The Catch Football 2025 by troypublications

THE CATCH 2025

A special publication of The Messenger

SCHEDULES 2025

GHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT NOTASULGA (JAMBOREE)

AUG. 29 AT ALABAMA CHRISTIAN

SEPT. 5 ZION CHAPEL *

SEPT. 12 AT CALHOUN *

SEPT. 19 VS. HIGHLAND HOME *

SEPT. 26 VS. ELBA

OCT. 3 AT BARBOUR COUNTY *

OCT. 10 OPEN

OCT. 24 VS. LUVERNE *

OCT. 31 VS. STRAUGHN *

TROY SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 30 NICHOLLS

SEPT. 6 AT CLEMSON

SEPT. 13 MEMPHIS

SEPT. 20 AT BUFFALO

OCT. 4 VS. SOUTH ALABAMA *

OCT. 11 AT TEXAS STATE *

OCT. 18 AT ULM *

OCT. 25 VS. LOUISIANA *

NOV. 1 VS. ARKANSAS STATE *

NOV. 13 AT OLD DOMINION *

NOV. 22 VS. GEORGIA STATE *

NOV. 29 AT SOUTHERN MISS *

*REGION GAME

CHHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT CHELSEA

AUG. 29 AT HIGHLAND HOME

SEPT. 5 AT GREENVILLE *

SEPT. 12 AT CARROLL *

SEPT. 19 VS. MONTGOMERY-CATHOLIC *

SEPT. 26 VS. BENJAMIN RUSSELL

OCT. 3 AT ANDALUSIA *

OCT. 17 VS. HEADLAND (HOMECOMING) *

OCT. 23 VS. EUFAULA *

OCT. 30 VS. PIKE ROAD

AHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 OPEN

AUG. 29 AT GEORGIANA

SEPT. 5 AT HOUSTON COUNTY *

SEPT. 12 VS. ABBEVILLE *

SEPT. 19 AT GW LONG *

SEPT. 26 AT DALE COUNTY *

*REGION GAME

PLAS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT NEW BROCKTON

AUG. 29 AT SAMSON

SEPT. 5 VS. CALHOUN *

SEPT. 12 AT LUVERNE *

SEPT. 19 VS. BARBOUR COUNTY *

SEPT. 26 AT NOTASULGA

OCT. 3 AT ZION CHAPEL *

OCT. 10 VS. GOSHEN *

OCT. 17 AT HIGHLAND HOME *

OCT. 24 VS. LOACHAPOKA *

OCT. 31 OPEN

OCT. 3 VS. PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN *

OCT. 10 VS. COTTONWOOD *

OCT. 17 VS. SAMSON *

OCT. 24 AT GENEVA COUNTY *

OCT. 31 VS. BRANTLEY

*REGION GAME

PCHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 29 AT HOUSTON ACADEMY

SEPT. 5 VS GENEVA *

SEPT. 12 VS. OPP *

SEPT. 19 AT ASHFORD *

SEPT. 26 VS. CARROLL

OCT. 3 AT DALEVILLE *

OCT. 10 AT STRAUGHN *

OCT. 17 VS DALE COUNTY *

OCT. 24 VS. NEW BROCKTON *

OCT. 31 OPEN *REGION GAME

ZCHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT KINSTON

AUG. 29 VS. ELLWOOD CHRISTIAN

SEPT. 5 AT GOSHEN *

SEPT. 12 VS. HIGHLAND HOME *

SEPT. 19 AT LUVERNE *

SEPT. 26 OPEN

OCT. 3 VS. PIKE LIBERAL ARTS *

OCT. 10 AT BAKER (FLA.)

OCT. 17 VS. CALHOUN *

OCT. 24 AT BARBOUR COUNTY *

OCT. 31 VS. PLEASANT HOME *REGION GAME

TO ALL OUR LOCAL TEAMS THIS SEASON! TO ALL OUR LOCAL TEAMS THIS SEASON! KW PLASTICS WOULD LIKE TO WIS KW PLASTICS WOULD LIKE TO WIS

GOOD LUCKGOOD LUCKGOOD LUCK GOOD LUCK

Charles Henderson High School

CHARLES HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL

STORY BY JOSH BOUTWELL, PHOTOS BY PUREGAME SPORTS

The Charles Henderson Trojans are entering into a new era of football as longtime assistant coach Phillip Jones takes over as head coach.

Jones, a former all-conference running back at Troy University, has been coaching for more than 20 years with that entire coaching experience being with the Trojans. Jones has coached at CHHS since he graduated from Troy and now takes over as head coach, entering his first season at the helm.

“The offseason has gone well,” Jones said of his first offseason as head coach. “We’ve been working really hard since December when I took over. We’ve been working hard in the weight room. That’s one of the things I wanted to change when I took over, the way we look. We wanted to get bigger, faster and stronger. That was one of my main goals.”

Jones said a key for him was getting his players to buy into his way of doing things even though they were already familiar with him.

“That’s our goal, to develop these young guys and that has been going well,” said Jones. “For the kids, it’s all about buying in. When you take over, you incorporate your stuff that you want to get done and set your standards and we’ve been really working on that and they’ve really been working hard.”

Jones said he knows he has a young team, so his coaches have been treating every practice like a game situation.

“We only have two guys returning on defense and three guys on offense,

so we treat practices like games,” he said. “We’re going to keep it simple, so that we can play fast and play hard. We’re making practice hard, working on a little bit of everything. The more they see it, the more they rep it, the better they’re going to be.

