Sports Editor

Two of the top 5A programs in the state will clash at Memorial Stadium on Friday night as Wilcox-Central and Charles Henderson do battle in a game, which not only has playoff implications, but could end up determining the Class 5A Region 2 champion.

With none of the Class 5A top ten teams losing last week, Wilcox-Central (8-1) remained as the No. 6 team and CHHS (7-1) is still No. 9 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s State Football rankings released on Wednesday.

But that will all change on Friday night.

"We know we’re going to have a challenge going up against Wilcox-Central," said Trojans’ head coach Hugh Fountain after his team’s 28-12 win over Andalusia last Friday night.

"I think they’re averaging almost 400 yards a game running the football and a lot of times this season, our defense hasn’t played well against the run."

Wilcox-Central blasted Carroll-Ozark last weekend 41-0 in Camden.

The Goshen Eagles moved up one spot to No. 8 in this week’s Class 2A poll after last Friday’s 24-0 blanking of Highland Home in Clay-Jordan Stadium.

It was what Eagles’ head coach Joe Thornton called a "sweet, sweet victory" over a team which handed him the first loss of his Goshen head coaching career last season 21-7.

The Eagles’ (9-1) should be able to gear up for the playoffs this week as they conclude their regular season against Pleasant Home (1-8) in Goshen. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Straughn, who handed Goshen their only loss of the season, knocked Luverne from the Class 3A top ten and moved up one spot to No. 6 of the Class 2A poll.

The Alabama Independent School Association playoffs begin this weekend and will conclude in Troy at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 17.