FROM STAFF REPORTS

Clarke County High School is having the a historical season. In 90 years of football, the Bulldogs from Grove Hill have never been undefeated – until now. CCHS (12-0) celebrated a second round victory Friday at Red Prim Stadium to pull within two wins of its first trip to an AHSAA football state title game.

The Calera Eagles (11-1) are also on a historic run with only one destination in sight – the 50-yard line of Legion Field while holding a Class 3A championship trophy above their heads.

Both teams have been dominant all year, with the exception of Calera’s one loss to Shelby County. And both played sub-par Friday, as Gordo held Calera to just 13 points and Clarke pulled out a 19-16 win against Winfield.

Calera quarterback Paul Winterbottom will hope to find Kaderius Lacey or Earl Haynes quick and early for a touchdown. They’ll need to, as Clarke County’s defense has allowed two touchdowns or more only twice this season. They’ve allowed offensive points in only five games, while posting six shutouts.

However, the Bulldogs have not faced a potent offense like the Eagles’ all year.

Everyone appears to be healthy. Dominique Wilson is back from a seven-week layoff for an ankle injury, while Kaderius Lacey is slowly working his way back into the mix after missing the final weeks of the regular season.

This game could be in comparison to Calera’s game against Marbury, a 35-28 win, or Shelby County, a 21-14 loss. One thing’s for sure: it won’t be close to Clarke County’s win over Central, 62-0.

JAGS AND SPARTANS PART TWO

Mountain Brook quarterback Morgan Ogilvie is back.

The Spartans’ quarterback suffered a broken leg in the season opener against Bob Jones, a game Mountain Brook lost 49-28, but being the competitor he is, Ogilvie has bounced back to lead his team to a 6-1 record since returning.

Although the Spartans lost to Vestavia Hills, 28-21, in Ogilvie’s first game back from injury, Mountain Brook has outscored opponents 224-71 since then, including wins over No. 2 seed Huntsville and No. 1 seed Tuscaloosa County in the playoffs.

The senior quarterback is also no stranger to winning championships as he picked up two Alabama Independent Schools Association state titles while starting at quarterback for the Bessemer Academy Rebels.

Spain Park is also no stranger to having a talented quarterback as senior slinger Cody Wells has directed the Jaguars to a 10-2 record (11-1 counting the forfeit win over Hoover).

In the two teams’ first face-off in the second game of the season, the Jags got the best of the Spartans, 27-14, in Mountain Brook’s first game without Ogilvie.

Fans hoping to see the quarterback duel between Spain Park’s Wells and Mountain Brook’s Ogilvie will get their wish Friday, and they should also get a classic match-up between two of the state’s best teams.

LIONS PUT SEASON ON THE ROAD

The list of playmakers goes on-and-on for the Briarwood Lions. They just hope that cast will keep them going three more games.

At 12-0, Briarwood takes its perfect season on the road to Huntsville Friday to challenge J.O. Johnson (10-2). The Lions’ defense accepted a personal challenge last week to shut down the Russellville defense the same way it shut down Jackson-Olin. It did a good enough job.

Now the defensive front of Daniel Forester, Alex Davis, Bentley Windle, Jake Moorer, Bo Walters and Justin Shade will apply the same challenge to a team that fell 30-23 to Russellville earlier this season. If the Jaguars want to stop Briarwood, they must stop Barrett Trotter’s perfect passes to Matthew Gordon, who scored from 36 and 63 yards out this past week. If Trotter finds the long ball for a score quick and early, J.O. fans can begin to hug their seniors and thank them for a good season.

The only guarantee the defense would give last week about Friday’s quarterfinal is it will be fun to watch