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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2016 Team Previews 

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Cleveland Panthers

Head Coach: Gardner Gilliland (fourth season)
Stadium: Michal Dixon Memorial Stadium
Career Record: 8 seasons, (66-27)
At Cleveland: 3 seasons, (26-9)
2016 Enrollment:  197
Rank:  292nd in the AHSAA, 23rd in Class 2A

 History 
Overall Record:   362-341-25   (52.0%)
Last 25 years:   129-139   (48.0%)  (Rank: 206th in the AHSAA, 29th in Class 2A)
Since 2010:   41-26  (61.0%)  (Rank: 109th in the AHSAA, 11th in Class 2A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2015
Last Region Championship:   2015
Last Winning Season:   2015
Last Losing Season:   2012

 2015 
Class:  2A              Region:   7
Record:  12-1    (Team record for wins in a season)
Region Record:   6-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Quarter-finals loss to Randolph County by a score of 49-28.
Final ASWA Poll:   2nd
Scoring:  562 (43.2)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  241 (18.5)

College Signees lost to Graduation
      Peyton Gilliland,   DB  [Jacksonville St.]

 2016 
Class: 2A              Region:   7
Strength of Schedule: 52-55 (49%) (220th in the AHSAA, 28th in Class 2A)
Region Strength:  40-26 (61%)
Non-Region Strength:  12-29 (29%)



 2015 Results 
 8/21   OPEN 
 8/28  @ Pisgah  (3A)   42-21   W  
 9/4  @ Fyffe  (2A)  *  21-14   W  
 9/11  vs. West End Walnut Grove  (2A)  *  51-22   W  
 9/18  @ Collinsville  (2A)  *  58-28   W  
 9/25  vs. J.B. Pennington  (4A)   35-7   W  
 10/2  vs. Susan Moore  (3A)   47-12   W  
 10/9  vs. Section  (2A)  *  64-22   W  
 10/16  @ Ider  (2A)  *  49-12   W  
 10/23  vs. Gaston  (2A)  *  45-13   W  
 10/29  @ Southeastern  (2A)   61-8   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/5  vs. Reeltown    23-20   W  
 11/13  vs. Sulligent    38-13   W  
 11/20  @ Randolph County    28-49   L  

 2016 Schedule 
 8/19   OPEN 
 8/25  vs. Southeastern  (1A)       
 9/2  vs. Falkville  (2A)  *      
 9/9  @ West End Walnut Grove  (2A)  *      
 9/16  vs. Winston County  (2A)  *      
 9/23  @ J.B. Pennington  (3A)       
 9/30  @ Tanner  (2A)  *      
 10/7  vs. Locust Fork  (3A)       
 10/14  @ Tarrant  (2A)  *      
 10/21  vs. Cold Springs  (2A)  *      
 10/27  @ Susan Moore  (3A)       
 11/4  vs. Red Bay        
 11/11  @ Fyffe        


Class  2A Region  7
Team 2015 Record Scoring                            
Cleveland (2A) 12-1562-241
Cold Springs (2A) 6-5426-293
Falkville (2A) 9-3427-371
Tanner (2A) 11-1689-185
Tarrant (2A) 1-9139-335
West End Walnut Grove (2A) 6-4380-278
Winston County (3A) 7-4409-269

 2016 Preview 


       Cleveland completed the 2015 season with a 12-1 record. The Panthers cruised through the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record going into the post season. Last year Cleveland captured the region seven title and a number one seed in the Class 2A playoffs. They finished region play with a 6-0 record. It was the first region championship for the Panthers since the 1996 season. Cleveland lost in the quarter-finals of the playoffs last season to a good Randolph County team by a score of 49-28.

       No team at Cleveland ever won more games in a season than the twelve victories last year. The 562 points scored by the Panthers last year were a team record in a single season.

       The high-scoring Cleveland offense ranked 6th in the AHSAA. They averaged 43.2 points a game.

       Over the past two seasons the Panthers have gone 21-4 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. Since 2010, Cleveland has gone a combined 41-26. Their 61.0% winning percentage ranks 11th in Class 2A over the past six seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Cleveland has managed to compile a record of 129-139. Their 48.0% winning percentage ranks 29th in Class 2A and 206th in the AHSAA.

       The Panthers are led by head coach Gardner Gilliland who is entering his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 26-9 over the past three seasons at Cleveland. Under his direction the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have won one region crown with Coach Gilliland.

       Coach Gilliland's overall record as a head football coach in eight season stands at 66-27 (71.0%). Over the course of his career, Coach Gilliland's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times and won two region championships.

       The Cleveland Panthers will play in Class 2A region seven during the 2016 season.

       Region seven will be one of the most competitive regions in any classification this season.

       The Panthers enter the 2016 season riding a 11 game regular season winning streak. Cleveland has won 6 consecutive region games. They have won 10 straight games on their home turf at Michal Dixon Memorial Stadium. The Panthers should be in contention for a playoff spot in region seven this season. They will be looking to gain an advantage by hosting a first round postseason game.

       The Panthers open the 2016 season at home against non-region opponent Southeastern on Thursday, August 25 at Michal Dixon Memorial Stadium. Last year the Southeastern Mustangs finished with an overall record of 1-9 and in seventh place in Class 2A region six. The Mustangs closed out the regular season with a loss to Cleveland by a score of 61-8.

       Cleveland and Southeastern have met a total of 9 times on the football field. The Panthers have a 7-2-0 record against the Mustangs. They last met in 2015 with Cleveland winning by a score of 61-8.

       Cleveland returns 2A All-State Senior linebacker Hunter Green. He was named to the first team last season. The Panthers also return Junior kicker Juan Castro. He was named to the second team.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The Morgan Academy Senators have appeared in 14 state championship games from 1984-2008, winning the title 11 times.