Week 2 football preview: Belgreen hosts Tharptown for Homecoming; PCHS, RHS, VHS start region play
Belgreen (2-0) vs. Tharptown (0-2)
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Sparks Stadium
Last time out: Belgreen earned its second blowout win of the season beating Sumiton Christian 43-6 at Sparks Stadium. Tharptown fell on the road at Waterloo 24-8.
Series history: Belgreen owns the series 1-0 so far with a 30-14 win over Tharptown last season.
What to expect: Through two games Belgreen’s progress in year two looks phenomenal after the Bulldogs blew out two teams they struggled to beat or lost to last season. BHS will definitely be the favorites against Tharptown this week, but Tharptown looked improved last week against Waterloo—at least defensively where THS allowed the Cougars just 24 points, the fewest points the Wildcats have allowed since their last win in September 2023. It’s also Homecoming week for Belgreen which gives BHS players plenty of distractions throughout the week and rival THS players plenty of motivation to ruin the celebration. The clear advantage goes to Belgreen but there is a rivalry between these two schools, so you never know what could happen.
Next week: Belgreen is off in week three. The Bulldogs’ next game will be on Friday, September 19 at Tanner. Tharptown will also have a bye next week; the Wildcats will resume their season with their area opener at home against Decatur Heritage on September 19.
Phil Campbell (0-1) at Vinemont (0-2)
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Eagle Stadium (Vinemont, Ala.)
Last time out: Phil Campbell fell on the road at Class 4A Hamilton 42-26.
Series history: The Bobcats are undefeated playing Vinemont, beating the Eagles in all three previous meetings. Besides last year’s game, the two teams also played in 2000 and 2001.
What to expect: Against Hamilton, the Bobcats were pretty balanced in terms of run-pass ratio with 22 pass attempts to 29 rushing attempts. Four different Bobcats got carries and five different receivers were pass targets. Phil Campbell also got on the scoreboard first against the Aggies. All good signs for PCHS despite the loss.
Both teams in this upcoming matchup are coming off losses, so both will be eager to get into the win column and capture a crucial early region victory. This was a game that Phil Campbell needed four overtimes to win last season; ideally, if you’re a fan of the Bobcats, you’d like them to put it away a little earlier this time around. Phil Campbell, according to the “experts,” is a slight favorite in this game.
Next week: Phil Campbell continues region play. The Bobcats will host Oakman in their first home game of the campaign.
Red Bay (1-0) at University Charter School (0-1)
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Tiger Stadium (Livingston, Ala.)
Last time out: The Red Bay Tigers kicked the Tyler Jeffreys era off with a bang by blowing out the Lamar County Bulldogs 41-8.
Series history: Red Bay is 0-1 versus UCS. The Tigers lost to the Trail Blazers 16-14 last season.
What to expect: A lot more points than last year. And a better result for Red Bay. Last year’s loss to Class 1A UCS, a program that just started two years prior, was a shocker for the Tigers, who were big favorites going in. RBHS will be the favorites in this year’s contest, too, and I expect will play like it. Red Bay had excellent performances from senior quarterback Jeremiah Thorne, running back Jaxon Vinson, and its defense in the Tigers’ opening blowout of Lamar County. If they play even close to that level against the Trail Blazers, the Tigers should claim their first 2-0 start since 2020.
Next week: Red Bay begins Class 2A Region 8 play with a home contest against reigning region champion Winston County.
Russellville (0-2) vs. Lawrence County (1-1)
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Golden Tiger Stadium
Last time out: Russellville lost to Mars Hill 47-19 in its home opener.
Series history: The Golden Tigers own the all-time series which dates back to 1920. Russellville holds the series advantage 27-5 and has won 20 of the last 21 meetings. Lawrence County’s last win was back in 2017. Last season, RHS defeated the Red Devils 42-20 in Moulton.
What to expect: Russellville will be the favorite at home this week, but I believe this game will be a closer one than recent history might suggest. In years past, I would have labeled Russellville vs. Lawrence County as a potential “trap game” for the Golden Tigers, given Russellville’s success against LCHS and the fact that the Red Devils—though it doesn’t happen often—are always happy to play spoiler if they can. Not this year.
Russellville will be pushing very hard for a much-needed win, and I don’t think they’ll overlook LCHS in this vital region game. Looking at it from the perspective of Lawrence County, with first-year head coach Brett Voss, a former Russellville assistant coach who left the school for LCHS last year, they’ll smell blood in the water and an opportunity to hit Russellville while its down. Throw in the fact that these two schools just don’t like each other much and you’ve got all the makings of a hotly contested game that might go either way.
Offensively, I should think one priority for Russellville this week will be getting its running game going and seeing some progress on that front. Against Deshler and Mars Hill, the Golden Tigers struggled to gain on the ground consistently and that’s put the pressure on sophomore QB Whit Goodwin to make a majority of the plays with his arm. Goodwin’s done pretty well with that, overall, but it only makes the job harder if opposing defenses don’t respect the run game.
Defensively, last week’s performance against Mars Hill was an aberration, caused by simply playing a better team with talented, explosive playmakers who are going to be on Division I football rosters next season. Russellville played pretty well defensively in the first half but were just outmatched in the second. Against LCHS, I expect the RHS defense to look more like it did against Deshler, making more big plays than they allow, getting off the field on third down, and standing tall in the red zone.
An 0-2 RHS start doesn’t look great on paper, but it’s a record that, I think, doesn’t quite convey what this Golden Tiger team is capable of. This week’s contest against rival Lawrence County will provide a much better measuring stick of where this young squad is at the moment.
Next week: RHS will host a third consecutive home game as region foe East Limestone comes to Golden Tiger Stadium.
Vina (0-1) vs. Phillips (0-1)
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Franklin-Hester Stadium
Last time out: Vina was shutout on the road at Brindlee Mountain 41-0.
Series history: The Red Devils are 18-47 all-time against region rival Phillips. Vina snapped a four-game losing skid to the Bears last season, beating PHS 28-6.
What to expect: No doubt last week’s result must have taken some wind out of Vina’s sails, but Friday’s game against Phillips is a good opportunity to get back on track. I predict it will be a close one with the Bears also coming off their own big defeat to Marion County last. With the Red Devils at home I make them the favorite to win this game, but Vina’s going to have to show improvement on both sides of the ball this week.
Next week: Vina travels to Florence to face region foe Shoals Christian.