All eyes were on Opelika during Week 8 last season as Stanhope Elmore was the final undefeated team in Class 6A Region 3 and needed one more victory to clinch its first region title since 2004. However, the Mustangs came up short with what coach Brian Bradford called their worst performance of the season and they saw the region and a home playoff game slip through their hands.

Stanhope enters the 2019 season with high hopes of another shot at the region championship. The Mustangs will have to go through Wetumpka and Opelika again but after a strong offseason, the team is ready for the challenge.

Caleb Turrentine is a sports writer for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.