AHSAA CLASS 3A-5A: Beauregard looks to bounce back

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series previewing this week’s Friday night high school football games. Today: Class 3A-5A. Friday: Class 6A.

Beauregard head coach Smitty Grider has to feel a little snakebit.

In last week’s tough season-opening, 13-12 loss to Russell County, the Hornets had plenty of chances to win — but saw each one snatched away.

The biggest chance was an apparent go-ahead touchdown.

But officials ruled the ball came loose before Beauregard’s back crossed the goal line and gave Russell County a touchback.

Another tough break came when Russell County shanked a punt that would have given the Hornets stellar field position. The ball, however, took a crazy hop off the ground — right into the chest of a Beauregard special teams player, allowing Russell County to recover.

“Our kids were upset after the game but they knew we didn’t play well in some parts,” Grider said. “We played well enough to win, so we’re trying to build on the positives and correct the mistakes we made.”

But Grider and the Hornets have put that loss behind them.

Now the focus turns to Beauregard’s first Class 5A-Region 2 game since moving up from Class 4A last year.

The Hornets will host Carroll-Ozark, a team that beat Pike County, 27-18, last week.

“They’re a good football team and run a lot of double-slot, Wing-T stuff on offense,” Grider said. “They run it more than they throw it and have some real good looking kids.

“It’ll be a tough test.”

Rehobeth (0-1) at Valley (0-1)
Valley is still reeling after taking a surprising 42-7 thumping at the hands of Auburn last week.

In that game, Valley lost a chance to head to halftime down by just two touchdowns until Auburn returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown.

Rehobeth is also coming off a loss, 28-20, to 3A power Geneva.

Tallassee (1-0) at No. 6 Charles Henderson (1-0)
Tallassee got its 2008 season off to a fast start by taking out Class 4A Elmore County, 21-19.

But things get much tougher this week for the Tigers.

A trip to Troy to face always-tough Charles Henderson is no easy way to open Region 2 play.

BTW (1-0) at No. 1 Eufaula (1-0)
Talk about night-and-day differences.

Last week BTW beat up on a struggling Class 1A program, Notasulga, 50-0.

Now the Golden Eagles get to visit the state’s top-ranked Class 5A team.

Class 3A
Montgomery Academy (0-1) at Beulah (0-1)
Beulah is expecting big things in 2008 with a solid duo in its backfield.

However, things didn’t get off to the greatest start last week when the Bobcats fell to Lanett, 34-0.

In that game, starting quarterback Kyle Hoover was hurt in the first quarter and played sparingly the rest of the way.

Montgomery Academy fell to arch-rival Catholic-Montgomery, 13-0.

Marbury (0-1) at LaFayette (0-1)
LaFayette couldn’t quite finish the deal last Friday in a 20-14 loss to Loachapoka.

Loachapoka raced out to a 20-6 lead, but LaFayette chipped away and was driving for the win until a fourth-down pass was broken up.

Marbury is also coming off a tough loss after falling to Holtville, 28-12.