HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Postseason begins for 16 teams; HA's Mitchell highlights last week's play

As the calendar flips to November, the focus is now on the state playoffs or the offseason for Alabama high school football teams in the Dothan Eagle coverage area.

Following the Alabama High School Athletic Association mandate on Friday that Charles Henderson forfeit five games, including all five region wins, for an illegal player based off the association's transfer rule, the Wiregrass has 16 teams heading to the postseason. The ruling knocked the Trojans out of the playoffs.

Representing the area in the AHSAA postseason are Enterprise in Class 7A, Eufaula in Class 5A, Dale County, Ashford and Opp in Class 4A, Houston Academy in Class 3A, Cottonwood, Providence Christian, Ariton, Houston County, Goshen and Zion Chapel in Class 2A plus Elba in Class 1A.

Both area AISA teams – Abbeville Christian and Lakeside School – are in the playoffs, while one of the two Georgia teams – Early County – also made the postseason.

The AHSAA and AISA playoffs start this week, while Georgia teams, including Early County, wait an extra week after hurricanes in late September and October forced postponement of games to this upcoming week.

Home cooking: Seven Dothan Eagle coverage teams open the state playoffs this week in the friendly confines of their home field.

Staying at home are Dale County, Ashford, Houston Academy, Cottonwood, Providence Christian, Goshen and Elba.

Early County, when it opens the playoffs on Nov. 15, will be at home for its playoff opener.

Bus travels: Eight teams travel for playoff openers: Enterprise, Eufaula, Opp, Ariton, Houston County, Zion Chapel, Abbeville Christian and Lakeside.

Houston Academy quarterback Kadyn Mitchell surpassed the 8,000-yard career mark in passing yards and earned his second straight 2,000 season during the Raiders' 45-7 win over Providence Christian on Friday night.

Mitchell completed 15-of-20 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns in Friday's win.

A senior who has played in 60 games, starting 56, Mitchell became the 18th player in AHSAA history with 8,000 passing yards, moving his total to 8,173 career passing yards. He actually moved into 14th place overall, sliding past six players last week, including Lynn's Todd Title (8,032, 1991-93), Russellville's Jake Tompkins (8,121, 1999-02), Fayette County's Lance Tucker (8,166, 1987-92) and Hoover's John Parker Wilson (8,170, 2001-03).

For this season, Mitchell has 2,239 passing yards, a career best, surpassing last year's 2,070 yards.

With his three touchdown passes last week, Mitchell has 29 for this season and 119 for his career, tied for fifth all-time in AHSAA history with Lanett's Kristian Story (2016-19).

Delivering in the clutch: Rehobeth's Patrick Banda scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a game-winning 1-yard TD run with nine seconds left to give the Rebels a 36-29 win over Headland.

Banda finished the game with 133 yards rushing and three touchdowns. In addition to his three scores in the fourth quarter, he also scored on a two-point conversion and completed his only pass of the night for 27 yards in the final quarter.

Three over 145: Three Houston County players topped the 145-yard rushing mark in the Lions' 46-16 win over FAMU High of Tallahassee, Fla., on Friday.

Deyshaun Wynn rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, KJ May rushed for 147 yards and one score and Zykevious Neal-Culver rushed for 146 yards and two TDs.

Top rushing performances: The final week of the regular season featured several standout rushing performances with three over 200 yards with one reaching 300 yards.

AJ Alexander, Dothan: Following coaches review of film, earned exactly 300 yards rushing on 27 carries and four touchdowns in the Wolves' 37-31 win over Godby (Fla.).

Brendan Hall, Geneva County: Hall amassed 220 yards on 22 carries with three touchdowns in breaking the school's single season rushing record during the Dawgs' 63-38 win over Slocomb. Hall moved his season rushing total to 2,278, surpassing his dad, Andre Golson, who previously held the record (2,195).

Jayden McNabb, Goshen: McNabb rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries and threw for 25 yards in the Eagles' 33-21 win over Straughn.

Two-way stars: Headland's Kameron Sconiers, G.W. Long's Blayne Wood, Zion Chapel's Brayden Benbow and Goshen's Szemerick Andrews had strong two-way performances last week.

Headland's Sconiers earned 118 yards rushing on 10 carries with two touchdowns and led the Rams' defense with 14 tackles in a 36-29 loss to Rehobeth.

G.W. Long's Wood threw for 154 yards off 14-of-19 passing with one touchdown and ran for 84 yards on 12 carries with two scores on offense and had seven tackles (3 solos/4 assists) to lead G.W. Long to a 28-3 win over Geneva.

Zion Chapel's Benbow earned 18 tackles, one for a loss, and a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on defense, while earning 92 yards and two touchdowns rushing in a 43-14 win over Pleasant Home.

Goshen's Andrews rushed for 91 yards with one touchdown, caught two passes for 25 yards, had a kickoff return for 44 yards and had six tackles, including five solos, with one tackle for loss in the Eagles' 33-21 win over Straughn.

Quarterback standoutsCade Birge, Slocomb: Birge amassed 410 yards rushing and passing and three touchdowns in the RedTops' 62-38 loss to Geneva County. He threw for 307 yards off 16-of-23 with two TDs and rushed for 107 yards and one TD on 13 carries.

Justice Baldwin, Opp: Baldwin threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns off 11-of-23 passing and added a 1-yard touchdown run in the Bobcats' 36-32 loss to Holmes County.

Receiving starsKal Crittenden, Opp: Crittenden caught six passes for 158 yards with touchdowns of 51 and 49 yards in a 36-32 loss to Holmes County.

Riggs Hickey, Houston Academy: Hickey caught three passes for 104 yards with a 33-yard touchdown. The other two receptions (24 and 47) set up TDs inside the 15-yard line.

Top defensive performances

A.J. Smallwood, Cash Harrell, Opp: Smallwood and Harrell were credited with 26 and 18 tackles, respectively, in the Bobcats' 36-32 loss to Holmes County.

Teammates Grady Patterson was credited with 16 and AC Hightower with 13.

Jackson Dowdy, Zion Chapel: Dowdy had 20 tackles, including four for losses, with one quarterback sack and one pass break-up in the Rebels' 43-14 win over Pleasant Home.

Landon Chandler and Jacoby Brunson, Goshen: Chandler had 18 solo tackles and two assists, including five tackles for losses, in the Eagles' 33-21 win over Straughn, while Jacoby Brunson had 11 tackles (8 solos, 3 assists), including a safety.

Jose Alonso Morales, Brack Sawyer and Eric Winters, Enterprise: Morales recorded 13 tackles (7 solos/6 assists), Sawyer earned 10 tackles ( 8 solos/2 assists) with one tackle for a loss and Winters amassed nine tackles (8 solos/1 assist) with a tackle for a loss plus a interception in the Wildcats' 17-14 loss to Choctawhatchee (Fla.). Winters also rushed for both Enterprise touchdowns in the game.

Colson Love and Calvin McClintock, Providence Christian: Both Love and McClintock recorded 12 tackles during a 45-7 loss to Houston Academy.

Kicking game starZion Picatoste, Goshen: Picatoste drilled a 34-yard field goal and made all four extra points, while also punting three times for a 40-yard average with one punt inside the 20, during the Eagles' 33-21 win over Straughn.