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






2017 Team Previews 

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Fort Payne Wildcats

Head Coach: Paul Ellis (fourteenth season)
Stadium: Wildcat Stadium
Career Record: 17 seasons, (119-67)
At Fort Payne: 13 seasons, (103-43)
2017 Enrollment:  675
Rank:  77th in the AHSAA, 45th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   538-379-30   (59.0%)
Last 25 years:   169-112   (60.0%)  (Rank: 88th in the AHSAA, 19th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   55-24  (70.0%)  (Rank: 51st in the AHSAA, 10th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2015
Last Region Championship:   2015
Last Winning Season:   2015
Last Losing Season:   2016

 2016 
Class:  6A              Region:   7
Record:  2-8
Region Record:   1-5, (sixth)
Playoff Record:   Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  183 (18.3)
Defense:  296 (29.6)

College Signees lost to Graduation
      Michael Shaddix,   OL  [Jacksonville St.]

 2017 
Class: 6A              Region:   7
Strength of Schedule: 62-37 (63%) (8th in the AHSAA, 3rd in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  39-25 (61%)
Non-Region Strength:  23-12 (66%)

D1 Prospects
      Evan McPherson,  6-0,  165,  K


 2016 Results 
 8/19  vs. Chattooga GA    18-28   L  
 8/26  @ Scottsboro  (5A)   3-35   L  
 9/2  @ Southside Gadsden  (6A)  *  31-34   L  
 9/9   OPEN 
 9/16  vs. Cullman  (6A)  *  10-34   L  
 9/23  vs. Etowah  (5A)   16-21   L  
 9/30  vs. Brewer  (6A)  *  9-34   L  
 10/7  @ Oxford  (6A)  *  10-35   L  
 10/14  @ Albertville  (6A)  *  14-41   L  
 10/21  vs. Pell City  (6A)  *  23-21   W  
 10/28  vs. Anniston  (4A)   49-13   W  

 2017 Schedule 
 8/25  @ Chattooga GA        
 9/1  vs. Scottsboro  (5A)       
 9/8  vs. Southside Gadsden  (6A)  *      
 9/15   OPEN 
 9/22  @ Cullman  (6A)  *      
 9/29  @ Etowah  (5A)       
 10/6  @ Brewer  (6A)  *      
 10/13  vs. Oxford  (6A)  *      
 10/20  vs. Albertville  (6A)  *      
 10/27  @ Pell City  (6A)  *      
 11/3  @ Anniston  (4A)       
 11/10  @ Homewood        


Class  6A Region  7
Team 2016 Record Scoring                            
Albertville (6A) 8-3356-204
Brewer (6A) 3-7218-312
Cullman (6A) 6-5346-314
Fort Payne (6A) 2-8183-296
Oxford (6A) 10-1372-149
Pell City (6A) 6-5300-241
Southside Gadsden (6A) 6-4341-291

 2017 Preview 


       Fort Payne finished the 2016 season with a disappointing 2-8 record. Last year Fort Payne finished sixth in Class 6A region seven with a 1-5 region record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

       Fort Payne took a step backwards last year with their first losing season since 2005. The Wildcats lost as many games as in any season since 2000. The Wildcats hope to rebound after a down year. Last season they struggled winning just two games which followed a 8-3 record in 2015.

       Fort Payne was inconsistent offensively last year and they need some improvement if the Wildcats want to be competitive. They only averaged 18.3 points a game.

       Since 2010, Fort Payne has gone a combined 55-24. Their 70.0% winning percentage ranks 10th in Class 6A over the past seven seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Fort Payne has managed to compile a record of 169-112. Their 60.0% winning percentage ranks 19th in Class 6A and 88th in the AHSAA.

       The Wildcats are led by head coach Paul Ellis who is entering his fourteenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 103-43 over the past thirteen seasons at Fort Payne. Under his direction the Wildcats have qualified for the playoffs a total of eleven times. They have won six region crowns with Coach Ellis.

       Coach Ellis' overall record as a head football coach in seventeen season stands at 119-67 (64.0%). His 119 wins rank th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Ellis' teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of twelve times and won six region championships.

       The Fort Payne Wildcats will play in Class 6A region seven during the 2017 season. The Wildcats have one of the toughest schedules in Class 6A. Their opponents had a combined record of 62-37 last season. That ranks 3rd in Class 6A and 8th in the AHSAA.

       With a little luck and some improvement, the Wildcats could find themselves challenging for one of the playoff spots for region seven this season. Fort Payne came up short of the playoffs last year but are optimistic of a return to the post season this year.

       The Wildcats open the 2017 season on the road against non-region opponent Chattooga GA on Friday, August 25.

       Fort Payne and Chattooga GA have met a total of 4 times on the football field. The Wildcats have a 3-1-0 record against Chattooga GA. They last met in 2016 with Chattooga GA winning by a score of 28-18.

       College prospects include: Evan McPherson (6-0, 165) kicker,

  


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