Sports Editor

I want to encourage everyone in Troy to get out to Memorial Stadium for the AISA "Triple Championship" on Friday.

This is just another prime example of how Troy State University is used as a drawing point for athletic events around the state of Alabama. With six different teams visiting from six different cities, you can bet that the merchants and businesses around Troy will be busy from Thursday evening until late Friday night.

The noon game will feature the South Montgomery County Academy Raiders against Clarke Prep for the Class 1A title. SMCA features a high-powered offense triggered by quarterback John Andrews and all-purpose back Hunter Royal. The Raiders, under head coach Scott Rials, have been dominating this year with just one loss to Dixie Academy.

The Class 2A game will be between Chambers Academy and Macon-East. The Knights of Montgomery have won 11 straight since an opening season loss to Lee-Scott. One of those wins came over Chambers, 44-14, earlier in the season. You can bet the Rebels will have revenge on their mind come 4 p.m. Friday.

In Class 3A, Fort Dale bounced back from three losses during the season, to upset second-ranked Pickens in the first round and beat Monroe Academy last week, advancing to the 3A title game. The Eagles are led by speedy senior quarterback Adam Crenshaw and running backs Jared Lowe and Tommy Ryan. They will have their hands full with No. 1 Morgan Academy of Selma at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $8 and that includes all three title games. Where else can you see six football teams fight it out for three championships for that kind of bargain?

 

The Goshen Eagles head to Washington County this Friday night to play Leroy. The Bears, like Goshen, have spent most of the season in the upper echelon of the Class 2A top ten. This game should be one for the ages, but the Eagles could be hurting if tailback Dee Brundidge can’t play. Brundidge rushed for 194 yards last week in the 28-6 win over Samson, but separated is shoulder in the latter stages of the game.

Still, I have yet to see a team that can cover Jamar Tucker one-on-one, so he could be Coach Joe Thornton’s go-to-guy in this game.

 

Pike County will take a trip to the Florida state line to play the Flomaton Hurricanes. The Bulldogs were particularly impressive with their 34-7 dismantling of Springville last week. Coach Wayne Grant’s team has had their problems with Class 5A competition this season, but against 3A schools they’ve been dominant. The Bulldogs’ offense have outscored their 3A opponents this season by the combined score of 204-63.

 

TSU’s win over McNeese State last week broke a three game losing streak to the Cowboys. Now the Trojans will attempt to wrap up the Southland Football League title this weekend against Jax State. A win here, assures the Trojans of a home game in the first round of the playoffs, while a loss sends them to who knows where.

Speaking of McNeese State, I received a number of e-mails concerning the column I wrote, which appeared in the 11-7-00 issue of the Messenger, as well as the column Mike Amos wrote in the Wednesday edition.

The two pieces were written in attempt to fire up the people of Troy for TSU’s game against the Cowboys.

Apparently some McNeese fans took it to heart as you will find if you read to the right of this line.