By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Plenty of pieces of the puzzle will remain unanswered after this week, but this week figures to be a pivotal one in Class 4A Region 1.
The number of undefeated teams in region play will be cut in half, as last week's four winners square off against each other. T.R. Miller visits Escambia County in a battle of two teams that have gotten off to 2-0 starts overall. The other matchup of leaders has 4A top-ranked and undefeated Thomasville at home against Jackson. Jackson rebounded nicely from its first week drilling at the hands of Leroy with an impressive 44-0 win over Monroe County last week.
While the contenders and pretenders for the region championship may start to separate themselves a bit this week, the other four teams will be fighting each other to stay alive not only in the region race but the playoff race as well. The two winners will both be 1-1 and in a four-way tie for third place with the losers of the two other region games. The two losers will both be 0-2 and in a huge hole.
W.S. Neal will try to bounce back from last week's disappointing 26-14 loss to Escambia County in its region opener when it travels to Southside-Selma. Southside has been outscored 77-14 in its first two games so far. The other contest pits winless Hillcrest at Monroe County. Hillcrest has surrendered 86 points in losses to Geneva and Thomasville. Monroe County has been on both ends of the spectrum so far. The Tigers beat J.F. Shields 26-0 in their opener, but were pounded 44-0 last week by Jackson.
Former T.R. Miller assistant football coach Jack Whigham picked up his first victory as a head coach last week when his Opp Bobcats downed Alabama Christian 21-14.
Does anyone want to be in Abbeville's shoes this week? The Yellow Jackets have the dubious distinction of having to go to Pike County Friday.
What kind of mood do you think the Bulldogs will be in after they were stunned by Geneva 44-43 last week in triple overtime? Even though Geneva was ranked eighth in the state, the win over Class 3A top-ranked Pike County has sent shock waves across the state.
For those who have forgotten, Pike County beat Abbeville last year 91-0.