PREP KICKOFF 2020: The 'need to know' notes package
Compiled by GRAHAM DUNN
The following is a hodgepodge of information to ready you for the upcoming high school football season. It all begins Thursday night.
The (scheduled) last Friday of the regular season is Oct. 30 for both AISA and AHSAA.
Playoffs begin Friday, Nov. 6 with AISA Championships slated for Nov. 20 in Troy and the AHSAA Super 7 in Tuscaloosa the week of Dec. 2-4.
There are no designated weeks set for any schedule interruptions. For a complete list of COVID-19 regulations regarding attendance of games or rearrangement of schedules, visit the ahsaa.com website or aisaonline.org.
New coaches
Montgomery Academy – Robert Johnson (replacing Gary Nelson)
Trinity Presbyterian – Granger Shook (Barry Loyal)
Jeff Davis – Rory Bell (Lee Carter)
Park Crossing – L.C. Cole (C.J. Harris)
Hooper Academy – Marty Baker (Tom Pinkston)
Edgewood Academy – Chad Michael (Darryl Free)
New School
Valiant Cross – AISA Class AAA (played junior varsity last season)
New league
Success Unlimited – 8-man
Classification changes
Robert E. Lee – 6A (from 7A)
Pike Road – 5A (3A)
Holtville – 5A (4A)
Elmore County – 5A (4A)
St. James – 4A (3A)
Catholic – 3A (4A)
Trinity – 3A (4A)
Macon East – AA (AAA)
Hooper Academy – AAA (AA)
Lowndes Academy – A (AA)
By The Numbers
195 – Consecutive games in which Prattville has scored
28 – Home game winning streak by Autauga Academy
97 – Wins by Edgewood Academy in the last decade (one short of Autauga Academy’s total)
177 – Wins by Tallassee’s Mike Battles, Jr., which is the most of any current head coach in the River Region
25 – Years as head coach at Macon East for Glynn Lott, who is the most tenured coach at one school in the River Region
0 – Region titles won by Stanhope Elmore as a member of Class 6A. The Mustangs won 18 region titles in school history but none since 2004.
Notes of note
Schedules are a’changin
As of Wednesday, several schools in the River Region are dealing with schedule changes due to COVID-19.
Stanhope Elmore replaced its opener against Selma with a game against Opelika (which lost its opener against Callaway, Ga. due to the start of the season pushed back two weeks). Marbury had a change when Montevallo was forced to sit out leaving the Bulldogs with a hole in the first week. They picked up Charles Henderson, which lost its opener against Pike County.
Park Crossing will play at Auburn in a replacement game.
The hardest hit has been Autaugaville, which has lost a total of four games – R.C. Hatch, Francis Marion, Barbour County and Ellwood Christian. The Eagles have gained one game in return, a date with Central-Coosa.
Macon East added games to its schedule, making what was a Jamboree game against Lowndes Academy the regular season opener for both teams. The Knights also added a game against Southland Academy in Americus, Ga. on Sept. 4. The changes give Macon East five straight home games to open the season.
Super 7 holds on to venue (Thanks SEC!)
The Southeastern Conference’s revised football schedules announced Monday night for member schools lists the University of Alabama with a road game at Arkansas on Dec. 5.
That means the 2020 Super 7 State Football Championships can keep its venue, which is Bryant-Denny Stadium on the UA campus, Dec. 2-4.
“The AHSAA is excited to be returning to the Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Super 7 this season, and are also grateful to the SEC for keeping the date available for our high schools,” said AHSAA Associate Executive Director Alvin Briggs. Mr. Briggs also oversees the sport of football for the AHSAA.
The current Super 7 format has alternated the state football championships between Auburn and Tuscaloosa since 2009. It was Alabama’s time to host last year, but due to construction at the stadium, the cities of Auburn and Opelika and Auburn University graciously agreed to host the Super 7 Championships in 2018 and 2019.
