PREP COUNTDOWN 2020: Schedules for Autauga and Elmore schools already under fire
By GRAHAM DUNN
In this day of Coronavirus, the age of a football schedule is fortuitous.
As seen in the recent changes of college football where conferences are battling over how many games to play as well as who, high schools are working through the difficulties of what will or will not work based on availability and safety.
Such is the case with teams in the River Region where several are waiting to see if there will be any changes before the first week of games arrives on Aug. 20.
Already, a few teams have lost opponents due to school systems shutting down fall athletics. Autaugaville has lost one opponent – Francis Marion – and may lose more before the season begins.
Others are waiting to hear from opponents while it is possible that larger school systems – Montgomery Public Schools included – may follow suit and limit play of fall sports.
Where does that leave the season? Only time will tell. That despite the announcement last week that both the AHSAA and AISA plan to go forward with the plan to play but with stipulations of safety measures in place.
As August arrives, so does the season. With that, RRS begins its annual look at schedules of the 27 teams over the next several days.
All schedules are subject to change.
We begin with schools in Autauga and Elmore Counties.
It is a year for new classifications and regions, which caused a shakeup among some old rivals. Holtville and Elmore County join Tallassee in Class 5A and each returns as regional rivals.
Stanhope Elmore and Wetumpka will battle in Class 6A Region 3 which has a north-central Alabama lean. The region includes teams such as Chilton County, Pelham and Helena. The two close out region play on Oct. 23.
Wetumpka also christens a new stadium playing its first game on Aug. 28 against old rival Tallassee. The two programs have not met in football since 2003. The two played continuously for the better part of 57 years until 1997.
Prattville will also face Wetumpka to open the season in the annual AHSAA Kickoff Challenge at Cramton Bowl. The Lions play Stanhope Elmore a week later before beginning region play. Hoover is also on the schedule in Week 5.
Stanhope Elmore is scheduled to face Selma in the opener but there are rumblings in Dallas County that the school system might cancel fall sports. The Mustangs face Eufaula and Smiths Station in the other non-region games.
Marbury has a similar situation in Class 5A with a couple of games schedule against Dallas County schools. The Bulldogs face Dallas County in Week 1 and Selma the following week.
Here is a look at each schedule in Elmore and Autauga counties (AISA will be presented later).
All schedules are subject to change.
* Regional Game/(t) denotes Thursday game
AUTAUGAVILLE (1A)
Aug. 21 R.C. Hatch Home
Aug. 28 Talladega Co Central Home
Sept. 4 Notasulga * Away
Sept. 11 Verbena * Home
Sept. 18 OPEN
Sept. 25 Francis Marion CANCELLED
Oct. 2 Barbour County * Home
Oct. 9 Billingsley * Away
Oct. 16 Loachapoka * Home
Oct. 23 Maplesville * Away
Oct. 29 (t) Ellwood Christian Away
BILLINGSLEY (1A)
Aug. 21 Prattville Christian Home
Aug. 28 Vincent Away
Sept. 4 Loachapoka * Away
Sept. 11 Maplesville * Home
Sept. 18 Notasulga * Away
Sept. 25 Isabella Home
Oct. 2 Verbena * Home
Oct. 9 Autaugaville * Home
Oct. 16 Barbour County * Away
Oct. 23 OPEN
Oct. 30 Thorsby Away
ELMORE COUNTY (5A)
Aug. 21 Moody Away
Aug. 28 Dadeville Away
Sept. 4 Holtville * Home
Sept. 11 Clay Central * Away
Sept. 18 Tallassee * Home
Sept. 25 White Plains Home
Oct. 2 Sylacauga * Away
Oct. 9 OPEN
Oct. 16 Beauregard * Home
Oct. 23 Talladega * Away
Oct. 30 Jemison Home
HOLTVILLE (5A)
Aug. 21 Goshen Away
Aug. 28 West Blocton Home
Sept. 4 Elmore County * Away
Sept. 11 Beauregard * Home
Sept. 18 Talladega * Away
Sept. 25 Marbury Home
Oct. 2 OPEN
Oct. 9 Clay Central * Home
Oct. 16 Tallassee * Away
Oct. 23 Sylacauga * Home
Oct. 30 Reeltown Home
MARBURY (5A)
Aug. 21 Montevallo Home
Aug. 28 Dallas County Away
Sept. 4 Selma * Away
Sept. 11 Jemison * Home
Sept. 18 Central-Tuscaloosa * Away
Sept. 25 Holtville Away
Oct. 2 Sipsey Valley * Home
Oct. 9 Shelby County * Away
Oct. 16 Demopolis * Home
Oct. 23 OPEN
Oct. 30 Chilton County Home
PRATTVILLE (7A)
Aug. 21 Wetumpka Cramton Bowl
Aug. 28 Stanhope Elmore Away
Sept. 4 Auburn* Away
Sept. 11 Smiths Station* Away
Sept. 18 Dothan * Home
Sept. 25 Hoover Away
Oct. 2 Enterprise * Away
Oct. 9 Central Phenix City* Home
Oct. 16 OPEN
Oct. 23 Jeff Davis * Home
Oct. 30 Bob Jones Home
PRATTVILLE CHRISTIAN (3A)
Aug. 21 Billingsley Away
Aug. 28 Ellwood Christian Home
Sept. 4 Thomasville * Away
Sept. 11 Hale County * Home
Sept. 18 Montgomery Aca * Away
Sept. 25 Thorsby Home
Oct. 2 Southside Selma * Home
Oct. 9 OPEN
Oct. 16 Monroe County * Home
Oct. 23 Greensboro * Away
Oct. 30 Vincent Away
STANHOPE ELMORE (6A)
Aug. 21 Selma Away
Aug. 28 Prattville Home
Sept. 4 Benjamin Russell * Home
Sept. 11 Pelham * Away
Sept. 18 Chilton County * Home
Sept. 25 Eufaula Away
Oct. 2 Calera * Away
Oct. 9 OPEN
Oct. 16 Helena * Away
Oct. 23 Wetumpka * Home
Oct. 30 Smiths Station Home
TALLASSEE (5A)
Aug. 20 (t) Reeltown Home
Aug. 28 Wetumpka Away
Sept. 4 OPEN
Sept. 11 Sylacauga* Home
Sept. 18 Elmore County * Away
Sept. 25 Pike Road Away
Oct. 2 Beauregard * Home
Oct. 9 Talladega * Away
Oct. 16 Holtville * Home
Oct. 23 Clay Central * Home
Oct. 30 Carroll Ozark Home
WETUMPKA (6A)
Aug. 21 Prattville Cramton Bowl
Aug. 28 Tallassee Home
Sept. 4 Helena * Home
Sept. 11 Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa Home
Sept. 18 Benjamin Russell * Away
Sept. 25 Greenville Away
Oct. 2 Pelham * Home
Oct. 9 Chilton County* Away
Oct. 16 Calera * Home
Oct. 23 Stanhope Elmore * Away
Oct. 30 OPEN
NEXT: Capital City Conference/Pike Road