The Pittstop 07/29/2023

Join Namath as he welcomes Jon Holder to talk high school football in the state of Alabama.

Episode Transcript

(00:11):
You're listening to news radio one ohone nine Big Wax. I'm your host,
name of Pitts and this is thePits Stop and I am so glad
to be with you guys once againthis week. And we are one week
closer to football season. Bryant Denny, the Expensive Peanuts, high school football
under the bright lights. It's allgetting closer and closer. And I'm joined
today by a really good friend ofmine who's been a mentor, and I'm

(00:34):
just so excited to have one ofthe smartest, well known, intelligent high
school football broadcasters in the state ofAlabama, John Holder. John, thank
you for being with me. Paysare glad to be with you this week.
John. Let's just talk high schoolfootball because the season is right around
the corner, and you cover highschool football top to bottom right here in
East Alabama. So talk a littlebit about yourself, John, and kinda

(00:57):
where you've been, what you've done, and then talk a little bit out
what you do now. Well,this will be my thirty third year of
doing Friday night high school football ofpostgame shows, scoreboard shows, who want
to call it that, but I'vedone that on radio, television, now,
livestream, video kind of seems wherethings are happening right now, and

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so this would be my thirty thirtyyear of doing that shows where we give
all the scores, highlights of James, talk about the games, and interview
coaches, all that kind of stuff. Been doing that for thirty three years,
basically for the most part, basedhere in East Alabama in the Anniston
Gapston area, this eastern part ofthe state of Alabama, but have done

(01:38):
some statewide stuff as well. Beena part of the AHSA Radio Network,
the AHSA Television Network in past yearsworking the Super Seventh and Stay Files basketball
and also was host for several yearsof the ahs A Weekly Show and the
AHSAA Bracket Reveal show during football seasonand reclassification reveal shows as well. So

(02:00):
just covering high school football on Fridaynights, I think now four hundred and
seventeen shows over those thirty three yearson football Friday nights. That is insane.
And let me tell you, JohnHolder and his team put together one
of the best, if not thebest scoreboard shows anywhere, especially in the
state of Alabama. And it's beenthat way for over twenty years now and

(02:22):
John, this season I expect tobe no different. We've got a lot
that's happened at media days this pastweek as we get one step closer.
So let's start up in the EdawahCounty area. You were at that media
day talk about some of the teamsin Edowah County and someone you expect to
be a really big threat to wina state championship. Well, I'll tell
you, I think that you know, the last two or three years,
I think anybody would say that EdewahCounty football has probably been at the lowest

(02:46):
point maybe ever. It has notbeen strong. And that is an anomaly
because typically football in Otowah County isreally strong down through the years, with
state championship teams in state time contendersand great football players that have come out
of that area even going on tothe college and pro level. I think

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there's been a seismic shift. Idon't know that there's a county that has
seen things go change more in theoffseason than in Edelwah County. A gas.
At the last moment high school hasyou had football coach that hasn't even
been named yet as coach Matt Harrisjust walked away a couple of weeks ago

(03:27):
from that program and from that job. Then you've got a new coach at
Westbrook Christian Steve Smith, the legendarycoach who won the state championships, and
Bill Peedmont and too. Really Ithink top to bottom over the last fifteen
years has been the pre eminent programin Class three A football. Retiring from
Piedmont and moving to Rainbow City toWestbrook Christian School, those things that They've

(03:52):
got a new coach at Startist BJ. Brooks of Glencoe Native, trying
to bring some stability. This willbe the third coach in three years up
on Sand Mountain at Sardists as well. So you know, there's a lot
going on in Edawah County, alot of changes that have taken place in
the last couple of years in thecounty, and we're starting to see signs
that things are coming back. GadsonCity back in the playoffs last year as

(04:16):
they moved down to six A,Cousa Christian a hell Mary passed away from
being in the class won a statechampionship game. We're seeing South Side starting
to come on that. We're startingseeing improvements out of the Edawah Blue Devils.
They're back to being one of thetop teams in Class four A through
the years, and so you're startingto see now things kind of turned back

(04:36):
around. It looks like now inEdawah County and heading back to maybe green
your pastors, so to speak,and some of the football from top to
bob in the county like we've experiencedover the last few decades. John,
you mentioned Cousa Christian, a teamthat lost. I'm literally a hell Mary
that was controversial. Did he getin? Did he not get in?
Of course, high school football doesn'thave that instant replay unless you're in the

(04:59):
state championship or a much larger school. But coach Marc O'Briant came into this
program that was essentially, let's justbe honest, it was really nothing.
They had didn't have big winning goingon at the time. They had had
some seasons, but he has comein and slowly started. Let's be honest.
They're very open about they want kidsto come to Cusa Christian, they
want them to play. He's doingthings the right way. He's got a
great staff, he's a great coach. And this team had they came out

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of really nowhere, right, Imean, I expected it, you know,
I've talked about them for the pasttwo years and really give coach O'Brien
that third year, that fourth year, and here they are. I mean,
the expectation is a state championship orbus for Custer Christian. It is
certainly a possibility for Custer Christian.They again, they have nine starters back
on offense, nine starters back ondefense. Are there's some new players they

(05:44):
have transferred into Custer Christian. They'rebigger, they're stronger, they are faster.
As a matter of fact, coachO'Bryant taught with him one on one.
He says, this is going tobe the fastest team he's ever had.
He took over the program. Theydidn't having the players really to even
filled the team almost. That's howlow the numbers were. Now the numbers

