Seventh grader Cal George makes a pass to a teammate during their loss to Cedar Ridge Thursday. | Caleb Suggs

Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

With a 19-5 record over the past three years, Hartselle Junior High School’s seventh and eighth grade football teams are looking forward to another winning season.

Last year’s eighth grade team won the Tennessee Valley Conference championship with an undefeated record before losing in a crossover playoff final, 7-6.

“We had a really good group of players,” said head coach Keith Wright, and to go through the season without a loss to Florence, Muscle Shoals, Cedar Ridge, Oak Park, Brookhaven and Athens was something special.”

“We have about 92 players on this year’s roster with about 50 of them being eighth graders, Wright said. “ The seventh graders had wins against Muscle Shoals and Florence, two of the conference’s strongest teams, last season, and we’re excited about having them move up to our eighth grade team.”

“The strength of the eighth grade team this year will be the offensive line where we have good-size players,” Wright added. “Our coaches believe they can be as good as they want to be.”

Working with Wright as head coach of the seventh grade team is Shane Alexander. Assistant coaches are Justin Jones, Chris Wimberley, Jimmy George and George Stephenson.

The junior Tigers hosted non-conference Russellville in a jamboree August 20 with the eighth grade team wining 44-20. They played Cedar Ridge at home August 27. Other games are scheduled as follows: Sept. 3, Athens away; Sept. 10, open; Sept. 17, Oak Park, away; Sept. 24, Muscle Shoals away; Oct. 1, Muscle Shoals home; Oct. 8, Brookhaven home; and Oct. 15, Florence home. Kickoffs are 5 p.m. for the seventh graders and 7 p.m. for the eighth graders.

8th grade Tigers

lose to Cedar Ridge

Turnovers and penalties hurt Hartselle’s eighth grade football team as they lost to Cedar Ridge 14-6 in their home opener Thursday night.

“We fumbled the ball three times and that was the difference in the game,” said head coach Keith Wright. “Our defense played outstanding ball and kept us in the game. Offensively, we had opportunities but didn’t get the execution we needed.”

The seventh grade team  also lost its game.