Upfront, we’re inexperienced and looking to build the chemistry there and make sure we’re communicating. We’ll also be young at wide receiver but we do have talent and our young - but veteran - quarterback is coming back. Defensively, we’ll also be very young up front but we have two guys coming back in the secondary, which will be big for that group. We have a lot of work to do and we know that.”

Jones said he’ll be looking to his returning veterans to lead the way this season.

“Terrance Thomas will be playing both sides of the ball for us and he’ll be a leader,” said Jones. “Kingston Sharp will be a leader up front and we’ll lean on him and Tyrique Thomas there. Ty Cunningham is a defensive lineman we have that is coming back and Kellen (Stewart) is our quarterback, those guys will be leaders. We’re looking for those guys to produce for us.”

Thomas earned All-Messenger honors last season at defensive back, tallying 25 tackles, three tackles-forloss, three interceptions, a forced fumble and six pass breakups. Stewart completed 70-of-128 passes as a sophomore for 857 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. He also scored a rushing touchdown.

In the offseason, Charles Henderson hired former Auburn quarterback

Jeremy Johnson to serve as quarterback coach and offensive coordinator. Jones believes that will pay off for Stewart.

“We didn’t have a quarterback coach for him last season,” Jones said. “He was still learning but that was one of my main goals, to get a quarterback coach. He was 16 years old and didn’t have a dedicated quarterback coach, just trying to figure things out. We obviously had coaches that were coaching him along the way but noone steady teaching him what to read and what to look for as a quarterback. We have one this year with Jeremy Johnson and I think that will be good for him.”

Jones is excited about what Johnson and the other new assistant coaches bring to the team.

“They bring a lot of wisdom and knowledge and experience to the team,” said Jones. “Jeremy is coming off winning in (Class) 4A and 5A, so he knows what winning looks like. He also played at a high level. He was Mr. Football coming out of high school and played at Auburn and played professionally.

“(Samuel) Blacksher played offensive line at Alabama State and he brings that college playing experience as an offensive line coach. (Defensive line coach) Jimmy Garrett has been coaching for a long time, 20-plus years of experience. He has a ton of experience. We just want to surround the kids with good people that want to develop our players and want to see them be successful.”

Jones also brings back veteran assistant coaches, which in -

cludes defensive line coach Marcus Jones, defensive coordinator Scott Graham, receiver coaches Josh Knight and Tyree Reed, defensive back coaches Dee Brundidge and Markeis Hornsby and athletic trainer Micah Yance.

Jones said the ultimate goal is a championship but for Charles Henderson to reach that goal, they will have to practice like champions.

“You always want to win the region, for starters,” he continued. “Secondly, you want to be playing during Thanksgiving (in the playoffs). Everyone wants to be in the (state) championship game but I don’t just want to be in it, I want us to win it. We have to do what it takes, which is to be champions every single day. Every day we step out on the field, we have to practice like champions. So, that’s what I expect. That’s the expectation I have and I won’t have it any other way.”

Charles Henderson opens the season on Aug. 22 on the road against Chelsea in the start of a brutal fourgame road stretch to open the 2025 season. After Chelsea, CHHS faces Highland Home (Aug. 29), Greenville (Sept. 5) and Carroll (Sept. 12) all on the road. Back at home, the Trojans host Montgomery-Catholic on Sept. 19 and Benjamin Russell for back-to-back home stands.

Charles Henderson caps off its road schedule at Andalusia on Oct. 3 before closing out the regular season with three consecutive home games against Headland on Homecoming (Oct. 17), Eufaula (Oct. 23) and Pike Road (Oct. 30).

Charles Henderson High School

CHHS Trojans

CLASS: 5A | REGION: 2 | REGION OPPONENTS: Andalusia, Carroll, Montgomery-Catholic, Eufaula, Greenville, Headland 2024 record: 0-9 (five wins forfeited | LAST REGION TITLE: 2022 LAST PLAYOFF GAME: 2023 | STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: 1980 | STADIUM: Veterans Memorial Stadium

COACHES

CHHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT CHELSEA

AUG. 29 AT HIGHLAND HOME

SEPT. 5 AT GREENVILLE *

SEPT. 12 AT CARROLL *

SEPT. 19 VS. MONTGOMERY-CATHOLIC *

SEPT. 26 VS. BENJAMIN RUSSELL

OCT. 3 AT ANDALUSIA *

OCT. 17 VS. HEADLAND (HOMECOMING) *

OCT. 23 VS. EUFAULA *

OCT. 30 VS. PIKE ROAD *REGION GAME

MARCUS

MARKEIS

TYREE

THE TROJANS

AARON FORBES

DONNIVIN MCCAIN

JACKSON JONES

KELLEN STEWART

MALACHI JACKSON

ACHILLIS EVANS

KENDALE CRAYTON

DREYTON WINGARD MAYSON ISSAAC JAM BURNEY

BARKER

GRAY DUNN LINDSEY

WILLIAMS

TEMPLIN AMARI WINGARD

BRAYDEN EUTSEY KINGSTON SHARP

EASTON FAIRCLOTH SAVEYOUN SCOTT JAYDEN FENN

ELIJAH MCQUEEN

JAYLEN JACKSON

BRIECE BAKER KJ ROBINSON

SAVON FENN

CUNNINGHAM CHRISTIAN NAJERA LA’TAVIOUS PENNINGTON

RIFFIN BRYSON ROBINSON KOURTNI CHRISTIEN ELIJAH WARREN SINCERE MCKINNEY JEALIN ATWELL ZIGGY BOYD

THOMAS

BERRY

FULTON

NGYUEN

DANIEL

BARREN

ELLIOTT BELL TA’QUARY KELLEY JORDAN GREEN

WARREN

FLOWERS

PARRISH

HEAD

OF SCHOOL AMY ALLEN

The mission of Pike Liberal Arts School is to provide academic excellence by offering a challenging, safe school environment that is conducive to productive learning, both emotionally and intellectually It is our goal to nurture, encourage, and motivate all students to perform to the best of their abilities in order that they may assume their individual roles as productive members of society

Pike Liberal Arts School

PIKE LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL

STORY, PHOTOS BY JOSH BOUTWELL

The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots are coming off a frustrating 2024 season that saw them qualify for the playoffs only to ultimately miss them.