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at a one A school or upin the mid forties, probably forty five
forty six players, which that's agreat number for a lot of three A
and four A schools, much lessthan one A. So the depth is
there. He's got a lot oftalent back on both sides of the football.
The confidence level is there. Imean, this is uncharted territory for
Cousa Christians. Since they've been inthe Alabama High School Athletic Association and now

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that confidence knowing that you can winthose big games, to come from behind,
win at Spring Garden in the secondround last year and that upset then
after they had lost to them bymultiple touchdowns earlier in the regular season,
then going on the road to PickensCounty, a perennial Class one A power
and standing toe to toe with themand being literally one second away, one

(06:53):
play away from beating them and goingto the Super seventh. So this is
a team that you're gonna hear alot of hype about in the next month
or so as we count down tothe season. This is a team that
will be a contender in the Northagain, perhaps maybe even the favorite to
win the North this time and goto the Super seven at Brian Denny and

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Tuscaloosa. Well, John, let'sjust be honest. If you pull out
of Cousa Christian's parking lot and you'reanything like the tyler that Carly Russell supposedly
saw, then it doesn't take longto get to Gadson City High School.
And this is a team that wasstuck in a region with Thompson and Hoover
and those teams for so long andthey dropped to six A and they you
know, had a little bit,you know, they saw a better success
last season. But for coach HolieSmith and the Gaston City Titans, how

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can they make a really deep runto try to win a six A state
championship. Well, I think whatwe just talked about as confidence, Gadson
City had been down. They'd beenin seven A, in the toughest seven
A region in the state, noquestion, and they had been in a
region where, to be honest withyou, they just didn't have the numbers,
facilities, things like that to reallyathletes to really to compete with those

(08:01):
folks like Thompson and hewittt Trustville,Hoover, those kind of teams. Seven
A football is very tough. It'srelied another level in this state. But
now dropping down to six A andthe last reclassification, we saw instantly the
fruit of that as gas In Citywon seven football games last year, won
a region title, made it tonot only the first round, but the

(08:22):
second round of the six eight championship, losing to eventual state runner up Mountain
Brook. I think it's the nextstep now they just seeing coach Smith some
of the players he brought to mediaday the confidence level they believe now that
they can legitimately compete for a statechampionship. They know that in six A
they've got the numbers, They knowthat they have the athletes and the talent

(08:45):
to improve there. They lost someplayers the last year, They've got a
pretty good nucleus coming back. Itmay not be quite as talented of a
gas In City team as Lew seenin the past, but the Titans have
always had talent, and I wouldthink that they're going to be in a
position where they're going to be againcontending in Class six A in the North.

(09:05):
One thing I think that's gonna helpa little bit. They got a
bit of schedule relief. They hadas tough of a schedule top to bottom,
maybe the toughest schedule of anybody insix A last year. Carrolton,
Georgia, huge powerhouse in the stateof Georgia. Is office schedule replaced with
a road trip to Carver of Montgomery. Carver's a tough team, but Carrollton

(09:28):
probably as good as anybody in thisstate in any classification. Last year just
came in right off the bat andhammered Gaza City at Titan Stadium, and
so you know they had last year. They opened up with two really really
blowout losses, both at you know, two really good teams, but still

(09:48):
the confidence level had to be downafter that loss to Carrolton. After that
loss, you who had trustful Youknow, everybody was thinking, well,
here we go again with the Titans. But to coach Smith and his staff
and they're creative, they were ableto come off of that those two big
blowout losses in the first two gameslast year and turned that thing around and
win a region title and make thesix eight playoffs. I think they're probably

(10:11):
the favorite to win their region againthis year. I think they're going to
be the region favorites and get inthe playoffs and see what happens. John,
it doesn't take long to get upthe road to Go Garden. Go
that's Spring Garden. You're Alma mater, you love the Panthers, and they're
actually replacing what was one of thegreatest coaches in my opinion, in the
area and really made a mark andwon a football who's now headed to Georgia

(10:33):
and they hired a new head coach. The Spring Garden Panthers look like they're
going to be loaded this season.Jason Howard not only turned the program around
at Spring Garden, he turned theculture around, which, to be honest
with you, I'm not sure thatI even thought that was possible. One
of the best jobs of program buildingthat I have seen done in high school
football in this state period. Ever, it's amazing what Spring Gardens program has

(10:56):
turned into. They were upset lastyear, as we alluded to, in
the second round of the playoffs athome against Cousa Christian Tough wass there at
the end of the game, butand the team that they had beaten Cousa
at Cousa a couple of touchdowns earlyin the season that has left a bitter
taste in their mouth. I cantell you that being at the Cherokee County

(11:18):
media Day. Jason Howard did retirefrom Alabama went to Cousa, Georgia as
an assistant coach. A longtime assistantBarrett Ragsdale. He's been on the staff
for fourteen years of Spring Garden.Great baseball coach and be on the football
staff for those fourteen years. Hemoved up. He is now going to
be the permanent head coach at SpringGarden. They again have nine starters back.

