600 club: Piedmont-Fyffe in the spotlight as second round of football playoffs kicks off

PIEDMONT – It’s a showdown of 600-win programs Friday night in the second round of the AHSAA Class 3A football playoffs.

Piedmont (11-0) puts its unbeaten record on the line when Fyffe (8-3) visits. The Bulldogs have 600 all-time wins and the Devils have 617 victories.

Cole Austin completed 8-of-11 pass attempts for 140 yards and three touchdowns to lead Piedmont to a 59-19 victory over Phil Campbell in last week’s first round and helped the Bulldogs clinch the school’s 600^th win. All 59 of the Bulldogs’ points were scored in the first half.

Meanwhile, Ryder Gipson had 20 carries for 265 yards and three touchdowns to lead Fyffe to a 34-7 Class 3A first-round playoff victory over Lauderdale County (7-4).

Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Here is the AHSAA’s spotlight on North Alabama players

• HUDSON HIGGINS, MARS HILL BIBLE: Ran for 171 yards and three scores to lead the defending Class 3A state champion Panthers (11-0) to a 70-14 first-round win over Whitesburg Christian.
• CARTER LEE, HARTSELLE: Passed for 217 yards and one TD as the Tigers (10-1) beat Buckhorn 33-7 to advance to the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs.
• URIJAH BURNHAM, PRICEVILLE: Pulled down catches for 179 yards and three touchdowns to lead Priceville back from a 21-7 deficit with two minutes left in regulation to beat Guntersville 24-21 in overtime in the Class 5A state playoffs. The Bulldogs scored the final 17 points of  the game.
• MARK ANDREJEWSKI, ST. JOHN PAUL II: The senior receiver closed out his final game in Week 10 with six catches for 201 yards and two touchdowns of 55 and 78 yards in a 42-22 win over Danville. He also had an interception returned 68 yards for a touchdown.
• BRADYN BENNETT, BOAZ: Totaled 15 tackles in  the Pirates’ 29-28 Class 5A playoff loss to Russellville – finishing the season with 175 tackles in 11 games to lead the AHSAA with 15.9 stops per contest. He had 260 tackles over the last two seasons, according to statistics reported to MaxPreps.
• MaCARRI JOHNSON, WEST MORGAN: Returned a punt 56 yards one touchdown and rushed for 127 yards and four more TDs as the Rebels ((11-0) beat Randolph 55-21 in the 4A state playoffs.

Friday’s schedule 

• CLASS 1A
  Berry (9-2) at Addison (10-1)
  Appalachian (11-0) at Marion County (8-3), Guin
  Wadley (10-0) at Meek (8-3), Arley
  Hackleburg (8-3) at Hubbertville (11-0)
• CLASS 2A
  Vincent (9-2) at Pisgah (9-2)
  Southeastern (9-2) at Red Bay (9-2)
  Lexington (8-3) at Coosa Christian (9-2), Gadsden
  Pleasant Valley (10-1) at Tuscaloosa Academy (8-3)
• CLASS 3A
  Winfield (9-2) at Mars Hill Bible (11-0), Killen
  Westbrook Christian (10-1) at Geraldine (10-1)
  Fyffe (8-3) at Piedmont (11-0)
  Colbert County (8-3) at Gordo (9-1)
• CLASS 4A
  Good Hope (9-2) at West Morgan (11-0), Trinity
  Alexandria (10-1) at Plainview (11-0), Rainsville
  Madison Academy (9-2) at Anniston (11-0)
  Deshler (10-1) at Hamilton (11-0)
• CLASS 5A
  Fairview (11-0) at Jacksonville (6-5)
  St. Clair County (10-1) at Scottsboro (7-4)
  Moody (9-2) at Priceville (8-3)
  Russellville (7-4) at Briarwood Christian (6-5)
• CLASS 6A
  Parker (8-3) at Muscle Shoals (10-0)
  Mountain Brook (8-3) at Fort Payne (10-1)
  Gadsden City (8-3) at Clay-Chalkville (11-0)
  Hartselle (10-1) at Homewood (10-1)