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The 1987 Reeltown Rebels had something to prove when the season rolled around. They had won at least ten games the previous four seasons but came up short each year when the playoffs rolled around. In 1986 they fell to eventual state champion Cottonwood 39-0 in the semifinals.           With a tough regular season schedule that included four Class 4A schools and Elmore County who would go on to claim the 1987 3A state championship it looked like a difficult task for the Rebels.

Dadeville 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 0   6   8   15  29

Dadeville entered the first game of the 1987 football season against Reeltown as the tenth ranked team in 4A. Reeltown took a 6-0 lead into the half after a tough first half for both teams. In the second half the Rebels wore down the Dadeville defense to score 23 unanswered points for a 29-0 victory. The Rebels outgained the Tigers 296 to 107 during the game as Scott Meadows scored twice on runs of 8 and one yards.

D.C. Wolfe 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 0   32  0   0   32

The Reeltown Rebels sputtered for one and a half quarters before exploding for 32 second quarter points and coasted to a 32-0 victory over D.C. Wolfe. The Rebel defense shut down Wolfe for their second consecutive shutout of the season. Scott Meadows, subbing for the injured Tracey Holstick, threw three touchdown passes to pace the Rebel attack.

Reeltown 6   0  8   14   28     Elmore County 0   0   0   0   0

The Reeltown defense continued to shine in the third game of the 1987 season as they posted yet another shutout over Elmore County by a score of 28-0. This week Gerald Potts led the way by scoring three touchdowns on runs of 2, 1 and 12 yards as the Rebels outgained Elmore County 290 to 104.     The Rebels led 14-0 at the half and their defense shut down the Panthers in the second half for victory number three in 1987.

Goodwater 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 21  29  0   6   56

Goodwater proved to be no match for the Rebels as they fell 56-0 in week four. The Reeltown defense held Goodwater to minus four yards of total offense for the game while piling up 340 yards on offense. Eight different players got in on the scoring action as the Rebels were unstoppable.     Reeltown led 21-0 after the first quarter and 50-0 at the half. The offense rolled up 281 yards rushing and punted only once in the game. The defense forced a safety, Kenyatta Silcot scored on a 35 yard interception return and Rodney Brooks also scored on a 21 yard interception returned for another touchdown for the Rebels.

Maplesville 0   0   0   3   3     Reeltown 7   17   14   6   44

The Reeltown Rebels rolled to another impressive victory by defeating Maplesville 44-3 at home. Gerald Potts scored three touchdowns on runs of 43, 38 and 59 yards to pace the Rebels rushing attack that rolled up 287 yards. Reeltown gained another 95 yards passing and 382 total yards of offense in the game.     Scott Meadows scored on a 42 yard run and booted a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter to all but put the game away for the undefeated Rebels who have yet to have their goal line crossed in 1987.

Tallassee 0   0   0   6   0 6     Reeltown 0   6   6   8   20

Week five saw the Rebels hosting their rival Tallassee. Reeltown won the game 20-6 and extended their perfect record to 6-0. Kenny Simmons opened the scoring in the second quarter with a one-yard run and scored again in the third quarter on a 21-yard scamper for all the points the Rebels would need this night.     The Tallassee Tigers scored late in the game on a 15-yard pass to end the Rebel's streak of not allowing their opponents to cross the goal line. Once again the offense rolled as they piled up 183 yards rushing and another eleven passing.

Beulah 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 28   7   7   7   49

Coach Duane Webster picked up win number 200 of his coaching career as the Rebels defeated Beulah by a score of 49-0. The Rebels wasted little time in taking control of the game as they scored the first four times they possessed the football to take a commanding 28-0 lead after the first quarter. Meadows, Holstick and Potts each ran for touchdowns with Potts picking up another one in the first quarter.     The shutout was the fifth of the season for the Rebel defense and delighted the homecoming crowd in Reeltown.

Holtville 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 0   6   6   0   12

The Rebels remained undefeated by posting a 12-0 victory over a tough Holtville squad in week eight. Patrick Ledbetter recovered a Holtville fumble early in the second quarter at the 9-yardline and Kenny Simmons capped off the short drive with a one yard run as the Rebels took a 6-0 lead into the half.     The Rebels took the second half kickoff and promptly drove 68 yards in 14-plays to take a 12-0 lead. Again, Simmons scored on a one-yard leap over the line for the touchdown. From here the defense held Holtville the remainder of the game to preserve another shutout victory for the Rebels.

Reeltown 16   7   0   0   23     Coosa County 0   0   6   0   6

The Reeltown Rebels clinched their fourth straight 2A region championship as the ran over Coosa County by a score of 23-6 at Rockford. Reeltown scored on their first three possessions enroute to a 23-0 halftime lead. Holstick, Meadows, Potts and Settler scored for the Rebels. Potts gained 70 yards on just nine carries to le4ad the rushing attack that rolled up 208 yards.     The Rebel defense played extremely well allowing Coosa County just 39 yards of total offense for the game. The game was marred by unsportsmanlike penalties late and was actually called by the officials when a fight broke out with 3:44 remaining in the contest.

