Tuscaloosa-area Class 4A teams on display in second round of AHSAA playoffs

By: Brett Greenberg

Tuscaloosa News - The second round of high school football playoffs is Friday, with four West Alabama teams in Class 4A winning last week. American Christian Academy, the No. 1-ranked team in the class according to the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll; Gordo, No. 3 and Northside (8-2) are still alive in the state championship hunt, along with Bibb County.

All three teams from Tuscaloosa County have something in common.

"A major factor for success has been the stability of our coaching staffs," ACA coach Chris Smelley said. "Ryan (Lolley of Gordo), Chris (Hilliker of Northside), and I have all been at our schools for a while now, and that is always an important part of sustaining success in a program."

ACA will host (9-1) Mobile Christian.

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Northside's Hilliker credits the community's hard-work attitude with the school's continued athletic success.

"People willing to work hard and their kids play hard," he said. "The one thing that I continue to stress to our kids is to always give great effort. They do, and I believe it’s because they see that our coaching staff gives the same effort."

Gordo's Lolley cited a similar ethic.

"We have our nose to the grindstone," he said. "The coaches preach teamwork and that has allowed us to have success." Here is a look at the second-round playoff schedule for area teams:

West Alabama AHSAA second round Friday CLASS 6A Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (9-2) at Opelika (8-2) CLASS 5A Faith-Mobile (9-1) at Demopolis (11-0) CLASS 4A CLASS 4A Mobile Chr. (9-1) at American Chr. (11-0) Bibb Co. (9-2) at Anniston (4-6) Northside (9-2) at Madison Aca. (10-0) Gordo (10-1) at Oneonta (7-2) CLASS 3A Winfield (10-1) at Ohatchee (10-1) CLASS 2A Aliceville (6-4) at Cleveland (7-3) CLASS 1A McKenzie (8-2) at Linden (10-0) Berry (9-1) at Woodland (8-3) Pickens Co. (8-3) at Decatur Heritage (9-2)