Last season, Pike Lib went 6-4 on the field and were about to make history as the first Patriot football team to qualify for the playoffs as a member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) but were then forced to forfeit all six wins, once again missing out on the playoffs.

The youthful Patriots used that disappointment as fuel to their summer workouts.

“Summer workouts went great,” Pike Lib Coach William Moguel said. “Our kids have gotten stronger, bigger and have put on a lot of weight. Coach (Kerry) Coston - our strength and conditioning and offensive line coach - has done a remarkable job with these kids.”

Moguel said that when he was hired as the head coach at Pike Lib, getting stronger was one of his primary goals. Moguel gives a lot of credit to Coston for the successes in that department.

“We’re stronger,” Moguel flatly said of the biggest difference between PLAS when he took over and now. “The kids are a lot stronger than when I first got here. I can’t praise Coach Coston enough with what he’s done with our strength program. The two years he’s been here, our kids are much stronger and that is really going to help us in the end.”

The strength of the Patriots heading into 2025 is in the trenches but the skill positions are where Pike lacks experience.

“Our experience up front is our biggest strength,” Moguel said. “We’re going to be experienced on the offensive and defensive lines. We graduated 10 seniors and that was pretty much all of our skill guys. We have to break it down and get technical with our skill guys because we have some that have never played and some that this is their first opportunity to play at the varsity level. It’s been about getting them the most work as we possibly can.”

With that much experience coming back on the line of scrimmage, it comes at no surprise that the bulk of the leaders are expected to be across the offensive line. One of those leaders is senior offensive lineman Brayden Pyron, who earned All-Messenger honors last season as he tallied 55 pancakes with a 92 blocking grade and just two sacks allowed.

“Brayden Pyron is a five-year starter for us and Cade May is a two-year starter on the line. Tucker Vaughan is also a twoyear starter,” Moguel continued.

“Nathan Jefcoat started for us as an eighth grader last year and both Ryan Copeland and Braden Bennett are freshmen that will start. Those guys are going to lead us up front.”

Moguel is looking to sophomore quarterback Dutch Adams to lead the offense.

“The big thing with him is keeping things as simple as we possibly can,” Moguel said of his quarterback. “Don’t rush him into anything and let him get his feet wet and let the game come to him. Hopefully, he won’t try to rush into anything either and he can sort of settle into the position as the season goes on.”

There are also some key skill players that Moguel hopes can help Adams ease into the starting role.

“Jack Baggett is our guy coming back at running back that has played a couple of years and we’re going to lean on him there,” said Moguel. “Jackson Bowen is also back at running back. We also have some kids like Will Scott who will help us out on defense and on offense at tight end. We have a good group of kids but it will take time and experience and them learning.”

Staying healthy will be a key for Pike as the young players develop over the season.

“We have to stay healthy,” Moguel emphasized. “We need our young guys to really come on as the season progresses. So, when we get to region play we’re hitting on all cylinders. The experience factor with our young guys is the biggest thing for us this year, along with staying healthy.”

While Moguel acknowledges the disappointment of making history by qualifying for the playoffs only for that to be taken away, he said the Patriots can’t

focus on the playoffs. It will take a concentration on improvement to lead to that.

“We tell our kids all the time that we want them to compete and get after it and give full effort on each play,” he said. “If we can look at ourselves and say we did the best and we still came up short, then that’s fine. But let’s not look back and say that we didn’t give full effort. You can control effort and if we give full effort then good things will happen for us.

“Yes, we want to win the region. Yes, we want to make the playoffs, but it’s going to take us doing all the little things quarter by quarter, minute by minute and game by game to reach those other goals.”

Pike Lib opens the regular season with a matchup on the road at Class 4A’s New Brockton on Aug. 22 and then heads to Samson on Aug. 29. Pike opens its home slate on Sept. 5 for a region contest against Calhoun before hitting the road again to face Luverne on Sept. 12.

The Patriots are back home Sept. 19 against Barbour County and then hits the road to face Notasulga on Sept. 26. Another road game against Zion Chapel is scheduled for Oct. 3 before a county showdown with Goshen on Oct. 10. PLAS will close out the regular season with a road game against Highland Home (Oct. 17) and home game against Loachapoka (Oct. 24).

