2012 High School Football Preview: Titans welcome new region neighbors
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent Gadsden City High fans will get some new looks this year. The Titans, who have competed in regions composed mostly of Birmingham teams for their entire six-year existence, will play in a different region this go-round, playing a few Huntsville teams. Hewitt-Trussville, Clay-Chalkville, Oxford and Pell City are still on […]
2012 High School Football Preview: Numbers-challenged Coosa will be in shape
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent The talent is there and the desire is there. But are the numbers there? That’s the question that plagues Coosa Christian football coach Van Owens. “It’s the same problem as last year,” he said. “We don’t have much depth, so we worry about injuries because it’s tough to find a […]
2012 High School Football Preview: Hallmark back in the saddle at West End
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
With only 21 players on the roster, West End head coach Randy Hallmark is doing his best to get his athletes not only in game shape, but get them in good enough shape to play an entire game.
“There are a lot of them who will have to play on both sides of the
2012 High School Football Preview: Depth a strength for Westbrook
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
A couple of things have Westbrook Christian head football coach Tony Osborne smiling this preseason.
One is the depth of the Warriors’ squad – something that is a luxury to most small school coaches.
“There have been a lot of years where we had no depth at all,” Osborne said. “If we had an
2012 High School Football Preview: Bulldogs ready for some AA competition
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
There’s a big streak at stake on Shinbone Ridge this year, and no one is more aware of it than head coach Josh Averett.
Gaston has made the playoffs for the past 10 years in a row and a move to Class 2A, Region 7 isn’t going to make the extension any easier.
“We
2012 High School Football Preview: Yellow Jackets buzzing with anticipation
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
Normally, the offensive line gets very little mention, but Glencoe High football coach Lee Ozmint said that the trenches should be the Yellow Jackets’ strength, with several “seasoned” linemen returning.
That’s not true of most slots, as graduation took a heavy toll at GHS.
Ozmint will have seniors Scott Bradley, A.T Mitchell, Cameron Lancaster,
2012 High School Football Preview: Eagles looking to fly high in Class 4A
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
What’s a four-letter word you love to hate? For Hokes Bluff coach Mike Robertson, it’s “4A.”
Okay, it’s not a four-letter word, per se. But Robertson feels like it is.
The Eagles are back in the higher classification for the first time since 2009. In all, Hokes Bluff has been a Class 3A school
2012 High School Football Preview: Loaded Lions making the leap to Class 4A
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent After producing the school’s best-ever record (9-2) and winning the first region title since 1988 while scoring the most points in school history, the Sardis High football has a new level of confidence. “The guys are gaining more confidence and I think we can compete with any team on […]
2012 High School Football Preview: Blue Devils set to defend region title
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
It’s been a few years since there was a lot of excitement around Etowah football.
Following last year’s team that rang up a 10-2 record and won the Class 5A, Region 7 championship, that winning feeling is back.
After the glory years of the late 1990s that saw the Blue Devils bring home two