final berth.
Private Class AA, Region 1: A Three-Way Tie at the Top
Private Class AA, Region 1 features a three-team logjam in first place. McGill-Toolen, UMS-Wright and Montgomery Catholic are all 4-0 in region play. This week’s marquee matchup has UMS-Wright hosting Montgomery Catholic, which will break at least part of that tie.
St. Michael has been one of the region’s surprises. The Cardinals have played nearly the entire season without star quarterback Gunner Rivers, who was hurt in the first quarter of the season opener, yet they sit fourth at 2-2.
The rest of the region:
- Glenwood, 1-3
- St. Paul’s, 1-3
- Faith Academy, 0-4
- Houston Academy, 0-4
Because every private school team reaches the playoffs, the regular season in this classification is about seeding and home-field advantage. In the first round, Region 1 teams play one another: the No. 1 seed hosts the No. 8 seed, No. 2 hosts No. 7, No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4 hosts No. 5.
If the standings held as they are now — and they almost certainly will not — St. Michael would be the No. 4 seed and would host No. 5 St. Paul’s in the first round. St. Paul’s would hold the edge over Glenwood for that spot thanks to its 38-35 victory over the Gators on Sept. 11.
This week, Glenwood visits McGill-Toolen, Houston Academy travels to St. Michael and Faith Academy plays at St. Paul’s.
Private Class A, Region 1: Bayside and Mobile Christian Lead the Way
Private Class A uses the same format as Private Class AA, with every team qualifying for the playoffs and seeding determining first-round matchups.
Current region standings:
- Mobile Christian, 4-0
- Bayside Academy, 4-0
- St. Luke’s, 3-1
- Cottage Hill Christian, 2-2
- Providence Christian, 2-2
- Bayshore Christian, 1-3
- Snook Christian, 0-4
- Northside Methodist (Dothan), 0-4
The top seed may be decided on Oct. 16, when Bayside Academy travels to Mobile Christian in a meeting of unbeaten region teams. Before that, both have tests this week: St. Luke’s visits Mobile Christian, and Bayside Academy plays at Providence Christian. Bayshore Christian visits Cottage Hill Christian, and Snook Christian plays at Northside Methodist in Dothan.
What to Watch the Rest of the Way
With four weeks left in the regular season, several dates stand out on the local calendar:
- Thursday, Oct. 8: Spanish Fort at Theodore (5A), Williamson at Citronelle (4A), Montgomery Catholic at UMS-Wright (Private AA), Daphne at Foley (6A) and Baker at Fairhope (6A).
- Oct. 16: Williamson vs. Vigor (4A) and Bayside Academy at Mobile Christian (Private A).
- Oct. 22: Alma Bryant at Davidson (6A), a potential decider for the final playoff berth.
- Oct. 31: The final night of the regular season.
Region standings will continue to shift as these games are played, and tiebreakers based on head-to-head results could come into play in several regions. For the teams that survive the regular season and the playoff rounds that follow, the reward will be a trip to Hancock Whitney Stadium in early December — and a chance to play for a state title in their own backyard.