Next year, the city of Birmingham and the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) will join the rotation with the Super 7 Football Championships being held at the city’s new Protective Stadium in 2021.
New digs for Wetumpka may be on hold
The Wetumpka Indians are scheduled to christen a new stadium on Aug. 28 against Tallassee. But due to weather delays and difficulties brought on by COVID-19, the game may be moved to the old Hohenburg Stadium, the original home of the Indians.
Coach Tim Perry was still waiting word late last week on whether the new facility would be ready but had not received the OK to play with a little more than a week left prior to the game.
“It’s still up in the air but we have a great venue if we need to move it,” Perry said. “We’ll probably know something by this weekend.”
Tallassee and Wetumpka have not faced one another since 2003.
A look back in River Region Football….
5 years ago (2015)
Edgewood Academy’s run of six straight AISA championships continued (and ended) with a win over Marengo Academy. The Wildcats also continued their winning streak of 71 games, which ended a year later in the season opener. Following the ‘15 season, quarterback Nathan Rourke was named the AISA Back of the Year by the Alabama Sportswriters Association.
Trinity Presbyterian saw a streak end of avoiding a shutout in 184 consecutive games, losing to Montgomery Academy, 21-0. Previously, St. James had defeated the Wildcats, 21-0, in 2000.
15 years ago (2005)
The Prattville Lions were cruising to what looked to be their first state championship since 1984, only to be upset by Opelika in the Class 6A quarterfinals. The Lions would finish 11-1 and would go on to win back-to-back titles the next two years.
G.W. Carver began a streak of 132 consecutive games for scoring that ran until 2016. It is the second longest streak in the River Region to Prattville, which is currently at 195 games and ongoing since 2004.
Trinity Presbyterian’s win streak of 45 games in the regular season ended in a loss to W.S. Neal in the fifth game of the season.
25 years ago (1995)
Jeff Davis came up short in the Class 6A state championship, losing in controversial fashion to Central-Tuscaloosa, 7-6. The Vols scored on a long touchdown pass from Jeffrey Allen to tight end Gorman Thornton for the lead in the fourth quarter, but was called back on an “iffy” penalty. Charles Lee’s team finished the season 12-2.
Thornton was named “Mr. Football” by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. He was the second player from Montgomery to earn the award and is the only tight end in the award’s history.
Wetumpka spent most of the season as the top team in Class 5A but was upended by Blount in the semifinals. Led by 5A Coach of the Year John Maddaloni, the Indians won all 13 games prior to the semis loss.
The Billingsley Bears also lost in the semifinals, falling to arch-rival Maplesville, 14-13, in Class 1A. Kenny Sheppard was named first team all-state running back as a junior.
35 years ago (1985)
Hooper Academy defeated Morgan Academy, 15-6, to win the AISA Class AAA title.
Autaugaville advanced to the Class 2A championship before losing to Hazelwood, 23-16, in the finals. To get there the Eagles beat Cottonwood by the unusual score of 2-0 in the semifinals. The points were scored when Cottonwood snapped a ball through the end zone on a punt. The win was the Eagles’ third shutout of the playoffs and eighth of the season.
Coach Mike Roberts led St. James to what is the best finish in the Trojans history, an 11-2 finish and the quarterfinal round of the Class 1A playoffs. The program has reached the quarters only one other time in 2003.
Montgomery County High School did not field a football team for the first time since 1947. The school permanently closed in 2004.
PREP COUNTDOWN WEEK….
TOMMOROW: Catholic’s Marcus Dees leads a strong Knights defense against a potent Pike Road offense
Renewed Rivalry: Tallassee and Reeltown rekindle an old flame
PRESS PICKS - Part 1
PREP CAPSULES - A tradition continues
TUESDAY: RRS GUIDE COVER FEATURE: MA’s Kohn Perfect for new offense
MONDAY - LEE’S BARNES LEADS PLETHORA OF TOP SENIORS IN RIVER REGION
SUNDAY - GAMETIME ARRIVES WITH DOUBTS STILL PRESENT