Class 4A Region 4 Poised for Exciting Playoff Push

As we prepare to enter October, the sports world anticipates another exciting MLB postseason. However, for us in the Yellowhammer State, high school football strikes the fancy of everyone who breaths in the Autumn air.

The next few weeks showcase multiple intriguing matchups for teams in Class 4A, Region 4.

Last week, the defending champ Handley had their hands full, hosting a young, much-improved Cleburne County (4-1, 2-1). The final result was familiar (26-7 Handley victory), but the Heflin Tigers outscored the Handley Tigers 7-6 in the second half while narrowing the difference in yards from the first to the second half (outgained by 177 yards in the first half compared to just 35 in the second half).

This week head coach Joby Burns faces another powerhouse in Alexandria, providing valuable experience returning to their Region schedule. The Tigers host Jacksonville on October 8 after an off week on October 1.

Jacksonville’s offense experienced a rebirth with the return of QB Jim Ogle, after a 22-9 loss to Anniston, where the Bulldogs used RB Taj Morris behind center. Ogle completed 28 of 34 for 462 yards and 5 TD in the Golden Eagles consecutive wins over White Plains (48-0) and Munford (35-12).

Much like Cleburne County this week and last, Jacksonville faces consecutive powerhouse programs the next two weeks. The Golden Eagles travel to undefeated Piedmont (4-0, +156 point differential) before hosting Handley (3-0, +83 point differential) on October 1.

Cherokee County (3-1, 2-0) showed their mettle with a hard-fought 21-20 home victory over previously unbeaten Anniston on September 10. The Warriors followed with a 48-0 blowout over White Plains (1-4, 0-3), joining Handley as the only other undefeated team in region play.

CJ Gresham (senior transfer from SAKS, rushed for 145 yards and 2 TD against Anniston), Damien Ramsey (274 combined rushing yards, 3 TD in wins over Anniston and Springville), and Lamycal Mitchell (158 rushing yards against Springville) all benefit from Cherokee Counties dominant rushing game.

Along with Anniston, these three teams will fight the four playoff spots in the region. All are very talented teams, each worthy of earning a playoff berth. In Alabama, high school football fans will enjoy watching how regional play breaks down the rest of the season.

East Alabama High School Football - Week Five News and Notes

Class 4A Region 4

Anniston - Antonio "Spoodie" Kite: Four TD receptions of 25 or more yards in last three games

Last Week: Off

This Week:  at Center Point (5A/Region 6) - 0-2 all-time vs Center Point

Cherokee County - second straight season starting 2-0 in Region play (first time starting 2-0 in consecutive seasons since 2007-09)

Last Week: Defeated White Plains, 40-0

This Week: Host Coosa (GA); last played them in 2003, winning 23-21 (2-2 all-time)

Cleburne County  

PPG in 2021: 

Home: 44.3  

Road: 14.5

Last Week: Lost 26-7 at Handley

This Week: at Alexandria (5A) - lost 7 straight & 12 of last 14 vs. the Cubs (19-46-1 all-time - last win: 42-28 in 2011)

Handley - Won 10 straight region games (last loss October 19, 2018, at Lincoln). Have outscored opponents 319-106 over span).

Last Week: Defeated Cleburne County 26-7

This Week: Host Lanett (2A/Region 4); Won last year snapping 3-game losing streak against them.

Jacksonville - Won 2 straight (outscoring opponents 83-19) after losing previous two games 

Scored 83 points in last 2 games after only scoring 15 in their previous two games.

Last Week: Defeated Munford, 35-12 (won five of last six against them).

Munford -

W-L/Pts Allowed in 2021:

Non-Region:  2-0/28 (14 PPG)

Region: 0-3/122 (40.6 PPG)

First three-game losing streak since 2018 (lost 4 straight); First 0-3 start in Region play since starting 0-5 in 2010 (Region 3) 

Last Week:  Lost 35-12 vs Jacksonville

This Week: at Lincoln (5A/Region 6). Won 2 straight and 7 of last 8 vs Lincoln. Lost last game at Lincoln (28-27 in 2018).

White Plains -

Points scored in 2021  

1st 2 games: 55 

Last 3 Games: 10

W-L/Point Differential:

Non-Region Games:  1-1   (+13); 

Region Games: 0-3   (-98)

Last Week: Lost 40-0 vs Cherokee County

This Week: host 5A Elmore County (Won 21-0 in only previous meeting in 2020

Class 3A Region 5

Saks - 

Point total/PPG (W-L) in 1st 3 Class/Region Games: 

2020: 14/4.6 (0-3)

2021: 60/20 (2-1)

Last Week: Defeated Ohatchee 16-7

This Week: host Geraldine (3A/Region 7) - defeated them 46-14 last season (only other previous meeting).

Glencoe - Outscored 159-7 in starting 0-4. Lost 9 straight dating back to last season (Outscored 355-27)

Fourth time in last five years starting 0-4; lost 33 of last 36 games Class/Region games dating back to 2016.

