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Football
MONTGOMERY – AHSAA Director of Officials Mark Jones has released the the AHSAA Instant Replay Report for Week 4, September 20-22. Through last week’s games, a total of 40 high schools have participated in contests using the DVSport Instant Replay this season. This weekend, 10 more schools will have the opportunity to participate in a contest using instant replay.
On the season there has been Instant Replay in 30 games with a total of 24 challenges with four overturned – a percentage of 16.7%. This week there will be six games using DVSport Instant Replay, all on Friday, Sept. 28.
There were three challenges in five games last week with one challenge reversed. Details are below. Also below are this week’s games using instant replay and a synopsis of DVSport Instant Replay program to date.
LAST WEEK
Wetumpka vs. Buckhorn at Jacksonville State
- Buckhorn Challenge. Review of touching by receiver on kick going out of bounds. Play stood that receiver touched the ball.
Central Phenix City at Opelika
- Opelika Challenge. Review of spotting of the ball. Review showed placement of ball was correct.
Pinson Valley at Oxford
- No challenges
Jeff Davis at Auburn
- Jeff Davis Challenge. Spotting of the ball. Call was overturned and placed at the correct spot.
Oak Grove at Good Hope
- No challenges
FRIDAY, SEPT. 28
- Decatur (6A) at Lawrence County (5A), Moulton
- East Limestone (5A) at Athens (6A)
- Hubbertville (1A) at Hackleburg (1A)
- Minor (6A) at Auburn (7A)
- Oak Mountain (7A) at Pelham (6A)
- Park Crossing (6A) at Central-Phenix City (7A)
Next week we have five games scheduled at this time, all on Friday
FRIDAY, OCT. 5
- Arab (5A) at East Limestone (5A)
- Elmore County (4A) at Handley (4A), Roanoke
- Enterprise (7A) at Central-Phenix City (7A)
- Hewitt-Trussville (7A) at Vestavia Hills (7A)
- Jackson (5A) at Thomasville (3A)
- Sparkman (7A) at Austin (7A), Decatur
- Spain Park (7A) at Thompson (7A), Alabaster
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From left: AHSDACA Director Jamie Lee; Bob Jones swimming coach Wade Thaxton; AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese; Montgomery Catholic senior four-time state cross country champion Amaris Tyynismaa; Catholic cross country coach Ed Wright; Goshen volleyball coach Amy Warrick; Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange; and AHSAA Associate Director Alvin Briggs. (AHSAA Photo)
From left: (Front row) AHSDACA Director Jamie Lee, AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange and AHSAA Associate Director Alvin Briggs.
(Second row) Thompson Coach Mark Freeman, James Clemens Coach Wade Waldrop, Clarke County Coach Stacy Luker and Sweet Water Coach Pat Thompson. (AHSAA Photo)
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Keaton Wilson of Sylacauga HS and Davede Herron of Benjamin Russell HS
HATTIESBURG (MS) – Alabama’s coaching staff was pleased after the Alabama All-Star football team went through two more spirited practices Thursday. Coach Steve Smith, Piedmont’s head football coach and the all-star head coach this week, said he couldn’t me more pleased with the 40-man team.
“Their attitude has just been outstanding all week,” Smith said. “We have seen them come together as a team in a very short time.”
The 31st Alabama-Mississippi All-Star football classic is being played at Carlisle Faulkner Field/D.D. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi for the second time in the 30-year history of the game. The Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game series, a partnership between the AHSAA and AHSADCA and the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC), played at Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium from 1988 to 2010. The game moved to Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl in 2011 and has been there ever since – except for the 2015 game played at Hattiesburg for the first time.
Mississippi won the 2015 game 28-21 and is 1-0 at home. Last year’s game, a 25-14 win by Alabama, was played at Cramton Bowl and improved Alabama’s record to 22-8 in the series.
Smith said defensive coordinator Paul Benefield of Fyffe and the other defensive coaches Jeremy Perkins of Austin, Brent Hubbert of Maplesville and Rueben Nelson of Ramsay have tried to keep things simple. “Defensively, we are very limited at what we can do, but these kids were chosen because of their ability and knowledge of the game. They have picked up what we’re trying to do real quickly.”
Offensively, he said offensive coordinator David Faulkner of Enterprise, Larry Strain of Handley and Rob Carter of Beauregard have done a good job of getting everyone on the same page.
