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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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Ariton Purple Cats

Head Coach: Steven Kilcrease (third season)
Stadium: Robert F. Zumstien Stadium
Career Record: 7 seasons, (58-23)
At Ariton: 2 seasons, (16-7)
2018 Enrollment:  174
Rank:  304th in the AHSAA, 40th in Class 2A

 History 
Overall Record:   350-277-1   (56.0%)
Last 25 years:   145-131   (52.0%)  (Rank: 192nd in the AHSAA, 28th in Class 2A)
Since 2010:   52-58  (47.0%)  (Rank: 263rd in the AHSAA, 38th in Class 2A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2021
Last Region Championship:   2019
Last Winning Season:   2021
Last Losing Season:   2020

 2017 
Class:  2A              Region:   2
Record:  10-2
Region Record:   6-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Leroy by a score of 35-21.
Final ASWA Poll:   10th
Scoring:  443 (36.9)
Defense:  163 (13.6)


 2018 
Class: 2A              Region:   2
Strength of Schedule: 57-52 (52%) (148th in the AHSAA, 11th in Class 2A)
Region Strength:  33-40 (45%)
Non-Region Strength:  24-12 (67%)



 2017 Results 
 8/25  @ McKenzie  (1A)   42-6   W  
 9/1  vs. Goshen  (2A)   10-28   L  
 9/8  vs. Cottonwood  (2A)  *  14-13   W  
 9/15  @ Geneva County  (2A)  *  41-20   W  
 9/22  vs. Barbour County  (2A)  *  45-20   W  
 9/29   OPEN 
 10/6  @ G.W. Long  (2A)  *  47-7   W  
 10/13  vs. Zion Chapel  (2A)   38-2   W  
 10/20  vs. Abbeville  (2A)  *  55-12   W  
 10/27  @ Samson  (2A)  *  50-6   W  
 11/3  @ Red Level  (1A)   36-0   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. R.C. Hatch    44-14   W  
 11/17  vs. Leroy    21-35   L  

 2018 Schedule 
 8/24  vs. Dale County  (4A)       
 8/31  @ Goshen  (2A)       
 9/7  vs. Geneva County  (2A)  *      
 9/14  @ Houston County  (2A)  *      
 9/21  @ Daleville  (2A)  *      
 9/28  vs. Slocomb  (3A)       
 10/5  @ Abbeville  (2A)  *      
 10/15  vs. Barbour County  (2A)  *      
 10/19  vs. G.W. Long  (2A)  *      
 10/26  @ Cottonwood  (2A)  *      
 11/2   OPEN 
 11/9  @ Thorsby        
 11/16  vs. Cottage Hill Christian        
 11/23  @ Highland Home        


Class  2A Region  2
Team 2017 Record Scoring                            
Abbeville (2A) 9-3366-263
Ariton (2A) 10-2443-163
Barbour County (2A) 0-967-440
Cottonwood (2A) 3-7265-263
Daleville (3A) 6-5252-304
G.W. Long (2A) 1-8129-269
Geneva County (2A) 6-5340-295
Houston County (1A) 8-3396-201

 2018 Preview 


       Ariton completed the 2017 season with a 10-2 record. Last year Ariton captured the region two 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 Purple Cats since the 1998 season. Ariton reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Leroy by a score of 35-21.

       The Purple Cats won as many games as in any season since 1994.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Ariton ranked 37th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 13.6 points a game.

       Since 2010, Ariton has gone a combined 52-58. Their 47.0% winning percentage ranks 38th in Class 2A over the past eight seasons.

       Over the past 29 seasons, Ariton has managed to compile a record of 145-131. Their 52.0% winning percentage ranks 28th in Class 2A and 192nd in the AHSAA.




       The Purple Cats are led by head coach Steven Kilcrease who is entering his third season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 16-7 over the past two seasons at Ariton. Under his direction the Purple Cats have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have won one region crown with Coach Kilcrease.

       Coach Kilcrease's overall record as a head football coach in seven season stands at 58-23 (71.6%). Over the course of his career, Coach Kilcrease's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times and won two region championships. Coach Kilcrease won two state championships prior to arriving at Ariton, the last coming in 2009 at .

       The Ariton Purple Cats will play in Class 2A region two during the 2018 season.

       The Purple Cats enter the 2018 season riding a 8 game regular season winning streak.

       The Purple Cats should be considered one of the favorites for the region two championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs.

       The Purple Cats open the 2018 season at home against non-region opponent Dale County on Friday, August 24 at Robert F. Zumstien Stadium. Last year the Dale County Warriors finished with an overall record of 7-4 and in fourth place in Class 4A region two. The Warriors lost in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs to Bibb County by a score of 41-12.

       Ariton and Dale County have met a total of 8 times on the football field. The Purple Cats have a 3-5-0 record against the Warriors. They last met in 1935 with Dale County winning by a score of 34-0.

       Ariton returns 2A All-State  defensive back Bryson Peavy. He was named to the second team last season. The Purple Cats also return  offensive lineman Matthews Spencer. He was named to the first team.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Thomasville scored 54 points against Gulf Shores in the first quarter of a game in 2003. They managed to hang on for an 81-14 win.