Last Week: Lost 48-0 to Hokes Bluff

This Week: Host Douglass (5A/R7). Won 6 straight against Douglass (6-1 all-time; only lost was 21-6 in 1998)

Hokes Bluff - 

2021 Home/Road Point Differential

Home: 0-2, -58

Road: 2-0, +89

Last Week: Defeated Glencoe, 48-0

This Week: at Spring Garden (2A/R6)

Ohatchee - Ennis: 17 yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards. Averaging 196.6 YPG

Last Week: Lost 16-7 to Saks

This Week:  OPEN


Piedmont - Looking to start 5-0 for third straight season

Point/PPG Differential During Last Three Seasons starting 4-0

2021: +156/+39

2020: +126/+31.5

2019: +105/+26.3

2018: +30/+10

Last Week:  Defeated Weaver 70-13 (set school record with 70 points)

This Week: Host Jacksonville; won 2 straight vs Jacksonville (last year was a forfeit) after losing previous four against them. Jacksonville handed them their first loss in 2018.

Pleasant Valley - Points scored in 2021: 42 vs Weaver, 22 vs other four opponents combined

Last Week: Lost to Walter Wellborn 57-8
This Week: OPEN

Walter Wellborn - Scored 57 Points against Pleasant Valley after only scoring 47 in their first four games combined. 

Last Week: Defeated Pleasant Valley 57-8

This Week: Host Hamilton (4A/Region 5) in second all-time meeting. Defeated the Aggies 55-7 in 2020.

Weaver - allowed 112 points in last 2 games after allowing just 7 in snapping their 20-game losing streak vs Glencoe

Last Week: Lost 70-13 at Piedmont

This Week: at Armuchee (GA)















East Alabama HS Football: Week Four News & Notes

Here are some News and Notes from Class 3 Region 5 and Class 4A Region 4 high schools.

Class 3A, Region 5 

Glencoe - Outscored 307-27 during their 8-game losing streak.

Hokes Bluff -  Won 5 straight vs. Glencoe.

Ohatchee - Outscored opponents 90-22 in last ten quarters (outscored 70-35 in first six quarters)

Piedmont - Looking to start 4-0 for the fourth straight season. 

Point differential, 1st 3 games: 

2021: +99  

2020: +125  

2019: +52  

2018: +22

Pleasant Valley- 1-9 all-time vs. Wellborn, but did win their last game at "The Hill," 27-26 in 2018

Saks - PPG in 1st 2 Class/Region Games: 

2021: 46 (1-1) 

2020: 6 (0-2)

Walter Wellborn -  First 0-3 start since 2009; last started 0-4 in 2008

Weaver -  42 points in their first two Class/Region Games is already ten more than they scored all of 2020 (32)


Class 4A Region 4

Anniston - Antonio "Spoody" Kite: Four TD receptions of at least 25-yds in his last three games.

Cherokee County -  7-0 all-time vs. White Plains

Cleburne County - Lost four straight vs. Handley (last win: 28-7 in 2006). Looking for first 4-0 start since 2007.

Handley -  Won 9 straight Class/Region games - last loss 10/11/19 at Lincoln. Outscored opponents 295-99 in those contests (includes two forfeits = 1-0 final).

Jacksonville - Won four of their last five games vs. Munford.

Munford - Last started 0-3 in Class/Region play in 2010 (0-4).

White Plains - Winless in 7 all-time meetings vs. Cherokee County - lost 11 straight games in Class/Region - last win 11/4/2019 vs. Cleburne County.




Anniston Falls from undefeated, Cleburne County Routs Munford

Anniston Falls to Cherokee County

Looking to start 4-0 for the first time since 2009, the Anniston Bulldogs drove to the Warriors six-yard line before time expired. QB Kam Sandlin converted a 3rd and 12 but failed to get out of bounds to stop the clock, handing Cherokee County consecutive wins against Anniston for only the second time in team history.

Trailing 21-14 late in the fourth quarter, Sophomore RB Malachi Taylor - who had 104 yards on 15 carries against Jacksonville on September 3 - completed a 56-yard TD run (also had a 36-yard TD run earlier in the game) to trim the Warriors lead to 21-20.

Head Coach Rico White went for the lead (Anniston converted a two-point conversion on their last TD), but the Cherokee County defense denied the Bulldogs, holding their slim one-point lead.

Led by Saks transfer QB C.J. Gresham (17 rushes, 145 yds, 2 TD) and RB Damien Ramsey (22 rushes, 122 yds, TD), the pair of seniors exposed Anniston's run defense.

Antonio "Spoody" Kite opened the scoring, beating his defender for a 25-yd TD reception from Sophomore QB Kam Sandlin. Cherokee County stuffed Jamarius Billingsley on the two-point conversion, keeping the score 6-0. In their win over Jacksonville, which snapped an eight-game losing streak vs. the Golden Eagles, Billingsley kept their final scoring drive of the first half alive with a long run on a fake punt. 

Kite, the senior DB committed to Alabama, and Sandlin continued to showcase their chemistry, adding to TD connections of 43, 51, and 67 over the previous two games.


Cleburne County off to first 4-0 start since 2007


Head Coach Joby Burns continues to reap the rewards of hard work his players and coaching staff put in after a rough 2020 season.