“Our quarterbacks James Foster of Sidney Lanier and Jack West of Saraland have done a good job as taking a leadership role,” Smith said. “They have gotten the respect of the rest of the kids. That’s important.”
Smith, a former high school and college quarterback himself, said the receiving corps on Alabama’s side can make a quarterback look real good. These kids are all big, strong and outstanding. They made me look like a good quarterback when I was throwing to them in our seven-on-seven drill. Shedrick Jackson of Hoover is Bo Jackson’s nephew and he is 6-2, 200 pounds. He’s the smallest guy on the receivers group. Our running backs, Asa Martin of Austin, Kevosiey Smoke of Wetumpka and Carlos Davis of Muscle Shoals, are all very talented and have been running hard.”
He said Kevontae Ruggs, the Robert E. Lee strong safety, has continued to do things full speed all week. Our defensive line and linebackers have really had a good week.” He noted that linebacker Jacquez Jones of Bob Jones has had an exceptional week along with defensive lineman Marese McBride.
The Alabama-Mississippi Classic has always been a game that showcased some of the best players from both states with many heading to the NFL eventually. “When I coached in this game the first time it was obvious to everyone that D.J. Fluker (Foley) and Dre’ Kirkpatrick (Gadsden City) were heading to the NFL some day,” Smith said. “Right now, I would have to say that the kid who stands out like that here is our kicker Evan McPherson. This kid is the best I have ever seen.”
McPherson, a senior from Fort Payne, is rated the top kicking prospect in the nation according to most recruiting services. He booted a 60-yard field goal and kicked an 84-yard punt in the same game for the Wildcats this season.
TELEVISION: The 31st annual Alabama-Mississippi Football All-Star Classic will be televised live over Raycom’s network of stations in Alabama and Mississippi. Kickoff is set for noon. Check www.ahsaa.com for more complete details.
RADIO: The AHSAA Radio Network will live-stream the audio over the internet and will also carry the game live over its network of radio stations across the state.
MONTGOMERY — The 31st Alabama-Mississippi All-Star football game, which kicks off at noon Saturday at D.D. Roberts Stadium on the University of Southern Mississippi at Hattiesburg, will be televised live in both states by Raycom Media.
According to Rich Michaelson of Raycom’s Broadview Media, the game can be seen on the main channel of four of the six affiliates carrying the contest in Alabama and on three of the six stations carrying the game in Mississippi/Tennessee. It will be on the Bounce Channel of four of the other Raycom stations. The game will be on the MyNetwork D.2 channel at WTOK TV in Meridian (MS).
MOBILE: Mobile area viewers will find the game on WFNA TV 55 at the following channels: Comcast Cable (channel 235); Cox Cable (channel 1015); U-Verse (channel 1012); Mediacom – Mobile County (channel 804); Mediacom – Baldwin County (channel 817); Dish Network (channel 55); Direct TV (channel 55).
Handling the play-by-play will be Mississippi announcer Russ Robinson and Gary Harris of WVUA TV 23 in Tuscaloosa will be the color commentator. Rachel Richlinski will be the sideline reporter.
Luke Robinson and Corey LaBounty will be in the radio booth for the AHSAA Radio Network’s live broadcast Saturday as well.
ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI ALL-STAR GAME TV/RADIO INFORMATION
TV INFO: Raycom Media will televise the game beginning at 12 noon Saturday over its statewide network of affiliates either on the station’s main channel (available on cable or satellite) or the D.2 Bounce Channel (available on cable only or antenna TV only). In Mobile, the game will be available on WFNA TV (Bounce Channel).