Pike Liberal Arts School

PLAS Patriots

COACHES

PLAS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT NEW BROCKTON

AUG. 29 AT SAMSON

SEPT. 5 VS. CALHOUN *

SEPT. 12 AT LUVERNE *

SEPT. 19 VS. BARBOUR COUNTY *

SEPT. 26 AT NOTASULGA

OCT. 3 AT ZION CHAPEL *

OCT. 10 VS. GOSHEN *

OCT. 17 AT HIGHLAND HOME *

OCT. 24 VS. LOACHAPOKA *

OCT. 31 OPEN

*REGION GAME

THE Patriots

AARON WARD

COLE CLEVELAND

GARRETT PATTERSON

ASA LOWERY

COLTON BOONE

GAVIN GOODRICK

BARRETT POWELL

CONNOR SANDERS

JACK BAGGETT

NOAH HOULTON

TUCKER VAUGHAN

BRADEN BENNETT

DANIEL DORRILL

JACKSON BOWEN

RYAN COPELAND

TYLER WHATLEY

BRADEN SHIRLEY

DAVID RILEY SANDERS

JAY CARTER

SAWYER POWELL

WESTON GARRETT

BRAYDEN PYRON

DUTCH ADAMS

JD VAUGHAN

STINSON PAUL

WIL SCOTT

CADE MAY

EASTON KNIGHT

JUD ROSS

ROYAL

BROOKINS

GOOLSBY

RICH

BURKETT

MAY

ZANE

TRIP

CARTER

ELLIOT

LANDON

CARTER

FINN DUNCAN

NATHAN JEFCOAT

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR LOCAL TEAM GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR LOCAL TEAM GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR LOCAL TEAM

MS ON THE G THIS SEASON! MS ON THE G THIS SEASON!

Pike County High School

PIKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

STORY, PHOTOS BY JOSH BOUTWELL

The Pike County Bulldogs enter year four under head coach Mark Hurt looking to make a return to the playoffs.

Hurt led his Bulldogs back to the playoffs in his first year in 2022 - after Pike County missed out on the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade the prior year - but missed out on the playoffs each of the last two seasons, despite being in the playoff hunt late in the season in both 2023 and 2024.

“I thought the offseason went well,” Hurt said. “We don’t have as much depth as I’d like to have but the kids are working hard and we’re starting to improve. They were extremely young last year and got some experience. So, they have that experience under their belt and I think that has helped out a lot.”

The Bulldogs return the bulk of the coaching staff from last year but have also added some coaches in new offensive coordinator CJ Harris, linebackers coach Granison Wagstaff, receivers coach Matthew Grilliot and offensive line coach Ryan McCollough. McCollough previously served as an assistant coach for Pike County in 2022 and 2023.

“I feel like we’ve brought in some good coaches that really know how to coach and teach,” Hurt said. “So, having a young team, that will help us out a whole lot.”

Among Pike County’s returning

leaders is senior athlete Braylin Jackson, who earned All-Messenger honors last season. He lined up all over the field, tallying 63 carries for 423 yards and five touchdowns on the ground along with 418 yards and five touchdowns on 24 catches. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. He earned 1,153 all-purpose yards on the season. Pike County will also get senior quarterback CJ Griffin back after he missed all of 2024 with an injury.

“We’re looking for Braylin Jackson to be a leader for us as an athlete and CJ Griffin is back after being injured last year,” said Hurt. “Zaikeilen Adams is another senior in the secondary that has experience and we think will do well. Azhoree Eutsey is another guy we’re moving around on offense and defense.

“He’s still a quarterback but he’s also an athlete. Ayden Foster is a guy we expect to have a good year this year and Jacory Knox, as well. We have several kids we feel like that have the potential and ability to make plays for us.”

Pike County also returns a number of veteran players on the offensive line.

“Up front, we have three seniors, a sophomore, a freshman and another sophomore that all played last year,” said Hurt. “Those guys are working together and still learning to play together. We have several of them that played last year and we expect

them to be a lot better this year.”

With Griffin injured last season, Eutsey was thrust into the starting quarterback role as a freshman. With Griffin back, Eutsey is expected to play an “athlete” role all over the field as a sophomore.

“We plan on him getting reps in a lot of different areas but he’s just too good not to be on the field,” Hurt said of Eutsey.

While Pike County returns a number of veterans from last season’s team, Hurt said there is still plenty of work to be done before the season gets started.

“Up front, we still have to learn about leverage, staying low and not playing high,” Hurt continued.

“We have to learn how to push through fatigue and make every play count. We have to work on getting our timing down on our (passing) routes and the secondary has to improve because we didn’t do well on third-and-long last year. We have some new guys back there and we’re working on situations and trying to make sure we do well in situations and don’t give up big plays.”

Hurt said he believed a key for the Bulldogs in 2025 will be their mentality in tough situations.

“We have to stay healthy, No. 1, and we have to stick together and play together as a team and as a unit,” he said. “We have to learn that we’ll run into some adversity and road blocks, but we have to fight through that. Mental toughness is the main thing for us.

“Last year we had an opportunity to make the playoffs - we just had to win a game - and were in those games we needed last year. Certain situations would come up where good things didn’t happen and we tended to get down on ourselves. We have to learn to play through those things and make it happen for us. That’s my take on it, in terms of mentality. Sticking together, being unified and understanding and believing we are doing all the things we need to do to get better.”

Hurt said the Bulldogs have the same type of goals that all teams have in regards to playoffs but to reach those goals, they have to concentrate on improving every day.

“The goal is to make the playoffs and win every game and be the best that we can be,” he flatly said. “We just want to get 1 percent better every week and do the best we can do. That’s the first goal.”

Pike County opens the season on Aug. 29 at Houston Academy and then hosts Geneva (Sept. 5) and Opp (Sept. 12) in back-toback home region games. After traveling to Ashford on Sept. 19, the Bulldogs will host Carroll on Sept. 26.

PCHS hits the road for two straight against Daleville (Oct. 3) and Straughn (Oct. 10) before closing out the regular season at home against Dale County (Oct. 17) and New Brockton (Oct. 24).