"We worked really, really hard. Our players grew...We started off the day after we got back from the Randolph County game and got in the weight room. They got bigger, they got stronger, our maxes got better, our speed got better, and we were just excited" - Head Coach Joby Burns on the Tigers offseason efforts.

Leading the pack is QB Kyler McGrinn. After playing three games last season with an undiagnosed broken elbow, McGrinn's passing arm looks 100 percent recovered. Although only a Sophomore, the youngster shows the sophistication of a grizzled veteran, understanding when to zip and use touch on each pass.

Against Munford, the Tigers used a punishing run game led by McGrinn (181 yards, 5 TD) and Junior RB Devante Cantrell (over 70 rushing yards, TD). After Munford tied the game at 14 late in the first half, the pair combined on a 4-play 65-yard scoring drive, culminating with McGrinn's 31-yard TD run. 

Cleburne County overcame a sloppy first half where they continually shot themselves in the foot. After completing 9 of 11 passes for 134 yards (including a beautifully thrown TD pass Grant Harcrow) in the first quarter, McGrinn was just 1-5 for 6 yards in the second quarter. 

The defense overcame McGrinn's only mistake (an interception deep in Tigers territory), stopping Munford's fake FG attempt after the Lions had a first-and-goal at the one-yd line. The culmination of the Tigers' first-half mistakes came on the next play when a holding penalty nullified Cantrell's 98-yard TD on a swing pass. 

The Tigers are averaging 38 PPG in their first four games after scoring only 34 TOTAL points in their first four games last season. Cleburne County faces their toughest test this Friday when they travel to Handley (2-0, 1-0) to meet the defending Class 4A Region 4A Champion.

FINAL: Cleburne County 47 Munford 20.

Ohatchee Learns Value of Perspective Preparing For Wellborn

A-Tale-of-Two-Cities.jpg

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" is one of the most famous quotes in literary history. While I doubt Charles Dickens had Ohatchee High School Football in mind when he penned "A Tale of Two Cities" in 1859, the irony comparing the first two games of last season and this season is hard to ignore.

Last week against Anniston turned into a tale of two halves, as the Indians rallied down 25 at the half, pulling within five points before bowing to the Bulldogs 32-27.

In their season-opener at Cleburne County, the Indians' defense were first-hand witnesses to a vastly improved Tigers team, falling 43-28. Last season Ohatchee (11-2 - lost in third round of playoffs) defeated both 4A teams by a combined 92-26 in starting 2-0. Despite the drastic difference in results, lessons learned by champions often feature some hard knocks.

Execution and talent do not the Indians lack; depth and fatigue start both those lines. Talking with Head Coach Scott Martin today, his message accentuating the positive out of their first two games shows how good a football team they are entering Class 3A Region 5 play.

Despite allowing 75 points in their first two games, their defense fell victim to great talent (Antonio Kite, Kyler McGrinn) executing rather than detailed mental and physical lapses. Standouts in the first two games include Junior Chris Ferguson and All-State Junior QB Eli Ennis (yes, he can play defense as well!).

The first to test the Indians mettle is the Walter Wellborn Panthers, who handed Ohatchee one of their two defeats in 2020. While waiting a year to exercise revenge on last season's 20-14 OT loss - the Indians' 3-13 record against the Panthers (before last seasons loss, Ohatchee defeated Wellborn 63-0 in winning both 2016-17 meetings after going 1-12-1 in their first 14 matchups) is another demon they can slay in their journey to become champions.

Cleburne County Youngsters Excited After Season-Opening Upset

"A child shall lead them" - Isaiah 11:6. Perhaps this is the rallying cry for the 2021 Cleburne County Tigers.

Following a difficult second season, Coach Joby Burns had his work cut out for him heading into the offseason. The Tigers' struggles in 2020 included being shut out in five of their final seven games, finishing with 68 total points, the lowest total in school history. Their -194 point differential was the worst in school history.

Friday night, the Tigers hosted #8 Ohatchee (3A) and their All-State Junior QB Eli Ennis. Despite allowing rushing TD on their first two possessions, the defense solidified. Led by #25 Senior lineman Dee Prothro and #52 Coleton McElroy, the defensive line held the Indians to just two more scores the rest of the game.

Sophomore QB #3 Kyler McGrinn converted a 3rd and 16 with a brilliant touch pass to fellow Sophomore #80 WR Greyson Freeman during their first drive. The drive culminated when McGrinn found Freeman, using his 6'5'' frame to fight off a defender, for their first of two TD connections.

McGrinn finished 9-16, 152 passing yds, 3 TD on the day, but his passing isn't his only skill. After playing last season with an undiagnosed injury altering his effectiveness, the Sophomore used his legs also (13 carries, 132 yards rushing, 2 TD). His two rushing TD, followed by another beautiful touch pass for a TD to Greyson, help open a 27-13 halftime lead.

Junior RB #1 Devantae Cantrell, assisted McGrinn's passing skills, running for 132 yards. The pair worked exceptionally well in keeping the defense on their heels.

The season just started for these young Tigers, but their 43-28 victory over Ohatchee is an excellent sign their struggles of last season are a distant memory.