Start the countdown – 6 teams, 3 games, 3 rivalries, 2 nights…kickoff!
By Staff
Justin Schuver, Hartselle Enquirer
If you are a high school football fan in Morgan County, you couldn’t have asked for a better slate of opening games. Take your pick — if big-school football is your thing you’ll be sure to see a great matchup as Hartselle takes on Austin. If you prefer watching a game between schools where the student body is smaller but the game is just as intense, then you’ll love Falkville’s battle with Danville. Or maybe you’d like to see a game of two rival schools that have never faced on the gridiron and are finally getting the chance to knock helmets with each other for the first time — then Priceville and Brewer’s contest Friday is your game.
No matter what, if you love high school football, you’ll love the pick of this week’s games. Each game is in its own way a battle for bragging rights and a contest that has the possibility of coming down to the very last play. You couldn’t have asked for three more closely-matched games.
Let’s get this thing kicked off.
The battle of the beasts: Hartselle at Austin
When it comes to Hartselle’s fiercest rivalries, typically Cullman and Decatur sit atop the list. But Austin is no slouch when it comes to facing the Tigers. Despite the fact the teams didn’t meet for the first time until 1964 — for comparison, the first Cullman game was in 1920 — the Black Bears rank as fifth on the list of most common Morgan County/Hartselle opponents.
Since 1964, the schools have faced each other 40 times with the Tigers holding a 24-15-1 series lead. Recently, the series has been one of streaks — Hartselle has won the last two contests after losing five straight from 1999-03. Last year, the Tigers squeaked out a 28-22 win.
The rivalry has also taken on a renewed interest since David Norwood has been at the helm of the Austin program. Norwood was a member of Hartselle’s 1981 team that lost in the state championship and has lost both games he has coached against his alma mater.
Godsey expects that Austin will have a different-looking offense this season. The Black Bears lost long-time starting quarterback Bailey Hardwick to graduation and have used more of a ground-game in their attack based on what the Hartselle coach has seen.
The game will be played at Decatur High School’s Ogle Stadium, less than a 15-minute drive from Hartselle’s campus.
With the proximity of the two schools, Godsey is expecting a raucous atmosphere.
Small schools with big heart: Danville at Falkville
Last season, the Hawks managed to just squeak by with a 6-0 victory at home against Falkville. With the exception of a 40-12 Danville win in 2004, all the recent meetings have been very close. Danville won 12-6 in 2003, Falkville had an 18-16 win in 2002 and Danville took it 15-13 in 2001.
The next chapter of the series is slated for tonight at Falkville’s Burl Vest Stadium.
Last season, the Hawks had difficulty maintaining any consistency on offense. Danville was particularly hampered by the turnover in its opener against Falkville, fumbling the ball away five times. This year, the Hawks have made changes on their offense, particularly in moving senior John Dalton to quarterback. Estes expects those changes will pay off dividends for Danville.
But Burch says in order to win, the Hawks are going to have to rely on the cornerstone of the program since Burch has been coaching at Danville — defense.
The birth of a new rivalry?: Brewer at Priceville
Although this will be the first time the two schools have met on the football field since Priceville’s re-inception as a high school athletics participant in 1999, the two teams have already created quite a rivalry in other sports.
At the same time, however, the two teams realize this is just one game on the schedule — and a non-region game, at that.
The teams have not met in the regular season, although last year they did compete against each other in a preseason jamboree that Priceville won by the score of 23-19 in a come-from-behind victory.
If there was a theme both coaches picked up on in this year’s game, it is turnovers. Both Coleman and Weeks believe that the team who hangs onto the football will be the team that wins the game.
