Photo by Jimmy Mitchell
Chelsea’s Turner Griffin (14) looks downfield during a game between Chelsea and Oak Mountain on Aug. 24 at Heardmont Park in Birmingham.
With half of the high school football regular season already in the rearview mirror, local teams are looking for a strong month of October to make their final push for the playoffs.
For Briarwood Christian School, October represents a four-game run of Class 5A, Region 4 contests that will determine where the Lions land in the playoff bracket. On Oct. 5, the Lions will travel to John Carroll to play the Cavaliers for the first time since 2015. Briarwood has a 9-3 edge in the series between the two teams and has won the last eight meetings.
Due to a scheduling oddity, Briarwood will be playing just its second home game of the year Oct. 12, as the Lions host Parker. It’s one of only four games Briarwood will play at Lions Pride Stadium in the regular season. Briarwood and Parker have never met prior to this fall.
The Lions are back on the road Oct. 19 to play Ramsay in what could be a matchup to determine the region champion. Ramsay won Class 6A just two years ago and dropped down to 5A this fall. Briarwood has won the previous two meetings, in 2012 and 2013.
Briarwood concludes the month with a Thursday night affair at home against Fairfield on Oct. 25. It will be the third straight season the two teams have met, with the Lions emerging victorious in the first two.
Chelsea will also play four straight region games in October, beginning with a Thursday night matchup with Helena on Oct. 4. Chelsea has knocked off the Huskies each of the last four years, including a 24-17 win last fall.
On Oct. 12, Chelsea travels to Homewood, where coach Dustin Goodwin was the offensive coordinator from 2011-13. It will be the first meeting between the two schools. The Hornets will play another new opponent on Oct. 19, when they host Minor.
Chelsea concludes the month at Calera on Oct. 26. The two teams have not met since 2009, but Calera holds a 20-9-1 edge in the series.
Oak Mountain gets three home games in the month of October as the Eagles attempt to finish strong in Class 7A, Region 3. On Oct. 4, the Eagles host Mountain Brook in a Thursday night contest. Last fall, Oak Mountain fell, 31-28, in a tight battle after the Eagles mounted a big comeback.
On Oct. 12, Oak Mountain will attempt to avenge a loss from last season as it visits Tuscaloosa County. The following week, on Oct. 19, the Eagles will host Spain Park. Oak Mountain put together its most complete performance of the season last fall in a 29-3 victory over the Jags.
The Eagles will conclude the month against Vestavia Hills on Oct. 26. Oak Mountain has won just three of the 14 meetings between the two schools. Last fall, Vestavia Hills pulled off a 7-0 victory.
Spain Park has a tough road, to be sure, in the month of October. The Jags get it started at Thompson on Oct. 5. After winning eight straight games in the series, the Jags fell 40-17 in the matchup last fall.
On Oct. 12, the Jags host crosstown rival Hoover. Spain Park made a game of it last fall but fell, 27-24. The Jags have beaten the Bucs just twice, both wins coming in 2015. On Oct. 19, the Jags head to Oak Mountain looking to avenge another loss from last fall. They wrap up the month on Oct. 26 at home against Tuscaloosa County.