(11:43):
Just like Cousa Christian. They haveI think nine starters back on the
offensive side of the ball, sevenon the defensive side of the ball.
They have the best they said,offseason program, weight program that they have
ever had. They have scale peopleback. They also have a lineman back.
They're an impressive looking team physically.It was a very young football team

(12:07):
last year. They only graduated justa handful of seniors. This is an
experienced team that's coming back. It'sa hungry football team that's coming back.
And I'll tell you I'm not sosure. I think right now, in
my mind, in North Alabama,in Class one A, in no particular
order, you always have to includePickens County, But Pickens County, Spring

(12:31):
Garden, Cousa Christian, I thinkthere's a separation. I think those three
right now in North Alabama one Aare at one level and everybody else is
really behind those three teams. Iagree with you one hundred percent. John.
Let's talk Piedmont Westbrook Christian. SteveSmith left Piedmont went to Westbrook Christian.
Jonathan Miller left Sacks and went toPiedmont. What do you expect from

(12:52):
those two. Do you think SteveSmith's gonna have instant success and shock everybody,
or you think it's going to takea year or two and then Jonathan
Miller is going to come in andthat train's just going to keep rolling.
They make another Super seven appearance,or will we see somebody like Sylvania Geraldine
take the reins of that region.Well, you know, the first thing
is, in case folks don't know, Westbrook and Piedmont are in the same

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region, that just so happens atleast for one more year. So those
two teams will play each other andSteve Smith we'll roll into the field of
champions at Piedmont standing on the visitingsideline were red instead of players, And
that's going to be a huge gamethis year. You know, I think
that Westbrook is a team that listen, they were five and five last year,

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So this is not a team thatwas totally broken. He's not coming
in taking over a program that doesn'thave bad doesn't have good facilities. They
got great facilities and they're expanding andmaking those even better. They have some
athletes, they have some players there. They have a lot of attorneys coming
back off that five and five team, and being five and five last year

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under coach Drew Noles, they hadtwo or three games that were nail biers
that came down to the end thatthey lost. They could have very easily.
There were a few plays of winningperhaps seven games last year. So
don't be surprised if he comes inSteve Smith in his first year and they
have a winning season and if theycan pull off a quote unquote upset or

(14:20):
two. Don't be surprised if westbrooksneaks into the Class three A playoffs.
It'll be tough in that region becausein addition to Piedmont, you've got Sylvania,
who I believe was told that they'velost really like one starter off last
year's team that went to the semifinalsand lost to Piedmont, So that whole
team basically is coming back. Alot of buzz about the Sylvania rams up

(14:43):
on San Mountain. But then yougot Geraldine. Geraldine and Cousa Christian actually
opened up with each other at Geraldineon a Thursday. United coup is isabel
Stadium of a great game, andthey are loaded as well Water Attorneys,
a lot of talent coming back andMichael Davis, the head coach there has
really got his program humming. Andthen you've got a legendary coach and Dale

(15:07):
Pruitt in Rainsville at Plainview High Schooltook over there last year, had them
very competitive last year, and therewas a team that just missed out on
the playoffs that came down to thegame with O'hatchee that didn't go Plainview's whale
Ohatchee one. They took the fourthslot in that region. But Plainview has
a lot of attornees and you know, after a year of being under Dale

(15:30):
Pruitt's tutelage, they're going to bevery competitive as well. And then you've
got Hoax Bluff who coach Mike Robertson, who just went into the Alabama High
School Sports Hall of Fame back inMarch. He thinks he has a very
good team Glencoe coming along Scott Martinin that region, they're going to be
better than they have been. Andthen you've got the Ohatchee Indians under coach

(15:54):
Chris Finley, who had an incrediblerun at the end of October last year
to make the playoffs out of thatregion. I mean, there's no weakness
in this region whatsoever. You couldhave. You could have conceivably in this
region, the last team of thisregion might be a playoff team in a
couple of other regions in the state. That's how strong and balanced this region

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is. Top to bottom. Piedmontthe Bulldogs. Everyone wants to know,
how do you replace Jack Hayes,statistically the greatest quarterback in high school football
history in this state in any classification. You don't replace a guy like that.
But there were twenty other There weretwenty other seniors that Piedmont lost as
well out of that senior class.So not saying this is going to be

(16:37):
a rebuilding year because they have stilla lot of talent coming back, some
great young players coming to a goodyoung up and coming ninth grade freshman quarterback
who's going to be phenomenal. Andthey've got a great coach because as you
mentioned, you know, Jonathan Miller, great at Sacks last year, won
seven football games. The year beforethat, they were at the state semifinals

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before losing to Piedmont in double overtimeto go to the Super Seven. And
he had many unity years, adecade worth of great teams at Sacks High
School in Anniston. Taking over atPiedmont. Piedmont will be right in the
mix of things for a region title. You can bet on that that region
is going to be a war everyweek. There's no if you're in Class
three A, Region six, thereare no gimme games at all. There

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is not one week where you cancircle an automatic victory against any other team
of that region. I just startedlistening to you walk through that and you
look at Ohatchie who was injured,John they were injured at the end of
the year, and he's talking abouthow he thinks he's going to be improved.
We heard coach you know over atglen Cove, Scott Martin, talked
about all the new guys. Heguy that came on the team. I
mean, you're just walking through WestbrookChristian with Steve Smith, Geraldine, Sylvania,

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Piedmont. I mean, I couldn'timagine playing in this region every Friday
and you genuinely feel like you don'tknow who's gonna win each week. And
you were talking about how some ofthose teams would be in the play offs
if they were another region. Solet's shift to three A Region five.
You've got Randolph County, Sacks,Welbourne, Dadeville, Weaver. Bulah,
who am I'm missing? I'm missingsomebody out on that list as well.

