With the Homecomings over and behind us, we can now move into the playoff races. This is the time of the year where my job gets the most interesting and fun because you run into the coaches who are trying passionately to get their team to the playoffs.

There is a possibility that all four area high school teams will be playing after the regular season is finished. The Pike Liberal Arts School Patriots have already clinched a playoff spot, the Pike County Bulldogs and Goshen Eagles are in with a win this week and the Charles Henderson Trojans will have to win both their remaining region games to make the playoffs.

See, isn’t that exciting to think that no one in the county would be unhappy when the regular season ends on Halloween?

And the Troy Trojans may also make the postseason if they continue to play well in conference. They are leading the conference right now and are looking good. Only time will tell if Tanner Jones or Levi Brown can lead the offense as efficiently as Jamie Hampton did, but a strong defense should carry this team far this season.

Getting into Nascone’s Predictions, I went 3-1 last week. The only loss for me was the Lee-Scott upset of the Pike Patriots.

K.D. Edenfield and the Charles Henderson Trojans snapped a three-game losing streak with a 28-14 victory over Rehobeth. Edenfield was named the Alabama Sports Writers Association Offensive Player of the Week, as he scored all four touchdowns for the Trojans.

Pike County won a defensive struggle in a 14-6 upset of Dale County in Bulldog Stadium. I was at that game and that Pike County team looked nothing like the team that was manhandled by Goshen.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think the ‘Dawgs are back and the true test for Pike County will come this Friday on the road against Daleville.

Goshen continued racking up the points as they exploded on Francis Marion for a 55-30 final. This team seems to be firing on all cylinders and coach Thornton has his boys excited to play every week.

Pike Liberal committed a few penalties late in the fourth quarter and Lee-Scott scored the final 10 points in a 17-14 upset of Pike.

As for this week, I think the Patriots might be in for a tough test again and I am picking against them for the first time this season. They will lose in Bessemer to the No. 3 Rebels, 17-10.

Goshen will continue to roll and they will crack the 50-point barrier for the third time in four games over 0-7 Highland Home, 60-24.

The Bulldogs will hit the road for Daleville fired up and ready to stay alive in the region. I believe Pike County will pull off a second straight upset and win their third straight game over the Warhawks, 28-20.

In the only high school home game in the area, the Charles Henderson Trojans will steamroll the 3-4 Carroll Eagles to the tune of 35-14.

The Troy Trojans host a much-improved FIU team, but the Trojans and their new quarterback, whoever that is, will claw the Panthers to the tune of 21-17 in a close battle in Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium.

That is all for this week and I will see you on the gridiron tomorrow nightt.

Matt Nascone is the sports editor for The Messenger. He can be reached at 670-6315 or online at matt.nascone@troymessenger.com.