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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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Handley Tigers

Head Coach: Larry Strain (fourth season)
Stadium: Wright Field
Career Record: 19 seasons, (125-99)
At Handley: 3 seasons, (23-13)
2018 Enrollment:  361
Rank:  161st in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 4A

 History 
Overall Record:   523-435-28   (55.0%)
Last 25 years:   165-110   (60.0%)  (Rank: 90th in the AHSAA, 11th in Class 4A)
Since 2010:   63-33  (66.0%)  (Rank: 76th in the AHSAA, 8th in Class 4A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2016
Last Region Championship:   2016
Last Winning Season:   2016
Last Losing Season:   2017

 2017 
Class:  4A              Region:   3
Record:  2-8
Region Record:   2-5, (sixth)
Playoff Record:   Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  147 (14.7)
Defense:  252 (25.2)


 2018 
Class: 4A              Region:   4
Strength of Schedule: 60-52 (54%) (111st in the AHSAA, 20th in Class 4A)
Region Strength:  23-40 (36%)
Non-Region Strength:  37-12 (76%)



 2017 Results 
 8/25   OPEN 
 9/1  @ Callaway GA    0-35   L  
 9/8  vs. Tallassee  (4A)  *  13-21   L  
 9/15  @ Elmore County  (4A)  *  14-28   L  
 9/22  vs. Leeds  (4A)  *  20-22   L  
 9/29  vs. Lanett  (2A)   7-29   L  
 10/6  vs. Childersburg  (4A)  *  13-14   L  
 10/12  @ Munford  (4A)  *  0-30   L  
 10/20  vs. Dadeville  (4A)  *  46-20   W  
 10/27  @ Holtville  (4A)  *  34-21   W  
 11/3  @ Central Clay County  (5A)   0-32   L  

 2018 Schedule 
 8/24   OPEN 
 8/31  @ Tallassee  (5A)       
 9/7  vs. Holtville  (4A)  *      
 9/14  vs. B.T. Washington  (4A)       
 9/21  @ Childersburg  (4A)  *      
 9/28  @ Lanett  (1A)       
 10/5  vs. Elmore County  (4A)  *      
 10/11  @ Lincoln  (4A)  *      
 10/19  vs. Leeds  (4A)  *      
 10/26  @ Talladega  (4A)  *      
 11/2  vs. Central Clay County  (5A)       
 11/9  vs. Trinity        


Class  4A Region  4
Team 2017 Record Scoring                            
Childersburg (4A) 5-6275-289
Elmore County (4A) 2-8152-334
Handley (4A) 2-8147-252
Holtville (4A) 2-8246-403
Leeds (4A) 7-4331-280
Lincoln (5A) 1-9263-396
Talladega (5A) 6-5225-277

 2018 Preview 


       Handley finished the 2017 season with a disappointing 2-8 record. Last year Handley finished sixth in Class 4A region three with a 2-5 region record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

       The Tigers lost as many games as in any season since 2006. The Tigers hope to rebound after a down year. Last season they struggled winning just two games which followed a 13-2 record in 2016.

       Handley was inconsistent offensively last year and they need some improvement if the Tigers want to be competitive. They only averaged 14.7 points a game.

       Since 2010, Handley has gone a combined 63-33. Their 66.0% winning percentage ranks 8th in Class 4A over the past eight seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Handley has managed to compile a record of 165-110. Their 60.0% winning percentage ranks 11th in Class 4A and 90th in the AHSAA.




       The Tigers are led by head coach Larry Strain who is entering his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 23-13 over the past three seasons at Handley. Under his direction the Tigers have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have won one region crown with Coach Strain. Coach Strain led Handley to a state championship in 2016.

       Coach Strain's overall record as a head football coach in nineteen season stands at 125-99 (55.8%). His 125 wins rank 37th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Strain's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of fourteen times and won three region championships.

       The Handley Tigers will play in Class 4A region four during the 2018 season. Following realignment, the Tigers remain in 4A but move from region three over to region four.

       Overall, the region is among the weakest in the state. Qualifying for one of the playoffs spots could be a little easier. It will be an uphill battle for the Tigers if they hope to grab one of the four playoff slots in region four this season. After just 2 wins last year, Handley will be hoping to become more competitive in the region.

       The Tigers open the 2018 season on the road against non-region opponent Tallassee on Friday, August 31 at J.E. Hot Obrien Stadium. Last year the Tallassee Tigers finished with an overall record of 10-2 and in second place in Class 4A region three. The Tigers lost in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs to Bibb County by a score of 41-16.

       Handley and Tallassee have met a total of 33 times on the football field. The Tigers have a 16-15-2 record against the Tigers. They last met in 2017 with Tallassee winning by a score of 21-13.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Morris Higginbotham coached three different teams to divisional state championships in the 1950s. He won titles at Walnut Grove in 1952, West Blocton in 1955 and Enterprise in 1960.