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Childersburg. So it's not a strongregion. Like, let's just be honest,
we don't know what Dadeville's got.They had a big shooting months ago.
We don't know how they're gonna respondto that. Even though it's been
a couple of months, you stilldon't know how that's gonna play out.
Randolph County seems like the favorite.They've got the most coming back. I
really think Rendoff County is gonna bereally really good. Sachs is you know,
I'm hearing they're a little slower.Got a new head coach, no

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changing the culture of trying to reallyestablish you know, Johnson Miller's a good
coach with discipline, but you knowone thing I heard is he's making them
come to workouts during the summer,you know. And then Jeff Smith this
is what year fifteen at Welbourne,and then Weaver hired a new coach.
Looking at three a region five,I mean, not the strongest region,
but still some good traditional programs.Absolutely, I think that Randolph County it

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basically came down. You know,last year there were some games that could
have gone either way in that region. You know, one of those games,
perhaps the most exciting game of thatregion was the game between Sacks of
Randolph County at Wee Dowie where Sacksseem to have a comfortable lead in the
fourth quarter and Randolph County made aphenomenal comeback. Gat the thing to overtime

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and one the thing at overtime.Randolph County has there. He's a great
quarterback and he's back, and that'shuge at any level, but especially in
three eighth football. Randolph County hasgot the line. They're they're looking like
the Randolph County teams of old.You know, big fiscal offensive line,
They've got good running backs, andnow you add to that a very skilled

(19:41):
and athletic quarterback. They probably arethe favorite. Dadeville lost a lot of
seniors from last year from that team. It looks like they may be down
just a little bit. Shouldersburg andcoach of Johnny Johnson expects to be improved.
He thinks this is probably going tobe the best team he's had.
Their viewa still down kind of anknown Sacks. Last year was kind of

(20:02):
a rebuilding year at Sacks to behonest with you, and they still want
seven football games in made the playoffs. That tells me the talent they have
there. But they lost their quarterback, Gavin Dass transferred to the offseason to
Annison. He'll be most likely thestarting quarterback for the Bulldogs. So they've
got to find a quarterback out atSacks. But there's a lot of good
talent around Sacks. They'll be acontender for that region title as well.

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And then you've got Walter Welburn.And what I'm hearing about Welburn is we
know they're going to be well disciplined, play tough, hard nosed, run
the football. And you know,I'm hearing that Welburn's offensive line and defensive
lines are looking very good, big, strong, physical, They put in
the time in the weight room,and some backs that can take that football,

(20:48):
which you have to do at Welburn. And I'm hearing that Welburn might
be the surprise team, the darkhorse in that region. And that's another
region I think maybe at the top, maybe the top teams, you're Randolph
Counties, you're Welbourn, and Sacks. I don't I'm not sure that there's
a big difference between those three andthe wild card in this is going to

(21:11):
be Weaver. Ken Koeper. Hewas the offensive coordinator last year at Cleburn
County High School and heff one comingover to take over the Weaver program.
This is a Weaver program that's beenreally down the last three years. I
mean way down. But last yearwatching them play, they showed some signs
of life. They won two gameslast year, which is huge for them,

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but they very easily last year.Namoth could have won five, probably
should have won five games. Andif they can turn some of those close
losses into wins. They had bigleads on Pleasant Valley and Donajo games they
probably should have won, blew thoseleads. If they turned that thing into
a five and five or a sixand forward sneaking to the playoffs, then

(21:56):
look out for Weaver because they gota lot of good young talent coming well.
As long as they don't go forit on fourth and twenty one from
their own fifteen, because I didwatch that happen last year when I caught
a game out there, and theygo for it on fourth and seventeen from
their own forty, then I thinkthey're gonna be set up for success and
I'll tell you this is a Weaverteam, John, that had Randolph County
on the ropes. They're late atWeaver. They played Welburn who was missing

(22:18):
Grayson Johnson that night, and theyhad Welburne on the roups like these are
two games they almost won. Andthen you look at Welburn like you just
talked about, I would be surprised. Like, I'll just be honest with
you, like, nobody loves Welburnmore than I do. We both know
that. Okay, I bleed blackand white. But you lose Noah Screws,
you lose a lot of players onthe defenses side of the ball.

(22:40):
You talked about the offensive line,the defensive line, So I would certainly
be surprised. But that region iswide open and it will be interesting to
see what he hasn't running back,because this has kind of gotten those group
of kids, John that I don'tknow. You know that I didn't go
to school with it. I didn'tsee in middle school, so I'm not
as familiar with them. But definitelyNoah Screws stepping in at quarter back.

(23:00):
He's a great leader, he's agreat athlete, and I think that you
know, of course that's what youneed with Webber, you need a hard
nosed guy that can run the balland do anything. One thing we know
about Jeff Smith Panthers is they aregoing to have speed. They're gonna have
some guys that you know, canrun the ball, run it hard.
They're gonna run that wing t offense. I don't think they're gonna be has
opened and maybe spreading it out alittle bit, because we've kind of seen

(23:22):
that with Jet and Grays and Johnson'steams where they opened it up a little
bit more. I think you're gonnasee him kind of go back down under
the center every you know a lot, and you know, not open it
up as much. I don't thinkthey have the ability to try to throw
the ball on third down, youknow, like they have in the past.
So John can you stay with usfor one more break and we could
talk a little bit more? Sure? Absolutely? All right? So we

(23:44):
got the full Rundown High school footballseason. Guys is around the corner.
We still got Alexandria to talk about. We still got Cherokee County Moody leads.
We're gonna talk across the state fromHuntsville to Tuscaloosa to Birmingham to Mobile
John Holder. The best there iswhen it comes to high school football in
the state of Alba is right hereon the pit stop. But before we
take a break real quick, wewant to do our congrats and condoles is
like we do every single week,and this week's congrats goes to Jalen Brown

(24:08):
of the Boston Celtics. He reacheda five year, three hundred and forty
million dollar contract, which is therichest in NBA history. And I gotta
be honest with you, guys,this is quite surprising to me. The
guy can't even use his left hand, yet he gets the biggest contract in
NBA history. And then our condolencethis week goes to actually we're staying in
the basketball realm. Lebron James's son, Bronnie James had a cardiac arrest,

