AHSAA TV NETWORK GOW
Playoff-bound Dora and Oak Grove Battle for Position in AHSAA TV/WOTM GOW
MONTGOMERY – Dora High School and Oak Grove high School have both qualified for the upcoming AHSAA State Football Playoffs which get underway in three weeks.
The Tigers hots the Bulldogs tonight in the AHSAA TV Network/WOTM TV Game of the Week the final Class 4A, Region 5 game of the season both squads. Don’t expect either to try and take it easy.
While Dora is back in the playoffs for the third straight year under Coach Chavis Wiliams, Oak Grove has earned it first post-season berth since 2010 in just the second year of Coach Chris Musso’s tenure. An added incentive is which qualifying spot will go to the winner.
The Region 5 standings heading into the last week have Corner at the top of the league at 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the region, followed by Haleyville (6-2) and Dora (6-2) both 5-1. Oak Grove (5-3) is fourth at 4-2. Corner meets Haleyville Friday, and Dora faces Grove. All four are in the playoffs but the order of seed depends on the outcome.
“We are excited about being featured on statewide television in the AHSAA Game of the Week, said Williams, a former all-state defensive end at Dora (2006) who played for Nick Saban and earned a National Championship ring in 2010 at Alabama. He also spent some time in the NFL being signed as an undrafted player by the Baltimore Ravens in 2011 – and worked his way from the practice squad that season to playing on Sundays.
He’s been in big games, but this week’s opportunity to control his own destiny is as good as it gets, he said on AHSAA TV Weekly this week. “Starting with my own high school coach Johnny Wright at Dora in 2006, I have had the chance to be around some outstanding coaches who have had major impact on my life. Coach Saban is the best football coach in America. I have always tried to be a sponge and soak up all I could wherever I was. Our kids at Dora have really bought in to what we’ve been trying to teach them. I am blessed to lead them and show these kids their potential.”
A Corner win over Haleyville would simply matters in Region 5. Coupled with an Oak Grove victory, a three-way tie would ensue for places 2, 3 and 4. A Dor win in that scenario would settle things. Should Haleyville beat Corner and Sora top Oak Grove, a three-way tie would develop for the top three spots.
That isn’t the discussion in either camp this week, however. “We need to just go out and be the best we can be,” said Williams.
Oak Grove’s Musso has similar thoughts. “Our kids have been incredible to coach,” he said. “They are excited, the community is excited. The good Lord doesn’t make you a winner or loser, but he gives you the opportunity to choose.”
Oak Grove celebrate the 40th anniversary of Oak Grove’s 1983 football team which won the school’s only state football championship. Earlier this season, the school recognized those 27 players as honorary captains prior to the game with Corner.
Ironically, the Tigers finished 12-3 that season. One of teams to beat them in the regular season was Dora.
Oak Grove senior linebacker and fullback Collin Pate has been a strong leader on offense and defense. Defensive lineman John Geter and offensive lineman Zayden Kyzer are anchors up front. Running back Jeremiah Fuller has been a consistently strong runner. The Tigers are averaging 27.6 ppg while the defense is giving up 22.6.
Dora is scoring 38.4 ppg while yielding 21.0. Coach Smith, who played in the 400th win in Dora school history as a player and coached the school’s 500th win in last year’s 8-4 campaign, has seen his team improve on both sides of the ball.
Senior Kesean Pryor quarterbacks the offense. He has completed 72-of-116 passes for 1,004 yards and 10 TDs with just two interceptions this season. Junior Jayden Griffin has rushed for 1,096 yards and 15 TDs on 111 carries in just seven games. Korion Pryor, another senior, can play tight end or fullback. He has rushed for 561 yards and nine scored on 78 carries and has caught 23 passes for 431 yards and five touchdowns as a tight end. He also leads the defense in tackles with 78. Williams’ son Joshua Williams is the team’s leading receiver with 28 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns. Seniors Braxton Kutchins and William Richardson had 74 and 62 stops, respectively on the year.
Tonight’s game, which kicks off 7:05 P.M., is being produced by Vince Earley and his talented crew from WOTM TV. Caleb Brooks and Mickey Shadrix will be in the announcers’ booth for the game, which will be shown live over WOTM, My68 TV in Birmingham, and the AHSAA TV Network member cable affiliates. It also will be live streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform and WOTM.tv.
The AHSAA TV Network Game of the Week is one of 18 varsity games scheduled for tonight with 14 of those games scheduled to be live streamed over the NFHS Network. A total of approximately 160 broadcasts are currently scheduled for the NFHS Network tonight and tomorrow night. Five are scheduled to be on the NFHS Network.
To access the AHSAA Game of the Week the NFHS Network, go to the following link
https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/ahsaa/gamc437713649
Among other top games being live streamed over the NFHS Network across the state tonight and Friday include: Class 7A: Thompson (7-1) at Hoover (4-5 and Sparkman (5-3) at Florence (5-4); Class 6A: Theodore (6-2) at Saraland (8-0), Center Point (7-1) at Oxford (6-2) and Helena (8-0) at Benjamin Russell (6-2); Class 5A: Vigor (6-2) at Gulf Shores (8-0), Fairview (8-0) at Russellville (7-1) and Southside (7-1) at Moody (7-1); Class 4A: Andalusia (9-0) at Montgomery Catholic (9-0) and Corner (8-0) at Haleyville (6-2); Class 3A: Thomasville (7-0 at Mobile Christian (9-0); Class 2A: Highland Home (9-0) at Reeltown (8-0); and Class 1A: South Lamar (6-2) at Lynn (7-1) and Millry (8-1) at Leroy (7-0).
The AHSAA Radio Network’s Scoreboard Show will also air across the state Friday night. Go to www.ahsaaradionetwork.com for network information.
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