A Look Ahead: Tharptown Wildcats celebrate homecoming
By Bart Moss / For the FCT
It’s hard to believe, but high school football has reached midseason. Team identities are starting to take shape, and it’s getting easier to peer into the future of some teams.
Phil Campbell, Red Bay and Russellville all still have shots to make the playoffs. Fans will know more about that after next week’s slate of games.
This week teams are taking a break or stepping out of region play. The Tharptown Wildcats are celebrating homecoming this week, hosting the Brilliant Tigers. Phil Campbell travels to Phillips, and Russellville heads down to Winston County to take on the Haleyville Lions. Red Bay and Vina both have off weeks.
Phil Campbell (2-2) at Phillips (1-4)
The Phil Campbell Bobcats will face their second consecutive Class 1A opponent before heading back into region play next week. Phil Campbell will travel just across the county line to face the Phillips Bears.
Phillips is struggling this year, scoring 18.4 points per game and giving up 32.8 points per game. The Bears’ lone win was a 41-0 shutout of Vina, a team the Bobcats just beat Friday night.
“Phillips is a big rivalry game for both teams,” said Bobcat coach Kevin Barnwell. “The schools are just a few miles apart, and all the kids know each other, so it should be fun and intense.
“They are very physical at the line of scrimmage. They have some playmakers we will have to defend. We will have to play a solid game and not make mistakes.”
Red Bay (2-2) does not play this week
Red Bay is coming off two straight losses after starting the season with two straight wins. The open date comes at a good time for Coach Michael Jackson and his Red Bay Tigers. It offers them a chance to rest and regroup before they return to the field.
The Tigers haven’t played a home game since Aug. 24. Red Bay will play four of the last five games at home, beginning with a talented Sheffield team Oct. 5t.
“We want to use this week to get some guys back from injuries and begin work on preparing for our next region opponent,” said Red Bay coach Michael Jackson, referring to the matchup with Sheffield next week. “That game will decide some playoff spots. We are also excited to be back home and playing four of our last five games at home.”
Russellville (4-0) travels to Haleyville (2-2)
Russellville will step out of region play this week as the Golden Tigers try to continue their unbeaten season. They will travel to Haleyville, which is coming off an open date. The Lions will have had two weeks to prepare for Russellville.
Haleyville is 2-2 with a 21-7 win over Central and a 48-0 shutout win over Oak Grove. The Lions have a potent offense, averaging 26 points per game, but they are giving up 21.8 points per game.
“Haleyville has a great quarterback and an explosive offense,” said Russellville coach John Ritter. “Their defense is solid, and they play with great technique. They are well coached on both sides of the ball. Coach (Trey) McNutt and his staff do a phenomenal job coaching those guys. We will have to play mistake-free football on both sides to have an opportunity to be successful.”
Tharptown (1-3) hosts Brilliant (1-3)
Tharptown will celebrate homecoming this week, marking the 10th year since the school’s first graduating class.
The Wildcats have come off three brutal games with very athletic teams – Sheffield, Colbert County and Tanner. Although nothing is easy for Kevin Lacey’s young team, the Brilliant Tigers are just 1-3 in Class 1A, with their lone win coming against Vina 34-9.
Brilliant is averaging 14 points per game but giving up 39 points per game.
Tharptown has been without the two best playmakers for three weeks: Luis Macias and Carson Petree. Both should return for the homecoming game, giving the Wildcats a chance to get back into the win column.
“Offensively they try and spread the defense out,” said Tharptown coach Kevin Lacey. “They run a lot of different sets with an athletic quarterback that can run and throw it. They have played some pretty good teams, so the points they give up are a little deceiving. They still run to the ball and tackle well.”
Vina (0-4) does not play
Vina has had a rough start to the season, scoring only 11 points in four games. The open date is a welcome relief to a Red Devil team short on depth to get some much-needed rest.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Coach Jason Harris’s team. The Red Devils will host the Mars Hill Panthers Oct. 5. Unfortunately for Vina, Mars Hill might one of the best all-around teams in northwest Alabama in any classification.
“We have a great group of kids,” said Harris. “They have kept fighting against all odds and haven’t given up. We are always going to line up against the team in front of us and give our best effort.”