(24:30):
had to get or he had toget sent to the hospital. He's in
stable condition right now, but that'sstill something very scary and so our thoughts
and prayers need to go to theJames family as Bronnie James has suffered from
a cardiac arrest and this happened ata usc workout. But we're gonna take
a break for news and whether you'relistening to news Radio one one nine Big
Wax. Welcome back into news radioone on one nine Big Wax. You're

(24:56):
listening to the pit stop and I'myour host, name of Pitt And before
the break, we were joined byJohn Holder from high school Football Alabama and
he is back with us as wecontinue to talk about high school football across
the state of Alabama. John,before the break, we were talking about
three A Region five with Welburn andSaxon Randolph County. Let's shift to four
A and talk a little bit aboutprobably what's the one of the Well,

(25:18):
we have two of the top regionsthat there is, and we see it
in the South and then we seeone in the North. Basically, what
I'm saying is we have Cherokee Countyin the North, who's really good.
Do you expect to see them backin the state championship game once again?
I do, I will, Iwill be absolutely stunned. I think there'll
be a major upset on the wayif Cherokee County is not at Bryant Denny

(25:41):
Stadium representing the North. Last yearthey were the surprise. We do a
preseason in high school for Bible ObamaMagazine, and in that I have a
preseason top ten in the Super sevenpick, and I picked Cherokee County and
Andalusia in the four A championship gameback in Juve last year. And everybody

(26:02):
thought I was crazy, not forpicking Andalusia but for picking Cherokee County.
Think even the folks in the centerthought I was crazy. But as it
turned out, Cherokee County did indeedmake it to the championship game before following
to Andalusia twenty eight to seven.So now we're in a situation where they
have again lots of starters back,nine starters back on offense. I believe

(26:23):
it is nine starters back on defenseas well. They are heaving and blowing
as a bigger, stronger, fasterteam, confident team, hungry team to
get back there. They will bethe favorites not only in their region,
but they're going to be the favoritesI think in North Alabama in for a

(26:44):
let's talk about this region that CherokeeCounty's in. Who do you think would
have the best chance of knocking themoff in a while? Well, well,
last year, you know, Anianaand Cherokee County played in the North
Alabama championship game. They had playedin the regular season at Antiana and Aniana
won the game. That was agame where Cherokee County had the lead in
the fourth quarter and Anniana's credit camefrom behind to win the game. They

(27:07):
rematched in the semifinals and it wasall Cherokee County in the semifinal game,
which was played as Center this time. Anniana has a running back who is
not as good as anybody in thisstate in any classification. His name is
Fluff Fluff Bothwell. He is abruiser. He is a guy that is
about five ten five eleven ways abouttwo fifteen or two twenty. But he

(27:32):
can run. He has speed.He is one of the most physical running
backs in this state, maybe themost physical running back in this state in
any classification. Now, Anniana losssome folks, but when you've got a
guy like that coming in who wasone of the top running backs in the
state in any classification, that's agood nucleus to build around in Anniana has
won more high school football games thanany team in this state's history period,

(27:53):
So the tradition is there. Theexpectations of their coach, phil Phillips,
had his team in the state championshipgame two years ago, last year in
the state semi finals. So youknow they're going to be a team that
is going to have to be dealtwith. And then you got the Edawah
Blue Devils. You mentioned edw Edawahand Cherokee County had a great game in
center last year. I think fortyeight forty five Cherokee County won. The

(28:15):
game was just back and forth,running up and down the field on each
other. They've got a great quarterbackat Edawah that's going to be taking over
a young guy that you're going tobe hearing a lot about over the next
couple of years. System that isa name in Edelwa War and there's another
system coming. He's a QB.He's one of the best pure all around

(28:37):
athletes. He might be the bestathlete in Edawah County and he's coming there
as the we'll be moving up intothe quarterback position. And that game with
Cherokee County this year will be atJim Gloverfield in Itala, so we'll see.
I think those three are the topteams probably to deal with in that
region. I have to agree withyou. Let's move South. The strongest

(29:00):
region in four A is hands down, Hanley, Anniston, Jacksonville, Munford,
White Plans, Cleveland County, missanybody or is that sound like I
got everybody on it? Yeah,you got them? And that region is
that region. To show how strongthat region his name with. Last year,
Munford was the number four team.They go on the road in the

(29:22):
first round of the playoffs and verynearly they're basically a minute and forty seconds
away from beating American Christian in Tuscaloosa, a great American Christian team, and
that was the four team out ofthe region. Jacksonville, the three team
out of the region, also wenton the road in the first round of
the playoffs to be the county inCenterville and one. And then you had
Anniston who went to the quarterfinals beforelosing to eventual state champion Andalusia in a

(29:47):
game that they led in the secondhalf twenty one nothing. Handley within a
touchdown of Montgomery Catholic in the quarterfinalsas well, could have very easily won
that game, and Handley beat thethree A state champion Saint James of Montgomery
by two touchdowns, scored forty eightpoints on him early in the season.
There's just a taste right there ofwhat this region is like, especially in

(30:11):
the top half. John five ARegion six. Let's just be honest.
Leads and Moody are ranked in thetop ten. They deserve it. Alexandria
traditional winning program under coach Kin,They're obviously going to lose a big piece.
Then you've got Lincoln. Coach Zedekerwas very vocal about how they have
the south Side game on their calendar. I mean he essentially at media day
talked about south Side south Side southSide like that's going to determine basically where

(30:34):
we end up in the pecking order. But then you've got Springville, Saint
Clair County new head coach. Imean, this is a pretty big region
in five A. Yes, it'san interesting region. There's a lot of
different dynamics going on down there.You mentioned Lincoln having south Side schedule I
think circled. I think south Sideprobably has Alexandria circled because that game year