Raycom will also live-stream the game with links at each affiliate and on You Tube. To find the cable channel in your area, go to www.pathtotheplayoffs.com and click on Where to Watch or go to www.ahsaa.com and click on the nearest location. Raycom affiliates and partner stations include:
ALABAMA
Birmingham WBRC TV Fox 6 (Main Channel)
Dothan WDFX TV Fox 34 (Main Channel)
Huntsville WAFF TV NBC 48 (Main Channel)
Mobile WFNA TV 55 D.3 (Bounce Channel)
Montgomery WSFA TV NBC 12 (Main channel)
GEORGIA
Columbus WTVM TV ABC 9 (Bounce Channel)
MISSISSIPPI
Biloxi WLOX TV ABC/CBS 13 (Bounce Channel)
Hattiesburg WDAM TV NBC 7 (Main Channel)
Jackson WLBT TV NBC 3 (Main Channel)
Meridian WTOK TV ABC 11 (MyNetwork)
Tupelo WTVA TV NBC 9 (Main Channel)
TENNESSEE
Memphis WMC TV NBC 5 (Bounce Channel)
RADIO INFO: The Alabama Radio Network will carry the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game over its network. Luke Robinson and Corey LaBounty will handle the announcing and Michael Forehand is the producer. The broadcast can be accessed at www.ahsaa.com or at the following link: http://mixlr.com/ahsaaradio/
HATTIESBURG (MS) – Alabama’s All-Star football team made great strides from the morning and afternoon practices, said Alabama All-Star head coach Steve Smith of Piedmont Tuesday.
“The players have had a great attitude, have not just been on time but are getting where they need to be early,” Smith said. “We struggled some with our passing game in the morning workout (at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg) but we began to get our timing down a whole lot better in the afternoon practice. That was not unexpected, though. The quarterbacks and receivers had not worked together before and they will continue to improve as the week goes on.”
The players and coaches reported Monday with both 40-man squads comprised of current seniors conducting two workouts Tuesday. That same schedule will be in place for Wednesday as the teams prepare for Saturday’s 31st Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game set for a noon kickoff at Carlisle Faulkner Field/D.D. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
The Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game series, a partnership between the AHSAA and AHSADCA and the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC), is making its second appearance in Mississippi after playing the first 28 games in Alabama beginning in 1988. The game was held at Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium from 1988-2010 and moved to Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl in 2011. The MAC hosted the 2015 game at Hattiesburg with Mississippi snapping a seven-game Alabama win streak with a 28-21 win. Last year’s game, a 25-14 win by Alabama, was played at Cramton Bowl and improved Alabama’s record to 22-8 in the series.
Smith said he has been impressed with all the Alabama all-stars. One player, Robert E. Lee’s 6-foot-4, 205-pound strong safety Kevontae Ruggs, caught all the coaches’ attention. “He is a big, strong kid who appears to only know one speed,” said Smith. Ruggs’ older brother Henry played in last year’s game – returning the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. The return was the longest in the Classic’s history. Henry is now a freshman at the University of Alabama.
Smith also mentioned running back Asa Martin of Austin, H-back Clay Stearns of Mountain Brook, receivers CarDamien Daniels of Homewood, Shedrick Jackson of Hoover and Nathaniel Watson of Maplesville, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa linebacker Jacquez Jones, and Park Crossing offensive lineman Tank Jenkins. He also had high praise for place-kicker and punter Evan McPherson of Fort Payne.
“I realized that his 60-yard field goal this past season was the longest in AHSAA history from a snap and hold,” Smith said. “But what I didn’t know was that he kicked it without a tee – right off the ground even though kicking off a tee is allowed in high school. He can really boom his kicks.”
Smith led Piedmont to two straight Class 3A football championships in 2015 and 2016 but was beaten in the semifinals this season when Region 5 rival Randolph County scored the winning touchdown with 1.6 seconds remaining to advance to the Super 7 finals at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
“This all-star game is good therapy for me,” he said. “I don’t know if I could have jumped back into it the following Monday after that loss. It was tough for my players and for me, but I was proud of our kids and proud of Randolph County. They represented our region well. When you coach this game long enough, you find yourself on both sides of a game like that. It has been a great learning experience for me and my players.
“What we want these kids to understand in this game is that while we want to win, we need to do all we can to be prepared and then give our very best effort. If we do that, then we will be satisfied. They are doing all we ask of them.”
That’s a wrap on the 2017 #Super7 State Championships at Bryant–Denny Stadium! Congratulations to all the teams who participated, and thanks to the fans who came to cheer them on.
Check out the 2017 highlights in this video!
7A: McGILL-TOOLEN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, Hoover High School – Alabama
6A: Wetumpka High, Pinson Valley High School
5A: Briarwood Christian School, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
4A: Fayette County High School, UMS-Wright Athletics
3A: Hillcrest-Evergreen, Randolph County High School
2A: Lanett, Leroy High School
1A: Sweet Water, Pickens County