Pike County High School

PCHS Bulldogs

COACHES

PCHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 29 AT HOUSTON ACADEMY

SEPT. 5 VS GENEVA *

SEPT. 12 VS. OPP *

SEPT. 19 AT ASHFORD *

SEPT. 26 VS. CARROLL

OCT. 3 AT DALEVILLE *

OCT. 10 AT STRAUGHN *

OCT. 17 VS DALE COUNTY *

OCT. 24 VS. NEW BROCKTON *

OCT. 31 OPEN *REGION GAME

THE bulldogs

REDMON

MORTELLARO

BRAXTON BYRD JAMARIS CAMPBELL CHARLESTON MOORE

CURREL

PITTMAN

FREEMAN

EUTSEY

FOSTER

LAMPLEY

GUICE

WALKER

EUTSEY

HALL

STEWARD

LAMPLEY

GALEOTECURIEL

PATTERSON

COLLINS

FULLER

PATTERSON

LUCAS

OWENS

KNOX

CARLISE

JACKSON

TAUNTON

KITE

AUSTIN

GRAHAM

LUCY

FRANKLIN

COPELAND

Clean

Friendly

Academic

Fiscal

PIKE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Goshen High School

GOSHEN HIGH SCHOOL

STORY, PHOTOS BY JOSH BOUTWELL

The Goshen Eagles are looking to take another step forward at a deep run in the playoffs heading into 2025.

Head coach Don Moore is heading into year five at the helm, coming off a 2024 season in which he was named All-Messenger Coach of the Year. Goshen won zero games the year prior to Moore’s arrival and won just one his first season. Since then, the Eagles have won 23 games and made back-to-back playoff appearances.

“The summer went really well,” Moore said. “We had good attendance, good energy and good effort from our guys. It was a really good summer for us.”

Goshen is breaking in a new defensive coordinator this season as former Dothan coach Quincy McKay has joined the staff.

“He brings a wealth of knowledge in terms of defense, especially from the defensive line and inside linebackers,” Moore said of McKay. “He brings a lot of ideas that we haven’t maybe thought about or done before. He also brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the team and he’s very detailed.”

Also joining the staff this season is former Charles Henderson assistant coach Shannon Powell, who will coach offensive and defensive lines. Former Troy University basketball player Nick O’Brien will also coach linebackers.

“These new coaches bring a lot of new ideas,” Moore said of the staff additions. “They’re really good coaches that are detailed and organized. Having new staff members has been good for us and the kids are taking well to them. It was a good shakeup for us.”

Moore said he believes the offensive and defensive lines will lead the way for the Eagles this season.

“Right now, our offensive and defensive lines are our strong suits,” Moore said. “Those guys up front, Jacoby Brunson, Tristen Andrews, Kobe Richardson and George Crawley are all guys we have coming back.”

Brunson earned All-Messenger honors last season as he earned a 94-percent blocking grade with 54 pancakes on offense. He will also anchor the GHS defensive line. While the offensive and defensive lines will have plenty of veterans, the skill positions will be almost completely new.

Almost the entirety of Goshen’s offensive production graduated from last season, including a combined 3,036 yards and 44 touchdowns rushing between Jayden McNabb, Szemerick Andrews and Tyler McLendon.

“Our quarterback is a senior, Grant Taylor, and we have some receivers like JD Burney and Jamauri Flowers that we’re looking to get the ball to as much as possible,” Moore said.

Goshen has been known for its punishing running game over the last three years and Jaylon Vinson is one of the players Moore looks to continue that tradition with.

“Jaylen Vison has done a pretty good job for us running the ball and we’re still going to use our quarterbacks to run the ball some,” said Moore. “So, (Taylor) will be involved in the running game and we’re looking to get the ball out on the edges as much as possible with some of our quicker guys.”

For the first time in three years, Goshen will also break in a new quarterback but Moore is confident in Taylor.

“Grant Taylor brings knowledge to the quarterback position and the way he sees the game,” said Moore. “He has a good relationship with the guys and he commands the huddle really well. Those guys respect him and look up to him. He’s also really tough and is really coachable.

“He just wants to be coached all the time and wants to make sure he’s doing the right things. He asks a lot of details about the things we’re doing and the guys see that and they respond to it.”

Moore said Goshen’s goals this year are the same as every year; make a deep run in the playoffs.

“We want to take it one win at a time, make the playoffs, host a playoff game and when we get in you never know what can happen from there,” he said. “Our goals are the same as they always have been; we want a winning season, want to get into the playoffs and then try to make some noise from there.”

Goshen will open the regular season on the road on Aug. 29 at Alabama Christian Academy before opening region play at home against Zion Chapel on Sept. 5. Goshen travels to Calhoun on Sept. 12 and then hosts Highland Home (Sept. 19) and Elba (Sept. 26) in back-to-back weeks.

In consecutive road games, Goshen travels to Barbour County on Oct. 3 and Pike Lib on Oct. 10. After a bye week, Goshen wraps up the regular season at home against Luverne (Oct. 24) and Straughn (Oct. 31).

Goshen High School

COACHES

GHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT NOTASULGA (JAMBOREE)