(31:00):
at Alexandria was a game where backand forth, back and forth, back
and forth. I think south Sideprobably thought going in they were the favorites
of the game, and Alexandria ina scoring shootout out there won the game.
That game will be at barney Woodstudiument south Side this time, so
I think that south Side probably hasthat game schedule. I think they feel

(31:21):
like they should have won that gamelast year. And Moody and Leeds huge
rivals at Battle of four to eleven. There one point game last year that
Leeds won and that was kind ofan upset at the time. So you
know, there's a lot of dynamicsgoing on in this region here. I
think a lot of rivalries have startedto develop. When this region first began,

(31:44):
these teams were kind of spread outand there was not a lot of
big rivalries going on to this region. But I think after this one year
and the way things were shaking out, and now I think there's some pretty
intense rivalries here. And look outfor south Side. South Side is not
that far away, They're pretty close. South Side has the potential to maybe
be this year's Arab. Remember Arablast year went all the way to the

(32:06):
quarterfinals and went to overtime, almostwent to the semifinals. So south Side's
got to some things shaken over there. Miles Holcomb and his team, it
begins with their quarterback and they've gotgage. Nie Smith. I think this
is his fourth year, maybe atLesa's third years starting quarterback at south Side,

(32:29):
and it all begins with him,and he is probably, i would
say, one of the most underratedquarterbacks in this state in any classification.
It's tall, got a rocket arm, smart, makee good decisions, very
experience, been under the gun,been in a lot of situations over the
last three or four years, Solook out for south Side. Don't be

(32:50):
surprised if at some point in thistwenty twenty three season on Friday Night you
hear about some big upset involving southSide, wouldn't rising. How about this,
though, if you're Moody and Lincoln, who both have really good athletes,
can they keep up with rush Probesbeing a couple miles in between both
of them? Rush Probes now atPell City, Let's just be honest,

(33:12):
Rush Probes is gonna win. Sowill they be able to keep those top
guys right there in their community orwhere those guys start going to Pell City?
Well, programs are heating up onthat I twenty corridors, that I
twenty East corridor we've seen. Leedsobviously has been great for the better part
of the last couple of decades,and that's not going away. They have

(33:34):
a solid program. Then you goacross the interstate, literally across the interstate,
just four or five miles up theroad to Moody across the county line,
and Moody has really turned that thingaround almost instantly, within just one
year, and that doesn't seem tobe changing either. Then you come down
I twenty, you go about fifteenmore miles. You get to Pell City,

(33:58):
who's been down for a long time. They were one in nine last
year. Now they're bringing rush Prokesin, they made facility improvements, turf
down, they got a lot ofother facility improvements in the works, and
they brought maybe the greatest high schoolfootball coach in America in the coach the
program. So obviously things are shakingup at Pell's City. They are going

(34:22):
to win, there's no doubt aboutthat. Then you come down another twenty
miles down I twenty and you cometo Oxford with the Yellow Jackets, where
they have spent about twenty one milliondollars in facilities, new indoor facility,
new dressing room, new weight room, new concession stand, turf in the
last couple of years, Sam Adamshas a junior class that might be as

(34:45):
talented as that twenty nineteen class thatwon the state championship. That will be
juniors this year. So I twenty, that corridor right there is heating up
and we haven't even and we talkabout the Lincoln Golden Bears and those folks
coming along. So you leave Itwenty, you get all four fifty nine
to get on I twenty headed towardAtlanta. That's about to be a pretty

(35:06):
strong football quarter right there there.Let's talk about Oxford for a minute a
minute, because I feel like SamAdams hasn't really gotten the respect he's deserved
up to this point. At Oxford, many had tough shoes to feel.
He had to feel. Keith thatRich, who was out after one season,
went to Auburn and when much deserved, he got what he deserved,
money wise, great coach, statechampionship, coaching, great guy. I
actually run into him at the beachcouple of weeks ago. I just love

(35:28):
Keith. But Sam Adams, there'sa lot of people that haven't really given
him the respect that he's deserved,and he's had to deal with a lot
his first year. What he hadto deal with coming into the situation he
was coming into was I just couldn'timagine with guys transferring to Gulf Shores and
whatnot. But it seems like thingsare starting to really trend for the Yellow
Jackets. And this is a regionwhere Penson Valley is going to be down
a little bit. So obviously clayChalkville seems like the favorite, but this

(35:52):
was a clay Jockville team that goteliminated early in the playoffs. Can Sam
Adams team win this region? Theycould? That is not out the of
expectations. I still think you haveto make Klay Chalkville the favorite just because
of the talent that they have comingback. But remember last year Klay Chalkhill,
they Oxford took them to the limitlast year, so and that was

(36:16):
a game that was at Quay Chalkwall. This year, that game will be
at Lamar Field in Oxford, soI think they can. You know,
you mentioned Sam Adams when he camein replacing Keith Effords. Not only did
they lose a ton of seniors offthat state championship team in his first year
in twenty twenty, but then theyhad about ten or eleven players that transferred
out and then on top of that, they had some devastating injuries during that

(36:39):
season. Then we go into theyou know, you go into twenty one,
devastating injuries once again, still ayoung football team. He's starting eighth
and ninth graders, Starting eighth andninth graders in six A football that is
not a recipe for success. Andthen last year again the injury hitting Oxford

(37:00):
hard. Last year with some otherkey injuries. Sam Robertson, who was
quarterbacks lash wide receiver broken collarbone andI think week two of the season.
Now for the rest of the year, guys that play on the state championship
baseball team. It is a baseballcommit to the Auburn Tigers, so they
lost a lot of guys. ButI think, barring another string of injuries

(37:23):
like that, with this junior classthat's coming up that he has, there's
some great talent there and they havekind of been through the storm. Now.
A lot of those guys that arein this junior class at Oxford,
they were forced into playing and startingwhen they were eighth and ninth graders and
tenth graders, and now they arestarting to grow up and mature physically,

(37:46):
and now they've got all that experience, Oxford could be a dark horse team,
just to be honest with you,in six A in the North,
Oxford could be really a dark horseteam. And they're probably still a year
away from the best that they're goingto be because when this junior class of
seniors next year, they will forsure probably make a run at a title.

