Phil Campbell JH wraps up perfect 8-0 season

PHIL CAMPBELL — The Phil Campbell Junior High Bobcats completed an 8-0 season with a 42-22 win over Colbert Heights on Oct. 14.

Phil Campbell scored early when Daniel Hill broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run to put the Bobcats on the board. The two-point try was no good, giving the Bobcats a 6-0 lead.

The defense helped build momentum when Jameson Swinney recovered a fumble to give the Bobcats strong field position.

Quarterback Collin Bell followed with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kamoni Savage, extending the lead to 12-0. Not long after, Tripp Nix ran 55 yards for another score, and a successful conversion made it 20-0.

Bell and Savage connected again in the second half for a 60-yard touchdown. Bell then ran 65 yards for a score and added the two-point conversion to put Phil Campbell up 34-6.

In the final quarter, Hill threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Bell. The two-point try was good, bringing the final score to 42-22.

Phil Campbell’s perfect season included wins over Lawrence County, Colbert Heights, Colbert County, and Red Bay.

The victory marked the Bobcats’ first undefeated season in decades, closing a year that reflected years of steady teamwork and growth.

Coach Charles Bell said the milestone represents more than numbers on a scoreboard.

“The ninth-grade group this year, I’ve had them since they were about six years old,” Bell said. “They’ve always played together. It’s been special to see them go from little boys learning the basics to young men leading on the field.”

The team finished 8-0 including an opponent that canceled because of weather, a strong turnaround from last year’s 3-5 record.

“The highlight of my season was seeing them realize they still had it,” Bell said. “They went through a rough year last year, but they came back and proved who they are.”

He said the players’ ability to grow together has always set them apart.

“They’re young men now,” Bell said. “They’re not my little boys anymore. They’ve always been my family, but this year I looked out there and realized they didn’t need me the same way. They’d become their own people, and they knew how to lead each other.”

Bell described the group as disciplined and driven — not only as athletes, but as people.

“Their desire to be good men is what makes them different,” he said. “It’s not about the score. It’s about who they become. Even if they’d lost that last game, I’d still be just as proud.”

He said the players’ growth extended far beyond their record.

“They’re individuals off the field — some love books, some love games, some just love sports,” Bell said. “But when they step on the field, they’re one unit. They trust each other completely.”

For Bell, watching the team finally earn recognition at the school level was especially meaningful.

“It always bothered me when people would say we only won because we played county teams,” he said. “These kids have worked hard for years. They’ve always shown up ready to practice, ready to get better. They earned every win.”

He credited their mindset for sustaining their success.

“They’ve always understood it’s not about what you’ve already done,” he said. “The only play that matters is the next one. That’s why they keep winning.”

Bell said he hopes the players will remember this season not just for the record but for what it meant to them as teammates.

“I hope they remember looking across the field and knowing they could count on each other,” he said. “Stats fade. The bonds last.”

Bell, who also serves as a youth pastor, said his coaching philosophy centers on faith and consistency.

“Focus on what matters — your faith, your character, your commitment to others,” he said. “If you stay grounded in those things, the rest takes care of itself.”

He said he’s proud that the players have learned to take ownership of their growth.

“They’re students of the game,” Bell said. “They don’t just do what they’re told — they understand why. That’s what builds a culture. When players can teach others what they’ve learned, that’s when you know you’ve done something right.” Bell praised his fellow coaches Jason Cooper and Jeremy Sibley for helping make that culture possible.

“Chemistry was key for the coaches in our first year together,” Bell said. “We all trusted one another, and it showed.”

Offensive coach Sibley said the staff’s connection grew stronger with each game. He said one of the group’s strengths was the way players balanced one another.

“Where one player’s weakness is another player’s strength, and if one struggles, you’ve got two brothers to pick him up,” he said. “If the pass game isn’t there, the run game is. Then we can sub in players and the pass game’s back. It’s multiple ways to attack.”

Returning to coaching for the first time since 2017, Sibley said the season also brought personal growth.

“I didn’t know either of the other coaches before this year,” he said. “I had to learn them, and they had to learn me. By about game five, it was easy. We’d suggest a play at the same time. We just jelled.”

When asked about the future, Sibley said the transition ahead will bring change, but also opportunity.

“The ninth-grade group is moving up to varsity, so I’m losing them,” he said. “But I’ve got seventh and eighth graders moving up, and the youth group coming in next year looks really good. Honestly, it’s just reload and see what we’ve got.”

Bell said the future is bright not only for the players but for the program as a whole.

“I believe this could be the start of something lasting,” he said. “We don’t have to be a big school to build a strong culture. We just have to do things right, every day.”

The junior high team roster includes Cameron Jones, Mathew Jackson, Conner Fugate, Duane Allison, Alex Cooper, Judson Baker, Marshall Allison, Aiden Malone, River Karr, Collin Bell, Kamoni Savage, Daniel Hill, Cross Bell, Mason Holifield, J.R. Howard, Tripp Nix, Joey Acevedo, Conner Headlee, Braxton Vandiver, Cam Barton, Briley Haney and Jameson Swinney.