AUG. 29 AT ALABAMA CHRISTIAN

SEPT. 5 ZION CHAPEL *

SEPT. 12 AT CALHOUN *

SEPT. 19 VS. HIGHLAND HOME *

SEPT. 26 VS. ELBA

OCT. 3 AT BARBOUR COUNTY *

OCT. 10 OPEN

OCT. 24 VS. LUVERNE *

OCT. 31 VS. STRAUGHN * *REGION GAME

BRIAN ALEWINE

DON MOORE HEAD COACH

DIGGER K IMBRO

POUNCEY

JABRONSKI WILLIAMS RICHARD BALLARD

THE eagles

AARON HATLER

JACOBY BRUNSON

KNIGHT GARNER

TAYLOR SANCHEZ

BRENNAN BROWN

JAQUIN FLOWERS

KOBE RICHARDSON

TRISTEN ANDREWS

COLBY ROBERTS

JAUMARI FLOWERS

LANE MURPHY

TRISTON WHATLEY

CORBIN BRUNDIDGE

JAYDEN FARRIOR

LIAM HELMS

ZION PICATOSTY

DANIEL BURDICK

JAYLON VINSON

LUKE DAUGHTRY

DARIUS SANKEY

JOHNNY WILLIAMS

MARKEL TOLES

ELIJAH BRUNDIDGE

JT BECK

MASON ADAIR

CRAWLEY

NASCAITNA

HARRIS

TAYLOR

THOMAS

GRANADOS

GEORGE

JULS

NEHEMIAH

GRANT

KEONTAE

PABLO

Ariton High School

ARITON HIGH SCHOOL

STORY BY JOSH BOUTWELL, PHOTOS BY BILL MILLER

The Ariton Purple Cats have been one of the most consistent teams in Class 2A over the last decade and as head coach Steven Kilcrease enters his 10th year at the helm, the Purple Cats are looking to finally put it all together.

Ariton had an up and down 2024 season but made it into the playoffs and then made it all the way to the third round. That third round has been the glass ceiling for Ariton for the past decade, reaching the playoffs in each season since 2015 and making it to the third round three times. They have yet to break through into the state semifinals, so far.

“We had a really good summer,” Kilcrease said. “Our guys have worked really hard and we just had our first week of (fall) practice and it was a really good week. We have some holes to fill from last year but we have some guys that we’re hoping to step up and fill those holes.”

A familiar face will be seen roaming the Ariton sidelines this season as former All-State and All-Messenger quarterback Ian Senn has joined the coaching staff as a volunteer coach, working with receivers and cornerbacks. Senn was a walk-on football player with Troy University for the past two seasons.

His brother, Addison Senn, returns at quarterback and is one of the players Kilcrease is looking to lead this season.

“I think everything starts with our quarterback,” he said. “He had a really good summer. He’s only a junior but he’s improved about as much as anyone I’ve ever coached in a year’s time. He’s throwing the ball really well and he’s a

vocal leader out there.”

Kilcrease is also looking to his group of seniors to lead the way.

“We have a good group of seniors,” he said. “Gabe Jones is back as our leading tackler on defense, playing defensive tackle and offensive tackle.

Wells Ganey is our leading rusher and he’s back. We’re expecting big things from him. Parker Wimberley had a good summer working at tight end and outside linebacker. Tucker Woodham is another senior and Avery Caple. We have a really good group of seniors.

“Tate Kilcrease is our middle linebacker and he’s back. We have a new kid who moved in from Iowa last year, Jacarrie Hammock, that will spell Wells some at running back. Conner Davidson also had a huge summer for us at receiver and cornerback. He worked hard this summer and has had a great camp. We’re excited about him.”

Ariton also has some baseball players that have joined the team again.

“We have some guys back from baseball that didn’t play last year like Easton Kilpatrick, Brodie Lowery and Hayes Hammock,” he said. “Those guys are all seniors, too.”

Ariton came into 2024 without much depth at the skill positions but that is a strength heading into 2025.

“We were extremely thin at skill positions last year on offense and the secondary on defense,” said Kilcrease. “We had several guys that weren’t quite ready to play maybe and they had to be thrown to the wolves and I think those guys are benefiting from that now.”

Kilcrease said he hasn’t had a team that was able to put things all togeth-

er yet but if the 2025 team can do that, they could make some noise.

“This is year No. 10 for me and we haven’t ever been able to put it all together with a great offensive line and really good skill players yet all in the same year,” he said. “Last year, we were really good up front but we were thin at the skill positions. It’s sort of flipped now. We have some guys we think can really help us up front but we’re going to need those guys to step up. We have the guys, we just haven’t figured it all out yet.”

Ariton is one of the tougher regions in Class 2A but also boasts a tough non-region schedule, which Kilcrease believes will help prepare them for the playoffs.

“We have a tough schedule and our region is always tough,” he said. “We have three non-region games that are juggernauts on our schedule but that’s why we play them, to get us ready for the playoffs. Georgiana, Dale County and Brantley are all non-region games against really great programs. Then, you have our region with teams like Cottonwood, Providence, Abbeville, GW Long and Geneva County, who are all good and we expect a battle every week. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure.”

The Purple Cats hope they will be battle tested once November rolls around for another deep run into the playoffs.

“Our goal is to win the region and then you get into the playoffs and see what happens,” Kilcrease said. “There is a lot of excitement around our program right now. I think our guys are expecting a big year.”