(38:07):
Don't be surprised if they make arun this year. They were five
and five last year. But Ithink that we're gonna see, I don't
know, Oxford maybe the most improvedteam in six A this year. All
right, let's talk Central Clay inSilicaga and then we'll shift to to a
football and then we'll look statewide andthat'll wrap things up. Danny Horns team
lost in the playoffs to Gholf Shores. We know Denny Horns team is gonna

(38:30):
be good. They're always good.He finds a way to make them good
if they're not good. This isprobably one of the greatest coaches, if
not the greatest, in the stateof alabam when it comes to high school
fotball. Talk about Danny Horne andthen talk about Silicaga new head coach Smelly
played football for Alabama, never beento Silicago before, but he took the
job. Well, I think Silicaga, you know, the bottom just kind

(38:52):
of fell out there last year andthey wound up at oh and ten and
so there's nowhere to go but uphere at Old and ten. And they'd
be honest with you, didn't havea lot of close games last year.
But now there's fresh air. Theygot a lot not only a new head
football coach and Chris Smelly, formerSouth Carolina quarterback and you know, played

(39:13):
at high school football American Christian Tuscaloosa, played baseball at Alabama and you know,
got all the credentials and had agreat success of American Christian had some
phenomenal teams at Aca, coming inand trying to rebuild that thing down at
Silicaga. It's interesting in the cityof Silicaga. And we'll talk two eight
in a moment. We've got anopen ten team. The city school that

(39:37):
shares a stadium with the two Astatement from last year that's about literally a
mile two miles away maybe old mileaway is BB Comber High School there in
Zilicaga. So they've got that comparison. You know, I'm sure you go
into Silicaga and everybody's like old coachBB Comber went to the state championship and
you know Szilicago was old and tenand trying to get to that point.

(40:00):
So we'll see what happens with ChrisSmellie. They're in a pretty tough region,
but there's some winnable games there.One of those games that may not
be winnable the first year is asyou mentioned, Central Clay County back to
back state champions what was it,eighteen nineteen, somewhere along and there,
and you know they have they've notfallen off. They've been a contender,

(40:21):
region title winner last year, secondround of the playoffs, also close game
at home to Gulf Shores. Theyhave a lot of attorneys coming back.
They've got a class I believe it'sninth graders, possibly tenth graders somewhere along
and there. That that group ofathletes down in the lower classes, they

(40:45):
tell me maybe as good a groupof athletes has ever come through Clay County,
which is scary. And you combinethat those kind of athletes with the
tradition in Clay County and the coachingas we mentioned with Danny Horne, one
of the tops ever in this stateall time in high school football. Quay
Central, get ready they will.I think they're going to be the again,

(41:08):
the odds on's favorite to win thatregion again and then don't be surprised
that they'd make another deep playoff run, and then they will only get better
from there for the next two tothree years after that. I say,
we were going to talk to abut really quickly. We kind of touched
on earlier, but we didn't actuallyget deep into There's there's got there's a
separation between Hanley, Anniston, Jacksonvilleand everybody else, at least in that

(41:31):
region. Mowford typically is the fourthseed, but do you look at the
South. Jacksonville's got Ogul's coming backat quarterback. Annison's got a new head
coach, but they get Gavin Dawsontransfer from from Sacks to Anniston. They
got guys, and then Hanley.It seems like we never know about Hanley,
but we know they're gonna be good. So those three teams, what's
the separation going to be from Hanleyto Annison, Anniston to Jacksonville, Jacksonville

(41:53):
to Hanley. Well that's the trivectathere, that's going to be the three
games to watch in that region.Handle again could make a run of a
state championship. Don't be surprised ifthey do. They got a great quarterback
they've got I know they lost oneof the top running backs in the entire
state last year, but they gota kind of a running back by committee

(42:16):
this year. And then on topof that, they got great offensive and
defensive lineman. They got a greatcoach and Larry Strain, who's been there
before in one state championships. Heknows what it's all about how to do
it. They're a very athletic.They're good at all the skill positions.
They're good in the line. Theyhave depth, they have tradition, they

(42:37):
have facilities. They play the schedulethat's gonna get them prepared when you come
out of the schedule they play.When you play people like Annison, Jacksonville,
Saint James Valley, people like that, you're going to be rich in
Central Clay County and so their scheduleas a non region game. When you
play people like that, when youget to the payoffs, there's not gonna

(43:00):
be anything. Even rolling all theway to Tuscaloosa. If you make it
that tar that you haven't seen beforewhen you come out of that region of
that type of schedule. John,let's talk about one of my favorite coaches,
Coach Adam Fawcett and the Bbcomber Tigers. He was talking about rat poison
at media Day. He's talking abouteverybody's giving him rat poison. Everybody's saying

(43:20):
you know that five this and bbComer that. Well, Coach Fawcett,
if you listen to this, I'vegot you win the whole dang thing this
year. Man. So I'm goingto Adam Fawcett to beat Fife in a
rematch. John, Bbcomer has gotthe best running back probably in two Ain't
no doubt about it. But he'sone of the top ones in the state
of Alabama. Kamari Harris is abeast. There's no doubt about it.