Reeltown 6   14   0   6   26     Notasulga 0   0   0   0   0

Reeltown capped off a perfect 10-0 regular season with a 26-0 victory over Notasulga. Gerald Potts scored twice on runs of four and seven yards to lead a rushing attack that rolled up 223 yards as the Rebels built a 20-0 halftime lead over the Blue Devils.     Notasulga had trouble punting the ball early and had two punts snapped over the punter's head which lead to two touchdowns for the Rebels. Tracey Holstick completed 6-of-7 passes for 107 yards and a pair of touchdown strikes to McKenzie and Brooks. Notasulga fell to 8-2 with the loss. It was the only time this season Notasulga has allowed more than a single touchdown to be scored on their defense.

Highland Home 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 7   21   7   7   42

The Reeltown Rebels wasted little time in destroying the first round opponent the Highland Home Flying Squadron by a score of 42-0. The Rebels jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead and never looked back. Five different players scored with Meadows picking up two touchdowns in the rout. Meadows also kicked all six extra points for the Rebels.     Reeltown rolled up 325 yards of total offense and held Highland Home to just 142 for the game.

Flomaton 7   7   0   0   14     Reeltown 6   0   12   8   26

Third ranked Flomaton came to town for a second round matchup with the Reeltown Rebels. The Rebels seemed to self destruct in the first half and actually trailed for the first time in 1987 by a score of 14-6 at the half. But the defense arose in the second half and the team played near flawless football as the won game number eleven by a score of 26-14 to advance to the third round of the playoffs.     Flomaton scored on their first drive to take an early 7-0 lead but Brooks returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown to pull the Rebels within 7-6. Late in the half Flomaton got another score on a 57-yard tipped pass to take a 14-6 lead into the half.     The second half was all Reeltown as Simmons scored on a one-yard and a 15-yard run as the Rebels took an 18-14 lead into the fourth quarter. Holstick found McKenzie open for a 15-yard touchdown to wrap up the scoring and hand the Rebels victory number twelve for the season.

Reeltown 7   3   7   9   26     Cottonwood 0   7   0   0   7

Top ranked and undefeated Cottonwood hosted the Rebels in the third round. Cottonwood enter the game riding a 27 game winning streak and were the defending state champions. In 1986 the Bears had defeated the Rebels 39-0 in the semi-finals.     Reeltown got sweet revenge for the loss in 1986 by trouncing Cottonwood 26-7 as the Rebels amassed 359 yards rushing and 453 yards of total offense against the Bears. Rodney Brooks scored on 55 yard pass from Tracy Holstick to open the scoring and Meadows added a 38 yard field goal as the Rebels jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.     Cottonwood got their only score just before the half to cut the margin to 10-7 but it was all Reeltown in the second half as the running attack was unstoppable. Gerald Potts and Kenny Simmons scored on short runs and Meadows added another 28 yard field goal to cap off the scoring for the Rebels in a 26-7 win. Potts finshed the night with 145 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Samson 0   0   0   0   0     Reeltown 0   0   13   12   25

For the third straight week the Rebels faced an undefeated team in the Samson Tigers. The first half saw the teams fight it out to a scoreless tie. The Rebels were stopped twice on the Samson one-yard line to prevent any scoring. The Rebels scored four times in the second half to claim a hard fought 25-0 victory in the semi-finals and move on to the state championship game next week against Winston County.     Once again the defense put up a stellar performance as the limited Samson 92 yards of total offense and just four first downs in the game. Holstick got the scoring going in the thirst quarter with a 33 yard run and capped it off with another run that covered seven yards. Potts finished the night with 83 yards rushing and Meadows added another 75 yards.

Reeltown 0   9   0   0   9     Winston County 0   7   0   0   7

The Reeltown Rebels traveled to Double Springs to take on the Winston County Yellow Jackets for the Class 2A state championship at Malcolm Blake Stadium. The game was a hard fought defensive struggle for both teams and was not decided until Winston County missed a 44-yard field goal with just 2:35 remaining in the game as Reeltown claimed their first ever playoff state title.     Winston County drew first blood after backup quarterback Bobby Daniel scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter. A Reeltown fumble set up the touchdown. Gerald Potts scored the first touchdown on a four-yard run after the Rebels had recovered a Winston County fumble at the 30-yard line.     Another Jackets fumble set up a 27-yard field goal by Scott Meadows that gave the Rebels a 9-7 halftime lead. Both defenses held their opponents scoreless in the second half and the Rebels laid claim to a state championship. Reeltown 1987 8/28 29 Dadeville . . . . . . . . . 0 9/4 32 D.C. Wolfe . . . . . . . . 0 9/11 28 Elmore County . . . . . 0 9/18 56 Goodwater . . . . . . . . . 0 9/25 44 Maplesville . . . . . . . 3 10/2 20 Tallassee . . . . . . . . . 6 10/9 49 Beulah . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10/16 12 Holtville . . . . . . . . . 0 10/23 23 Coosa County . . . . . . 6 10/30 26 Notasulga . . . . . . . . . 0 11/6 42 Highland Home * . . . . 0 11/13 26 Flomaton * . . . . . . . . 14 11/20 26 Cottonwood * . . . . . . 7 11/27 25 Samson * . . . . . . . . . . 0 12/4 9 Winston County # . . . 7 447 15-0 43 * Playoff game # State championship game

Amazing Seasons, a series on the greatest seasons in high school football history


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