Picks from the Dothan Eagle sports staff for high school games set for Friday, Oct. 16, 2009: Dothan, Enterprise, Northview, GW Long, Houston Academy and Providence Christian.

After struggling with injuries on the front row most of the season, Houston Academy’s volleyball team is getting healthy at the right time.

Controlling play on both sides of the line, the 10th-ranked Elba overpowered fifth-ranked Houston Academy 31-14 at Northcutt Field in a battle of unbeaten teams.

AUBURN — In the end it came down to two fourth down plays. Pike Liberal Arts made its, Lee-Scott did not.

OPELIKA — Opelika’s offense didn’t score a point in the second half. It didn’t matter, however, as the Bulldog defense was in complete control over Northview in Friday night’s 31-7 win at Bulldog Stadium.

EUFAULA — Eufaula High coaches are going to have a hard time finding any major flaws from Friday evening. That’s because the Tigers played their most complete game of the season in a 40-6 win against Carroll.

COLUMBIA — The first half of Houston County’s 39-14 win over G.W. Long was thrilling, especially if you happened to own Lion quarterback Desmond Warren in a Wiregrass fantasy football league.

PHENIX CITY — Defense dominated early and often. At the half, Dothan and Central-Phenix City were deadlocked at 7.

ABBEVILLE — Driving down the field late in the game, it looked like Abbeville was going to pull off a come-from-behind win over Wicksburg in the final minutes. Then, the turnover bug hit. Again.

SMITHS STATION — Willie Curry broke a 53-year-old Enterprise record as he rushed for 276 yards and four touchdowns, as Enterprise defeated Smiths Station 41-36. Curry broke the record set by Fred Tice in 1956.

Prep writer David Mundee and Sports editor Jon Johnson preview the big matchups in high school football for Friday, Oct. 9, 2009: Dothan, Northview, Providence, Ariton, Houston Academy and Elba.

Three Wiregrass players are among the 37 players who have been selected to play in the annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic, according to an announcement released by the AHSAA Thursday.

Current Houston Academy head coach Jimmy Addison has been a head coach for 12 years, first at Dothan and now at HA.

Picks from the sports staff for high school football games on Friday, Oct. 9: Dothan, Enterprise, Northview, Elba, Houston Academy, Providence and Ariton.

With week seven in the football season approaching, several area teams have a chance at clinching playoff berths this week.

HEADLAND — Headland held on for 22-20 victory after Geneva scored with one minute remaining and didn’t make a 2-point conversion as the Rams got a quarterback sack.

The Eufaula Tigers came into Rams Stadium unbeaten in the region and walked out as yet another victim to Valley’s on-the-spot, adapt-on-the-fly defense.

ENTERPRISE — Enterprise’s offense got only six true possessions Friday against Northview but made the most of the few chances.

The game between the two Class 4A, Region 2 adversaries Ashford and Opp came down to the final blast.

Dothan head coach Kelvis White was concerned about Russell County’s playmaking ability, but the Tigers had strength in the run game.

COTTONWOOD — No. 5-ranked Houston Academy flexed its muscles on both sides of the football and let running back Andrew Dauphin do what
he does best as the Raiders beat Cottonwood 24-0 Friday night in high school football action.

MONTGOMERY — For the fourth straight week, a Wiregrass player has been voted the Army Iron Man of the Week winner.

Get the picks from our sports staff of area high school games: Dothan, Northview, Enterprise, Eufaula, Opp, Ashford, Houston Academy and Cottonwood.

Prep writer David Mundee and sports editor Johnson preview the big high schools games set for Friday, Oct. 2.

The Providence Christian Eagles rebounded from a tough weekend in style Tuesday night.

Dothan scored on sustained drives and big plays, through the air, on the ground and on defense en route to an easy 37-7 win over Carroll here Friday night.

HARTFORD — Cottonwood’s Brett Moore intercepted a pass at the goal line with eight seconds remaining to preserve a 27-26 win over Geneva County.

On the final play of the game, Northview defensive back Kenneth Miller put a crunching hit on Wetumpka’s Zante Carliss as he tried to take in a pass, knocking the ball loose in the front of the end zone to preserve the Cougars’ 17-13 win Friday night at Rip Hewes Stadium.

Behind a solid defense that shut down a potentially explosive Daleville team and a grind-it-out offense, the Rehobeth Rebels broke through Friday with an 18-9 win over the mistake-prone Warhawks at W.F. Andrews Field.

It’s not often that the visiting team can turn the ball over four times and still escape with a win. But the Class 6A Enterprise Wildcats were able to overcome their four miscues and defeat Class 5A Eufaula 21-9 at Tiger Stadium.