After The First 3 Weeks, Which Tuscaloosa Schools Started Strong?

As another electric week of high school football in the state of Alabama comes to an end, some teams in the Tuscaloosa area are looking fierce early on. If you missed this week’s action, below will be list of teams to keep an eye on as well as some key players to their success.

American Christian Academy (3-0) - For the first three games of the season, the Patriots have defeated each opponent, on average, by a score of 26 points per game. American Christian Academy’s powerhouse offense is highlighted by the senior wideout, Cam Jeffery, who caught two touchdowns for 131 yards in his most recent outing. The Patriot defense, with Auburn-hopeful Kamari Lassiter, has the offense’s best friend on the year, as they’ve averaged to give up less than 22 points per game.

Gordo High School (3-0) - The Green Wave is another example of offensive potency in the area as their scoring average for their first three outings reaches 47 points per game. With a stout defense that has yet to allow 20 points in a game and a gunslinger in Tanner Bailey, Gordo definitely looks like a force to be reckoned with. According to 247Sports, Bailey is a junior four-star prospect with offers from both, Alabama and Auburn.

Hillcrest High School (3-0)

The Hillcrest Patriots certainly had a close call in a rivalry matchup with Tuscaloosa County High in their second game of the year. However, they reset the tone for the season this week with a dominant win over a struggling Brookwood. Sophomore quarterback Ethan Crawford is having a season to remember as he opened the campaign by putting on a five-touchdown show in “week zero”.

Northridge High School (3-0)

Though the Jags struggled to get past the winless Paul W. Bryant Stampede, Northridge found a way, late in the game, to keep their record perfect on the season. If the Bessemer City Purple Tigers can subdue the Jag’s ground offense, Northridge could end up with the first notch in the loss column on the campaign. It’s important to remember that Northridge’s defense has only allowed a total of 18 points to be scored through three games; Therefore, the Purple Tigers offense is going to need some fire to come into Tuscaloosa and steal a game on the road.

Northside High School (3-0)

While their most recent game wasn’t a high scoring affair, the Rams were able to fend off the Haleyville Lions with a late fourth quarter QB rushing touchdown. Though the win margins may seem fairly small, Northside’s defense seems to show up in the biggest moments in every outing. The Rams defense averages 9 points allowed per game, while the offense manages a respectable 20 points on average. If the defense can continue to stifle offenses, the Northside Rams could see a promising year in the playoffs.

Hale County (2-1)

The Wildcats of Hale County High ran into the buzzsaw of Montgomery Academy this week and lost to the visiting Eagles by a score of 40-14. Turnovers were a large factor of turning the momentum toward Montgomery’s favor. The Wildcats are going to need to work on making each possession count and capitalizing on positive field position. Hale County’s passing offense looks solid, but an uptick in the ground game could get the Wildcats on track.

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