Phil Campbell High School football season preview
The Phil Campbell Bobcats return to the gridiron under second year coach Jacob Hamilton. The Bobcats, with a mostly new starting lineup, went 4-7 and earned a berth in the Class 3A state playoffs.
It was short lived, as the Bobcats lost to Gordo (a team now in their region) 56-6. Phil Campbell’s biggest win came against rival Hackleburg 22-20. Half of Phil Campbell’s schedule will be unfamiliar. The Bobcats will face three teams they have no history with: Oakman, Midfield and Hanceville.
Phil Campbell High School Football Schedule
August 30 – Phil Campbell hosts Hamilton. The Bobcats open against a team they haven’t beaten since 1986. The Hamilton Aggies own a 26-4-1 record against the Bobcats. Hamilton had their worst season in program history last year, going 1-9. They averaged 25.8 points per game and gave up 46.4 points per game. They gave up a program record of 464 points last year. The last time Phil Campbell and Hamilton met was in 2005.
September 6 – Phil Campbell hosts Vinemont. Phil Campbell and Vinemont have faced each other only twice, in 2000 and 2001. The Bobcats won both games. The Eagles finished fourth last year in Class 3A Region 7, going 4-7. They averaged 23.1 points per game and gave up 28.2 points per game. They lost to Sylvania in the first round of the playoffs, 41-0.
September 13 – Phil Campbell at Oakman. Phil Campbell will face the first of three teams they have no history with when they travel to Oakman. The Wildcats finished third in Class 3A Region 5 last year, going 7-4. They averaged 25.7 points per game and gave up 21.6 points per game. Oakman lost to Mars Hill in the first round of the playoffs, 63-7.
September 20 – Phil Campbell hosts Winfield. The Pirates finished second in Class 3A Region 5 last year,going 10-2. They only lost to Gordo, 25-18, and Sylvania, 63-7, in the first round of the playoffs. Winfield averaged 37.2 points per game and gave up 14.2 points per game. Winfield is 12-5 historically versus Phil Campbell. The two schools last played in 2003. The Bobcats’ last win came in 1997.
September 27 – Phil Campbell at Hackleburg. The only two losses for Hackleburg last year were against the Bobcats at the beginning of the season, 22-20, and the end, in the third round of the Class 1A playoffs, to Coosa Christian, 63-13. Hackleburg returns the core of the team from last year. The Panthers lead this series, 50-38-1. Phil Campbell has won the last five consecutive games.
October 4 – Phil Campbell at Midfield. The Bobcats will travel to the west side of Birmingham to take on the Midfield Patriots. This is another team Phil Campbell has never played. The Patriots finished fifth in their region last year going 3-5. They averaged 28.3 points per game and gave up 24.4 points per game. They played two teams the Bobcats played last year, losing to Gordo, 42-0, and beating Carbon Hill, 58-0.
October 11 – Phil Campbell hosts Carbon Hill. This will be a Thursday night Homecoming game for the Bobcats. Phil Campbell beat Carbon Hill last year, 52-13. The Bulldogs went 0-10 last year, a program record. They averaged 7.6 points per game and gave up 51.7 points per game.
October 18 – Phil Campbell at Gordo. The Bobcats faced the Green Wave last year for the first time in the first round of the playoffs. Phil Campbell scored the opening touchdown of the game before Gordo went on a 56-0 run to win. Now the Bobcats have to go to Gordo again as region opponents. Gordo went 10-2 last year,averaging 42.9 points per game and allowing 15.3 points per game. They lost to Geraldine in the second round of the playoffs, 42-34.
October 25 – Phil Campbell at Hanceville. Phil Campbell and Hanceville have never met. The Bulldogs finished sixth in Class 4A Region 6 last year, going 4-6. Hanceville averaged 19.3 points per game and gave up 30.5 points per game. Hanceville beat Class 5A Lawrence County last year.
November 1 – Phil Campbell at Red Bay. Last year, Red Bay beat Phil Campbell, 52-20 with a senior-laden class. Although most of the Tigers’ starters have moved on, there will still be plenty of talent, and they will have a full season under their belts by the time this game rolls around.