(43:40):
This guy is phenomenal at the twoA level. It's not really fair to
even put him out there in Classtwo A. They did last year in
the state championship game against s Fife. Even though they lost the game,
they did what a lot of folkswere not able to do against Spife going
back for many, many years,and that is they were able to score
points on five. They scored twentysix points on five, and if they

(44:02):
can score twenty six points on fivethis year, assuming this fin be comer
again, which I think everybody's kindof assuming that, you know, that
might be enough to win. Atthis time, five lost a lot of
folks, especially on the offensive sideof the football. Of course, we
talk about great coaches in state history. You have to throw Paul Benefield from
Fife in there as well as oneof the all time greats in state history.

(44:27):
Of course, they wouldn't play eachother unless it was in the state
championship game. But I think rightnow, I don't know anybody that's following
high school football that's not picking Afive become a rematch in Tuscaloosa. Well,
Adam Fawcet's team, I expect tobe right back there. I expect
them to win it this time.Man. I'm telling you, this guy
has been good. And it startedwhen they were in three A. John

(44:49):
Remember they was in that region withsax and Walvern and Piedmont and Pleasant Valley.
It's another two eighteen now. Theywere right there. They were going
to do something that the school hadnever done, at least I can remember.
Since I've been alive and then AdamFaws it's Bbcomber Tigers come out of
nowhere in Ruin and spull Pleasant Valley'splans, and since then they have not
looked back. They have dominated.The drop to two A obviously helped them.

(45:14):
I don't even really think there's acompetitor in their region. He talked
about Isabella, but Isabella, withall due respect, is not beating BB
Comber. I don't care if thegames and bebe Comer Isabella or on the
middle of I twenty. Okay,bbe Combers winning that game. I know
you don't like predictions, John,but I'm just getting ready for this football
season, if you know what I'msaying. So let's talk about statewide,

(45:35):
and let's talk about Huntsville. Let'sjust talk where. We got about four
minutes left from the show, somaybe in a minute. Who do you
expect to be really good out ofthe Huntsville area. Well, I think
when you look at Huntsville Metro,you gotta look at Madison Academy again,
sitting there, I think they'll becompetitive again. You have to literates through
Madison schools. Bob Jones, JamesClements, They've been good there as well.

(45:58):
I think that what are the intriguedstories to me is what's happening in
the offseason at May Jimison. That'sgonna be interesting. Known as a basketball
school, it's just facing a basketballschool not really doing anything in football.
But they brought in Rico White tothe head coach at Anniston, who took
the Anniston program to the state quarterfinalsand very nearly took them to a state

(46:20):
championship game last year. He's broughthis top assistant, Bradley Ball with him.
There have been some transfers from Annistonthat are really good, top players,
college prospects that have kind of followed, as we understand it, coach
White up to Huntsville. So MayJimison might be a team that you might
want to look out for there inmetro Huntsville. All right, I got

(46:43):
Madison Academy, actually, I actuallybelieve or not, John have them coming
out three A north Over, Sylvania, even though when Piedemont and that group
of teams, I just think they'vegot a lot of guys coming back.
So you mentioned them, but let'stalk Birmingham Tuscolosa. There's always a lot
of teams to pick from this area. Pleasant Groves always one Hue Town.
Of course, you got your Thomson, your Hoovers. But just in looking

(47:04):
at Birmingham, let's not talk about, you know, Thompson Hoover because we
know they're going to be good.But who's that team you think that people
aren't really looking at that could bereally successful this year? Vest Stavia Hills
very close last year. Vest Daviawas very close in seven eight this year,
and I think they're going to giveyou the Hoover just like they do.
I think they're going to give Hoover, Thompson, all those teams all
that they want. You know,I keep waiting for that one year that

(47:30):
possibly hewittt trustful, puts it alltogether and makes that run. I don't
know if that'll be this year ornot. But they have been so close
and just have never been able toget over that final hump there. So
I think Best Davia is a team. I think that's a team to watch.
I think Clay Chokbull will be hungryafter that upset loss that they had

(47:53):
in the first round of the playoffsto Parker, and then you know,
I think you start looking around thatJan Ramsey. No one ever talks about
Ramsey. But every year the Ramsare always there. Last year won the
five A state championship, and Ithink until I think Ramsey probably is the
favorite in five A North Again,all right, Mobile, let's talk about

(48:15):
the mobile area all the way downSouth, tr Miller, Mobile, Christian
so many more. Who you likeout of mobile Mobile. It all begins
and ends with sarah Land. Theywon the six A championship last year starting
quarterback back Ryan Williams, mister football. Some people say may be the best
wide receiver in state history, includingJulio Jones and going to Alabama. And

(48:40):
you know they had also brought inthe top receiver from the state of Mississippi
who transferred in. They have virtuallyeveryone back off that six A title team
from last year. There's a lotof rubblings named that sarah Land might be
the best team in this state period, regardless of class vacation, including your
Thompson's and Central Phoenix Cities and Auburn'sand Hoovers and best Davie Hills. That's

(49:07):
how good this team is expected tobe. They've got lineman, They've got
probably the best group. They maywind up with the best group of receivers
that the state's ever seen on anyonehigh school football team, and they've got
a college quarterback that can get itto him. It is amazing the riches

(49:29):
at Sarah End. They have tobe the odds on favor right now to
win six A. All right.They opened the year on ESPN against Lipscomb
Academy of Tennessee. That'll do itfor today, John, thank you so
much for being with us. You'vebeen listening to the pit Stop on NewsRadio
one O nine Big Wax