Ariton High School

Ariton Purple Cats

COACHES

AHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 OPEN

AUG. 29 AT GEORGIANA

SEPT. 5 AT HOUSTON COUNTY *

SEPT. 12 VS. ABBEVILLE *

SEPT. 19 AT GW LONG *

SEPT. 26 AT DALE COUNTY *

OCT. 3 VS. PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN *

OCT. 10 VS. COTTONWOOD *

OCT. 17 VS. SAMSON *

OCT. 24 AT GENEVA COUNTY *

OCT. 31 VS. BRANTLEY *REGION

THE Purple Cats

ADDISON SENN

CONNER DAVIDSON

ISAAC WEBB

PARKER WIMBERLEY

WELLS GANEY

AIDEN HADDAN

DESHAUN BULLOCKS

THOMPSON

JINRIGHT

EASTON KILPATRICK

AVERY CAPLE

JACARRIE HAMMOCK BARRETT HILBURNE

PAXTON CRAVENS

JEREMIAH DAVIS AIDYN KARSTEN

TRUJILLO

SHIPMAN

JACOB SCHONTER BARRETT SILAVENT TATE KILCREASE GRANT DAVIS

KALEB MING

RYAN LASSITER

RYAN WILLIAMS

JAKOBE MAYS BRENNON DIEHL TITUS SENN

RYLAND JOHNSTON GABE JONES JOHN DAVID STEPHENS

HAYDEN CABRERA

JACKSON BRODIE LOWERY

HAYES HAMMOCK

MITCHELL HUDSON

TUCKER WOODHAM

Zion Chapel High School

ZION CHAPEL HIGH SCHOOL

STORY, PHOTOS BY JOSH BOUTWELL

The Zion Chapel Rebels are coming off their first playoff appearance since 2019 but that isn’t enough for a hungry team heading into 2025.

Prior to Cody Keene’s hiring at Zion Chapel in 2022, Zion Chapel won a combined two games the two years prior and had just one winning season in the prior decade. The Rebels won just three games in Keene’s inaugural season and then broke even in his second year, going 5-5. This past season, ZCHS won seven games and made the playoffs. The Rebels used that success to springboard into the offseason.

“We had a really good offseason,” Keene said. “I think it was the best summer we’ve had as a group since we’ve been at Zion Chapel. The kids have worked extremely hard and I think the attitude is right. We still have to play with a chip on our shoulders and we’re getting things right as fall camp starts. If we can start the year off right, I think we’ll be in good shape.”

Zion Chapel returns a trio of seniors that all earned All-Messenger honors last season. Linebacker Brayden Benbow tallied 123 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and an interception. Offensive lineman Gage Wambles was the anchor for the Rebel running game and John Foster Hamm was Zion Chapel’s “Swiss Army Knife.” Hamm threw for 719 yards and nine touchdowns, while also rushing for 386 yards and nine more scores. On defense, he totalled 17 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and one tackle-forloss. He also converted 7-of-8 PATs and averaged 33 yards per punt.

“All of those guys are just steady for us,” said Keene. “That’s what we ask from them, to stay consistent and we know what we’re going to get out of them every

week. I think they’re doing a good job of being leaders and I think this is the best senior-led group we’ve had. They’re a good influence and are staying positive to help bring the younger guys along.”

Keene said his eyes are on the offensive line heading into the season.

“I’m looking forward to the line continuing to grow,” he said. “We only have one returning guy that’s a senior and there is a lot of competition outside of that. It’s been fun to watch all of those guys compete.”

Keene said he and his coaching staff have been building an “us against the world” mentality in their players.

“The mentality we’ve strived to build the last three years is about how people don’t expect much from us,” Keene emphasized. “It’s a ‘Us against the world’ type of mentality and it’s just different at Zion Chapel. We have to be tougher than the kid across from us because we’re not always necessarily going to be more athletic.

“We need to be stronger because we won’t be faster. We’ve been seen as, ‘Less than’ for a long time and our kids need to understand that’s not the case anymore and they need to go hit people in the mouth on Friday nights and let the chips fall where they may.”

The Zion Chapel players got to witness history last season when the Lady Rebels softball team took home a state championship, the first state crown of any kind for the school. Keene sees that victory as something that can lift the entire athletic program.

“There’s an old saying that, ‘Winning begets winning’ and I believe that,” he said. “Winners raise winners and eventually those kids that are in school now will be raising people in the community,

maybe a little differently than in the past. It’s an attitude. I think our boys got to see something on a big stage in a state championship series where those girls had Zion Chapel written across their chests.

“Those are their classmates and I don’t know that they were necessarily the most talented team at state but they were the best team with the best teammates. I think that is something important our guys can learn from.”

Keeen said while he wants his Rebels back in the playoffs, he doesn’t believe they can do that by focusing on the playoffs during the season.

“I don’t think you can say, ‘We’re going to win this many games or that many games.’ If we’re too results oriented then we won’t get the outcome we want,” he continued. “As crazy as it sounds, if you worry too much about the outcome - or the results - a lot of times your eyes are too far out in front of you that you’re not actually seeing everything. It’s a big deal in football - and in life - that if you see small, you see big. If you’re looking too far down the road, you can stumble or fall because you don’t know where you’re at.”

Zion Chapel opens the season on the road at county foe Kinston on Aug. 22 and hosts Ellwood Christian on Aug. 29. The Rebels then open up region play on the road at Goshen on Sept. 5 before hosting Highland Home on Sept. 12.

The Rebels are back on the road Sept. 19 at Luveren before hosting Pike Lib on Oct. 3 after a bye week. Zion Chapel makes a long trip into Florida to face Baker High School on Oct. 10 before hosting Calhoun on Oct. 17. Zion Chapel finishes off the regular season on the road against Barbour County on Oct. 24 and back home Oct. 31 against Pleasant Home.

Zion Chapel High School

Zion Chapel Rebels

CLASS: 2AREGION: 3 | REGION OPPONENTS: Barbour County, Calhoun, Goshen, Highland Home, Luverne, Pike Liberal Arts. | 2024 RECORD: 7-4 | LAST REGION TITLE: 1979

LAST PLAYOFF GAME: 2024 | STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: n/a | STADIUM: Greene Memorial Stadium

COACHES

ZCHS SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 22 AT KINSTON

AUG. 29 VS. ELLWOOD CHRISTIAN

SEPT. 5 AT GOSHEN *

SEPT. 12 VS. HIGHLAND HOME *

SEPT. 19 AT LUVERNE *

SEPT. 26 OPEN

OCT. 3 VS. PIKE LIBERAL ARTS *

OCT. 10 AT BAKER (FLA.)

