Alabama High School Football Week 7: Unbeaten Cleburne County visits No. 3 Handley for 3A-6 Lead

No. 8 Cleburne County and No. 3 Handley are both unbeaten in Alabama's Class 3A, Region 6. Only one will be after Friday night in Roanoke.

That showdown headlines a Week 7 slate in Alabama high school football that will shape several playoff races. Ohatchee and Pleasant Valley meet in what amounts to a Class 2A, Region 6 elimination game. Southside tries to stay in a three-way tie atop Class 5A, Region 5 at Pell City, and Gadsden City visits Huntsville with both teams fighting to stay alive in Class 6A, Region 4.

With the regular season entering its final month and the playoffs starting in November, here is a closer look at the four games with the most at stake.

Cleburne County seeks first win over Handley since 2006 with region lead on the line

No. 8 Cleburne County (6-0, 4-0 region) at No. 3 Handley (5-0, 4-0)

Cleburne County is 6-0 for the first time since 2007, and few of those games have been close. Cleburne County has allowed 34 points all season, five fewer than its average margin of victory of about 39 points per game.

Handley has been nearly as dominant, winning all five of its games by double digits. Neither team has been seriously tested.

That changes Friday. Cleburne County has not beaten Handley since 2006, and the winner takes control of Class 3A, Region 6 and the inside track to home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Ohatchee, Pleasant Valley play for Class 2A, Region 6's final playoff spot

Ohatchee (4-3, 2-2 region) at Pleasant Valley (5-2, 2-2)

The Calhoun County rivals enter Friday tied at 2-2 in region play, which makes the math simple. The winner takes sole possession of fourth place and, barring an unexpected loss down the stretch, the region's fourth and final playoff berth. The loser will likely see its season end with the regular season.

The teams are heading in opposite directions. Ohatchee has won three of its last four games. Pleasant Valley started fast but has lost two of its last three, falling to Piedmont and Wellborn in region play by more than 20 points each.

History favors the visitors, too. Ohatchee has beaten Pleasant Valley seven straight times by an average of nearly 30 points. Pleasant Valley will lean on its home crowd at Raider Field as it chases a second straight playoff appearance.

Southside can all but clinch a Class 5A, Region 5 playoff berth at Pell City

Southside (5-1, 2-1 region) at Pell City (2-5, 2-2)

What a difference a year makes, After a 3-7 finish last season, Southside is roiling in year two under Miles Holcombe. A win over Pell City on Friday would give the Panthers six victories on the year, doubling last year's total with three games still left to play

After a 55-3 loss to top-ranked Clay-Chalkville, Southside has won three straight games by an average of 34 points. It sits in a three-way tie with Oxford and St. Clair County in Class 5A, Region 5, and a win would all but secure a playoff berth.

Pell City has faced a demanding schedule after a tumultuous offseason, but a loss would not end its playoff hopes. Pell City holds the tiebreaker over St. Clair County thanks to a 36-35 overtime win Sept. 18. It would then need to beat Springville in its regular-season finale in two weeks and get help from Clay-Chalkville or Southside against St. Clair County.

Auburn commit Sam Sollie leads surging Gadsden City into Class 6A, Region 4 elimination game

Gadsden City (4-3, 2-2 region) at Huntsville (3-3, 2-2)

Gadsden City has won three straight after a slow start, and junior quarterback Sam Sollie is a big reason why. Sollie, who committed to Auburn this summer, has passed for 938 yards and 10 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 44-21 win over Grissom.

Huntsville is coming off a 56-28 win over winless Hazel Green (0-6, 0-4). That victory snapped a two-game losing streak in which Huntsville scored seven points in each game.

Neither team has played a game decided by fewer than 10 points this season. With both at 2-2 in region play, the winner stays in the Class 6A, Region 4 playoff picture, and the loser is all but eliminated.

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