CULLMAN, Ala. – Two unbeaten teams, two county matchups and the first meeting between Vinemont and Appalachian headline Friday night’s abbreviated local football schedule.
Addison and Cold Springs enter the final Friday of September with a combined 9-0 record. The Bulldogs will host Oakman, while the Eagles will visit Holly Pond. Good Hope will make the short trip to West Point and Vinemont will travel to Appalachian.
All four games are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Each is a nonregion matchup, giving the eight teams a one-week break from games that count toward postseason qualification before region play resumes in October.
Cullman, Fairview, Hanceville and Meek have open dates.
Oakman (1-4) at Addison (5-0)
Addison has controlled every game on its way to a 5-0 start, outscoring its opponents 251-13 and winning each contest by at least 28 points.
The Bulldogs have posted three shutouts, and the only touchdowns they have allowed came against Waterloo and Meek. Addison’s first-team defense has not surrendered a point this season.
Senior quarterback Elijah Roberts continues to drive an offense averaging 50.2 points and 370.8 yards per game. Roberts is averaging 120 rushing yards, 108.6 passing yards and 228.6 total yards per contest.
He completed 6 of 7 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 56-6 victory over Meek and added a rushing touchdown. Addison led 21-0 after the first quarter and 49-0 at halftime.
Oakman has dropped three consecutive games since defeating Dora 13-7 on Aug. 28. The Wildcats fell to Hatton 48-7 last week and have been outscored 164-45 through five games.
Addison owns a 19-8-1 advantage in the all-time series. The schools have not met since the Bulldogs won 41-0 in 2009.
Cold Springs (4-0) at Holly Pond (2-2)
Cold Springs will try to extend its unbeaten start in a county matchup at Thomas-Michelfelder Field.
The Eagles have outscored their first four opponents 119-41, including a 36-21 road victory over previously unbeaten Cleveland last week. Cold Springs is also 3-0 in Class 2A, Region 5 play.
Cason Alexander ran for 102 yards and a touchdown against Cleveland. Cooper Johnson added 71 yards and two scores, while Ethan Day rushed for 62 yards and intercepted two passes.
Brooks Black supplied one of the game’s biggest plays when he returned a fumble 90 yards for a touchdown. Elijah Moore also recovered a fumble and Tucker Freeman recorded a sack as the Eagles forced four turnovers.
Holly Pond will look to rebound from a 54-14 loss to Vinemont. John Hamby scored both Broncos touchdowns, including a 30-yard run during the third quarter.
The Broncos are 2-2 overall and 1-2 in Class 3A, Region 6. They opened the season with a 20-0 victory at J.B. Pennington and blanked Hanceville 50-0 before losses to Oneonta and Vinemont.
Holly Pond leads the all-time series 20-11, but Cold Springs won the most recent meeting 42-7 in 2023.
Vinemont (3-2) at Appalachian (2-2)
Vinemont and Appalachian will meet for the first time, according to Alabama High School Football History records.
The matchup features teams averaging more than 30 points per game. Vinemont has scored 162 points through five contests, while Appalachian has scored 126 in four games.
The Eagles from Vinemont are coming off their most complete offensive performance of the season, a 54-14 county victory at Holly Pond. Quarterback Josh Rhodes ran for a touchdown and threw scoring passes to Lukas Ming, Jaxon Marotz and Preston Hanners.
Kaleb Speegle returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown and added a second interception before halftime. Karson Arbet and Brennan Marlow also scored on the ground, while Deacon Foell recovered a fumble.
Appalachian had an open date last week after splitting its first four games. The Eagles defeated Locust Fork 43-20 and Woodville 35-20, while falling to Cleveland 35-34 and Spring Garden 30-14.
Appalachian is averaging 345.8 yards per game. Cole Smith leads its offense with averages of 206.5 passing yards, 89.3 rushing yards and 295.8 total yards per game. Sam Stidham is averaging 88.5 receiving yards.
Vinemont is 3-2 overall and 2-1 in Class 3A, Region 6. Appalachian is 2-2 and 1-1 in Class 1A, Region 8.
Good Hope (3-1) at West Point (0-5)
Good Hope carries a three-game winning streak into its county matchup with West Point.
The Raiders opened with a 31-24 loss to Plainview before defeating Brewer 47-23, Guntersville 35-21 and Crossville 46-0. They have outscored their three Class 4A, Region 8 opponents 128-44 and sit at 3-0 in region play.
Good Hope scored 26 points during the first quarter at Crossville and led 39-0 by halftime. The shutout was the Raiders’ first of the season.
West Point remains in search of its first victory, but the Warriors turned in their best defensive performance of the season during last week’s 15-10 loss at Ardmore.
West Point trailed 9-3 at halftime before moving ahead 10-9 near the midpoint of the third quarter. Ardmore answered in less than two minutes, but the Warriors’ defense kept the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way.
Quarterback Max Patterson directed a late fourth-quarter drive before West Point’s comeback ended short of the end zone.
The Warriors will try to build on that performance in their fourth home game of the season. Good Hope is 2-0 on the road.
West Point leads the all-time series 25-20-1, while Good Hope won the most recent meeting last season.