OCT. 17 VS. CALHOUN *

OCT. 24 AT BARBOUR COUNTY *

OCT. 31 VS. PLEASANT HOME

*REGION GAME

THE rebels

AIDEN MCCARTY

BRODY AUSTIN

GRADY MEEKS

JAYDEN MATTHEWS

MEMPHIS O’QUINN

AUSTIN BRAGG

COLIN THRASH

GRAYDON FLOWERS

JEREMIAH STINSON

MILES SUDDITH

BEAU STRICKLIN

COLT JACOBS

GUNNER JACOBS

JOEB BRADLEY

RICHARD GOREE

BENTLEY SIMMONS

DYLAN DAVIS

HUNTER BANKS

JOHN FOSTER HAMM

RILEY SPURLOCK

BOBBY RHODES

EASTON THORNTON

HUNTER HAMMOCK

KAIDEN PEIRANO

STEEL GRANTHAM

BRAXTON STRICKLAND

ETHAN SENN

HUNTER WALKER

LANDON BRAKEFIELD

TRENT ELROD

BRAYDEN BENBOW

GAGE WAMBLES

JACOB SMITH

LAYNE TIDWELL

WYATT SPEIGNER

BRAYDEN MATTHEWS

GAVEN FINGER

JAXON HARRISON

LUCAS MCNEIL

ZACH ENGLISH

BROCK TAYLOR

NELSON

JAYDEN ALLEN

MARTY FINGER

ZACK RHODES

GAVYN

troy university

TROY SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

AUG. 30 NICHOLLS

SEPT. 6 AT CLEMSON

SEPT. 13 MEMPHIS

SEPT. 20 AT BUFFALO

OCT. 4 VS. SOUTH ALABAMA *

OCT. 11 AT TEXAS STATE *

OCT. 18 AT ULM *

OCT. 25 VS. LOUISIANA *

NOV. 1 VS. ARKANSAS STATE *

NOV. 13 AT OLD DOMINION *

NOV. 22 VS. GEORGIA STATE *

NOV. 29 AT SOUTHERN MISS *

Troy Trojans

DIVISION:

TROY UNIVERSITY

The Troy Trojans enter year two under head coach Gerad Parker and are looking to continue on from a solid finish to the 2024 season.

While Troy finished the season with a 4-8 record, the Trojans won three of their last four games at the end of the year.

“On Jan. 14, we had our first team meeting of year two,” Parker said. “You don’t look left, you don’t look right, you don’t look behind and you don’t worry about what the narrative is. You don’t worry about what our rankings are or what problems we’ll have or what we think they’ll be. There is a decision to be made at Troy University – and with Troy Football – and that is that I’m the head coach and we’re on the path to better.

“We aren’t worried about anything else. If we don’t improve daily we have no chance of playing winning football and playing to the standards of Troy University.”

Parker said he was proud of the way he’s been able to retain coaches this offseason.

“This staff has lost one on-field coach and we’ve only really had to deal with minimal staff changes,” he said. “We retained a lot of our staff and the reason is they’re great men, and they have great wives and how we’re supported by them has certainly made the transition into year two much better and easier.”

Troy also returns the most veteran players of any Sun Belt Conference team with 50 returning lettermen and 15 returning starters across the team.

“Our players stuck by us and that puts us in a position to where we feel like we love them and they love us,” Parker said of returning a number of veterans. “We know how each other goes and what it’s going to take to

STORY BY JOSH BOUTWELL, PHOTO BY TROY UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

get where we want to go. We’ve become self led at Troy and that allows (coaches) to stay out of it some.”

That retention and leadership continues Troy on its “path to better.”

“How we’ve retained our roster, what we’ve done well and how we’ve acquired new talent is the key to this thing,” said Parker. “If we stay on that path to better it removes the pressure on our players who already have to deal with too much and allows them to just think about how they can improve daily and our staff is concentrated on how to help them improve daily.”

Troy quarterback Goose Crowder said what it means for the team to have so many veterans returning to the roster.

“It’s awesome (to have an experienced group),” said Crowder. “You can never teach experience; you have to go through it. We had shared adversity last year, and we’re more familiar with the staff and we’re super excited to take it on headfirst this season.”

Troy’s offense returns Crowder along with three starting offensive linemen from last season’s team, including All-Sun Belt lineman Eli Russ. Troy also returns skill players like Ethan Conner at tight end and Peyton Higgins at receiver, along with a number of transfer players like former Georgia Tech running back Trey Cooley, former Georgia receiver RaRa Thomas and former Coastal Carolina receiver Tray Taylor.

Troy’s defense returns key players in the front seven, like All-Sun Belt defensive tackle Luis Medina, bandit Jah-Mal Williams, linebacker Jordan Stringer and linebacker Steven Cattledge. The Trojan secondary also returns starters Justin Powe and spear Devin Lafayette, while

adding a number of transfer players that are expected to make an impact, including former Georgia safety David Daniel-Sisavanh and former Missouri State cornerback Kaleno Levine.

During media days, Troy was picked to finish sixth in the Sun Belt West by the league’s coaches. When asked if that gives Troy any added motivation heading into the season, Parker brushed it off and said that his team isn’t worried about those types

of rankings or predictions. Lafayette echoed his coach’s sentiments, as well.

“Our whole mindset is to just get better,” Lafayette said. “Last year, we were predicted to finish second and we had the year we had. So, in my opinion, predictions don’t really matter and our whole offseason mindset has been to get better. We’re not worried about predictions, we’re just going to focus on getting better.”