Column – Week 6 high school football preview

After having an open week last week, the Muscle Shoals Trojans return to Class 6A, Region 7 play in the first of two contests that will likely decide the region winner.

MSHS hosts undefeated Athens (5-0, 2-0) Oct. 4.

The Trojans currently sit at the top of the region pack, but Athens and Hartselle are next at 2-0 each. Whichever team tops the others will take the region title.

The Golden Eagles also hosted the Trojans while undefeated last year, albeit earlier in the season.

Muscle Shoals won 66-28 in that contest, but every year is different, and Athens seems to be improved so far in 2024. Athens holds a slight advantage all-time at 18-17.

This matchup seems like it will be a good one, with the winner facing off with Hartselle for the region crown.

Sheffield

After beginning the season 0-3, the Bulldogs are now on a two-gamer winning streak after topping Waterloo 47-3 last week and Colbert Heights 47-27 the week before.

Sheffield will look to keep that streak going at home against 2-3, 1-2 Elkmont on Oct. 4.

Last year Sheffield lost in a close 30-29 contest, but the Bulldogs hold a 11-4 all-time advantage.

Though the Red Devils won last year, they fell to Colbert Heights 23-6 earlier in the season, a team the Bulldogs topped by 20.

A win would go a long way towards helping the 1-2 Bulldogs remain in the Class 3A, Region 7 postseason hunt.

Cherokee

The Indians had a turnaround 5-5 season last year but fell a victory short of the playoffs.

Cherokee is once again doing well in 2024 after moving to 4-2 with a 44-0 win over Belgreen.

The Indians have a clear path to the 2024 postseason, and that route is going through Phillips (1-4, 1-2) and Shoals Christian (0-5, 0-3) over the next two weeks.

Cherokee topped Phillips 62-20 last season, and so far this year the Bears have fallen to Vina 28-6 and are the only current win for Shoals Christian at 29-14.

Did I mention Cherokee beat Vina 48-8?

And as for Shoals Christian, the Flame fell to Belgreen 20-6 and Vina 32-8.

Did I mention Cherokee beat Belgreen 44-0?

Both these games are not only winnable by the Indians, Cherokee goes in as the favorite in both.

Not only that, but the Shoals Christian contest is a revenge game from last year some Indians players said they had circled on the calendar after the Flame kept Cherokee out of the playoffs last year.

If the Indians win the next two, they are more than likely making the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Class 1A, Region 7 is an eight-team region, and four wins gets you in.