Ashford Yellow Jackets
Head Coach: David Stapleton III (fourth season) Career Record: 3 seasons, (17-15) At Ashford: 3 seasons, (17-15) Stadium: W.H. Brown Field 2026 Enrollment:  328 Rank:  162nd in the AHSAA, 63rd in Class 4A

History

Overall Record:   424-406-18   (51.0%) Last 25 years:   120-139   (46.0%)  (Rank: 251st in the AHSAA, 37th in Class 4A) Since 2010:   66-98  (40.2%)  (Rank: 290th in the AHSAA, 47th in Class 4A) Last Playoff Appearance:   2025 Last Region Championship:   2003 Last Winning Season:   2025 Last Losing Season:   2023

2025

Class:  4A              Region:   2 Record:  7-3 Region Record:   5-2, (third) Playoff Record:   First round loss to Jackson by a score of 34-0. Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked Scoring:  219 (21.9) Defense:  147 (14.7)

2026

Class: 4A              Region:   2 Strength of Schedule: 48-55 (47%) (264th in the AHSAA, 46th in Class 4A) Region Strength:  37-35 (51%) Non-Region Strength:  11-20 (36%)

2025 Results   8/22   vs. Rehobeth  (6A)   32-15   W    8/28   @ Cottonwood  (2A)   23-14   W    9/5   vs. Dale County  (4A)  *  12-19   L    9/12   @ Geneva  (4A)  *  38-7   W    9/19   vs. Pike County  (4A)  *  34-14   W    9/26    OPEN    10/2   vs. Straughn  (4A)  *  22-10   W    10/10   vs. New Brockton  (4A)  *  16-6   W    10/17   @ Opp  (4A)  *  0-22   L    10/24   @ Daleville  (4A)  *  42-6   W    10/31    OPEN    Playoffs   11/7   @ Jackson    0-34   L

2026 Schedule   8/21   @ Houston County  (2A)         8/28   @ Abbeville  (1A)         9/3   vs. Eufaula  (4A)  *        9/11   vs. Headland  (4A)  *        9/18   @ Carroll  (4A)  *        9/25   vs. Cottonwood  (2A)         10/2   vs. New Brockton  (4A)  *        10/9   @ Straughn  (4A)  *        10/16   vs. Andalusia  (4A)  *        10/23   @ Dale County  (4A)  *        10/30    OPEN

Class  4A Region  2 Team 2025 Record Region Scoring                             Dale County (4A) 7-3 6-1 262-126 Andalusia (5A) 8-4 5-1 315-201 Ashford (4A) 7-3 5-2 219-147 Eufaula (5A) 6-5 4-2 323-287 Headland (5A) 4-5 2-4 234-215 New Brockton (4A) 6-4 3-4 223-213 Carroll (5A) 1-9 1-5 133-342 Straughn (4A) 5-5 3-4 261-193

2026 Preview

Ashford completed the 2025 season with a 7-3 record. With their 5-2 region record and a third place finish in Class 4A region two, the Yellow Jackets earned a spot in the playoffs in 2025. Ashford's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Jackson by a score of 34-0.        The Yellow Jackets won as many games as in any season since 2014.        The defense was very stingy last season as Ashford ranked 36th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 14.7 points a game.        Since 2010, Ashford has gone a combined 66-98. Their 40.2% winning percentage ranks 47th in Class 4A over the past sixteen seasons.        Over the past 25 seasons, Ashford has managed to compile a record of 120-139. Their 46.0% winning percentage ranks 37th in Class 4A and 251st in the AHSAA. Head Coach:        The Yellow Jackets are led by head coach David Stapleton III who is entering his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 17-15 over the past three seasons at Ashford. Under his direction the Yellow Jackets have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have not won a region crown with Coach Stapleton III. Season Outlook:        The Ashford Yellow Jackets will play in Class 4A region two during the 2026 season.               Back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in nearly fifteen years has created a buzz around the Ashford football program. Can they make it three in a row in 2026? The region is a bit tougher in 4A this year with the addition of four 5A teams from last year.        Coach Stapleton has done a wonderful job at Ashford and has not only the players believing in his process but the fans are beginning to buy into the progress the Yellow Jackets have made the past three seasons. It takes time to build a football program from basically scratch and that is what Coach Stapleton has done in a short time.        Can the Jackets reach the playoffs for the third year in a row in 2026? If they do it will be the first time since 1993 they have accomplished that feat.     The Yellow Jackets have a good shot at one of the last two playoff slots in region two this season.

Players to Watch in 2026:
  Offense:  (7) Zay Johnson, Zi Walker, Alex Swain, Tramonte Brown, George Wheelus, CJ Hicks, Logan Turvin

  Defense:  (6) Zi Walker, Dallas Owens, JJ Jackson, JD Lingo, Zay Johnson, Alex Swain

  Newcomers:  AJ Bryant, Harleem Fuller, Ivory McGriff, Caylon Underwood, Timmy Granger, Landon Goff, Brody Winter

The Coach had this to say:
      Third consecutive year making the playoffs and to ultimately win 4A Region 2.

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Season Opener:
       The Yellow Jackets open the 2026 season on the road against non-region opponent Houston County on Friday, August 21 at L.F. Tillery Field. Last year the Houston County Lions finished with an overall record of 1-9 and in eighth place in Class 2A region two. The Lions closed out the regular season with a loss to FAMU FL by a score of 48-30.

       Ashford and Houston County have met a total of 67 times on the football field. The Yellow Jackets have a 44-21-2 record against the Lions. They last met in 2021 with Houston County winning by a score of 50-26.