The 2023 season opened this week with a partial
schedule of games. Here are a few tidbits
from the first week of football action.
* What a start to the 2023 football season. If you missed any of the action
we will give you a weekly rundown of everything. Be sure to catch our podcast
this Sunday night as we will be posting a new episode. Also follow the Barber
Shop Gurus on Wednesday morning for their latest game analysis and predictions.
* Arguably the biggest game of the week was played in Saraland
between the defending 6A
champions and Tennessee champions Lipscomb Academy. Saraland
held on to win the game 31-30 in overtime. By the time the game was completed
the players were totally spent and had given their all in this one. Great game.
Just when I thought Saraland had the game in hand it all changed in the last few
minutes but they held on for a huge win.
* A few games Thursday raised some eyebrows opening night. Mars Hill 55-21
buried 6A Cullman. The Panthers led 28-21 at the half and shut down the Bearcat
to make a statement in 3A. Vestavia Hills ran away from Mt. Brook by a score of
35-10. Cole Gamble still had over 200 yards rushing but it was not enough for
the Spartans. Mt. Brook had won the last six games in that series.
* Reeltown
proved they will be a force in 2A as they ran all over Tallassee 41-14. Reeltown's Arthur Woods had seven carries. He scored on five of them
and finished with 202 yards rushing.
Springville shocked Etowah by coming out in the wishbone offense and rolled to a
28-21 victory over the Blue Devils. It took a while for the new found offense to
get going but once it did the Tigers wore down Etowah's defense in the second
half.
* Isn't
it great to see these big cross state matchups on the opening weekend? Thompson
defeated Opelika 44-13, Auburn beat Hoover 39-14, Central Phenix City doubled up
Hewitt-Trussville 48-24.
* Other big-time games Friday night were played
around the state. Austin defeated Hartselle 28-17, Spain Park shutout Calera
56-0,
Madison Academy jumped on Deshler 42-6, Foley ran over Prattville 45-19 and
Pickens County held off Aliceville 8-6.
* The
biggest upset was likely Mortimer Jordan shocking Leeds 31-28. That was a total
surprise in my opinion. Another game that made me go wow was John Carroll over
Homewood 36-31. Homewood was a 22 point favorite.
* Other surprising games were Childersburg beating Munford 28-22, Reeltown
41-14 over Tallassee and Mars Hill knocking off Cullman 55-21.
* Forty
different coaches won their first football game at their respective new schools. Gentrell Eatman at Pinson was
delighted following a 18-3 win over Florence. Also noteworthy was Hunter Adams
as Stanhope Elmore topped Shades Valley 42-13. Congratulations to all the new
coaches in Alabama.
* There were a few games won in dramatic fashion
over the weekend. Holtville fell behind 24-0 before scoring 28 unanswered point to
beat Fultondale 28-24.
* Did you notice Addison was shutout by Winston
County 14-0. It was the first time they have not scored in a game since 2015 a
total of 97 games.
* Alabama teams went 6-3 vs. out-of-state
competition. The biggest game being Saraland over Lipscomb Academy.
* If we missed anything I will try to include it in our podcast tomorrow.
* Hoover has been ranked by the ASWA for an amazing
260 consecutive polls dating back to the 2000 season.
The Bucs opened the 2023 season as the #3 team in 7A and lost to
Auburn at the AHSAA Kickoff Classic in Montgomery.
*
Fyffe once again begins the 2023 football season riding the state's longest
winning streak at fifteen games.
* Columbia now
holds onto the longest losing streak at 72 straight contests. The Eagles fell to
Fairview Friday night 46-6. They hold the
all-time record for consecutive losses.
* American Christian has a streak of 35 consecutive region wins.
The Patriots open region play in a couple of weeks.
Mars Hill (32) and Catholic Montgomery (27)
are the next two schools with long region winning streaks.
* Barbour County has lost
58 consecutive region games
but do not begin region play for a couple of weeks.
* The #3 ranked Catholic Montgomery Knights have won 25 straight regular season games. The
Hartselle Tigers had their 23 consecutive regular season winning streak snapped
by Austin.
* UMS-Wright saw their string of
17 consecutive home wins come to an end against rival St. Paul's as they lost
14-7. Saraland takes over the top spot with a 17 game streak of their own.
* Catholic Montgomery also holds onto the longest road
winning streak having won 17 consecutive road games after shutting out McGill-Toolen
by a score of 21-0.
* Jackson has won their
last 15 season openers since losing to Leroy to start the 2007 football season.
They open the 2023 football season next week against Demopolis on the road. That
will be a test for the Aggies.
* Fyffe hopes to avoid the dreaded shutout and extend their
streak of consecutive games scoring. They are currently sitting on a string of
306 games without being shutout. The Red Devils open play next week at home
against Geraldine.
* Central Phenix City won the 600th game in the school's history
Friday night with the huge win over Hewitt-Trussville.
* Some head coaches will be reaching milestone wins in 2023. Mark
Freeman has amassed 248 victories and will in search of number 250 in the
upcoming weeks.
Mike Battles Jr. can join his father in the 200 win club with just six more wins
at Tallassee this season.
* No less than
six different coaches will be in search of
their 100th win as a head football coach once the season opens. All have over 90
victories during their careers.
Team approaching the 700 win club
694 -
Deshler (694-370-35)
Team approaching the 600 win club
596 -
Anniston (596-400-27)
Team approaching the 500 win club
496 - Southern Choctaw (496-370-24)
495 -
Randolph County (495-408-25)
495 - Greensboro (495-432-37)
494 - Minor (494-479-22)
492 - Hale County (492-436-24)
491 - Hackleburg (491-438-29)
Coaches approaching the 250 win club
248 - Mark Freeman (Thompson) (248-55)
Coaches approaching the 200 win club
194 - Mike Battles Jr. (Tallassee) (194-101)
Coaches approaching the 100 win club
98 - Patrick Plott (Carroll) (98-48)
98 -
Patrick Nix (Central Phenix City) (98-31)
95 -
Adam Fossett (B.B. Comer) (95-76)
93 -
Jason Massey (Leroy) (93-52)
91 -
Jeremy Perkins (Austin) (91-57)
90 -
David Smothers (Addison) (90-39)
Points scored in a game
* Dothan High set a team record in a win 59-14 over Carroll breaking the previous record set in a victory over Smiths Station 57-43 on 9/16/2022.
Margin of Victory in a game
* Dothan High set a team record by defeating Carroll 59-14 breaking the previous record set when they defeated Godby FL 56-13 on 10/18/2019.
Margin of Defeat in a game
* East Limestone set a team record in a loss 63-14 to Athens tying the previous record set when they lost to Muscle Shoals 49-0 on 10/11/2013.
Teams with current school record losing streaks
* Columbia has lost a team record 72 consecutive games since 10/23/2015. * Meadowview Christian has lost a team record 54 consecutive games since 10/6/2017. * A.L. Johnson has lost a team record 39 consecutive games since 10/19/2018. * Sumter Central has lost a team record 31 consecutive games since 10/18/2019. * Talladega County Central has lost a team record 25 consecutive games since 9/25/2020. * Crossville has lost a team record 20 consecutive games since 8/21/2021. * Fultondale has lost a team record 17 consecutive games since 9/10/2021. * Mae Jemison has lost a team record 13 consecutive games since 10/22/2021.
Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History
The first night game played between high school teams in the state occurred on September 23, 1927 when Pike Road and Cloverdale met in the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.