News

We now have 832 teams &  
189,846 games on AHSFHS.org.


Search Site






AHSFHS Article Series


   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2017 Team Previews 

    Share on Facebook        
     
  


Ariton Purple Cats

Head Coach: Steven Kilcrease (second season)
Stadium: Robert F. Zumstien Stadium
Career Record: 6 seasons, (48-21)
At Ariton: one season, (6-5)
2017 Enrollment:  155
Rank:  322nd in the AHSAA, 54th in Class 2A

 History 
Overall Record:   306-259-1   (54.0%)
Last 25 years:   143-140   (50.0%)  (Rank: 182nd in the AHSAA, 24th in Class 2A)
Since 2010:   23-49  (32.0%)  (Rank: 299th in the AHSAA, 46th in Class 2A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2016
Last Region Championship:   1998
Last Winning Season:   2016
Last Losing Season:   2015

 2016 
Class:  2A              Region:   2
Record:  6-5
Region Record:   3-3, (third)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Leroy by a score of 26-0.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  268 (24.4)
Defense:  299 (27.2)


 2017 
Class: 2A              Region:   2
Strength of Schedule: 50-58 (46%) (282nd in the AHSAA, 39th in Class 2A)
Region Strength:  29-36 (45%)
Non-Region Strength:  21-22 (49%)



 2016 Results 
 8/19  vs. McKenzie  (1A)   33-26   W  
 8/26  @ Goshen  (2A)   13-35   L  
 9/2  @ Cottonwood  (2A)  *  24-12   W  
 9/9  vs. Geneva County  (2A)  *  20-45   L  
 9/16  @ Barbour County  (2A)  *  34-12   W  
 9/23   OPEN 
 9/30  vs. G.W. Long  (2A)  *  7-43   L  
 10/7  @ Zion Chapel  (2A)   31-0   W  
 10/14  @ Abbeville  (2A)  *  54-46   W  
 10/21  vs. Samson  (2A)  *  17-28   L  
 10/28  vs. Red Level  (1A)   35-26   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/4  @ Leroy    0-26   L  

 2017 Schedule 
 8/25  @ McKenzie  (1A)       
 9/1  vs. Goshen  (2A)       
 9/8  vs. Cottonwood  (2A)  *      
 9/15  @ Geneva County  (2A)  *      
 9/22  vs. Barbour County  (2A)  *      
 9/29   OPEN 
 10/6  @ G.W. Long  (2A)  *      
 10/13  vs. Zion Chapel  (2A)       
 10/20  vs. Abbeville  (2A)  *      
 10/27  @ Samson  (2A)  *      
 11/3  @ Red Level  (1A)       
 11/10  vs. R.C. Hatch        
 11/17  vs. Leroy        


Class  2A Region  2
Team 2016 Record Scoring                            
Abbeville (2A) 4-7308-373
Ariton (2A) 6-5268-299
Barbour County (2A) 0-9128-358
Cottonwood (2A) 2-8179-322
G.W. Long (2A) 12-1526-244
Geneva County (2A) 4-6272-316
Samson (2A) 7-5312-327

 2017 Preview 


       Ariton completed the 2016 season with a 6-5 record. With their 3-3 region record and a third place finish in Class 2A region two, the Purple Cats earned a spot in the playoffs in 2016. Ariton's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Leroy by a score of 26-0.

       The Purple Cats improved in 2016 with their first winning season since 2012.

       Since 2010, Ariton has gone a combined 23-49. Their 32.0% winning percentage ranks 46th in Class 2A over the past seven seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Ariton has managed to compile a record of 143-140. Their 50.0% winning percentage ranks 24th in Class 2A and 182nd in the AHSAA.

       The Purple Cats are led by head coach Steven Kilcrease who is entering his second season at the helm. His team finished with a 6-5 record in his first season at Ariton. The Purple Cats saw improvement from a 5-6 record the season before coach Kilcrease arrived. Under his direction the Purple Cats have qualified for the playoffs once. They have not won a region crown with Coach Kilcrease.

       Coach Kilcrease's overall record as a head football coach in six season stands at 48-21 (69.6%). Over the course of his career, Coach Kilcrease's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of five times and won one region championship. Coach Kilcrease won two state championships prior to arriving at Ariton, the last coming in 2009 at .

       The Ariton Purple Cats will play in Class 2A region two during the 2017 season.

       The Purple Cats will be in the mix for one of the last two playoff spots in region two this season.

       The Purple Cats open the 2017 season on the road against non-region opponent McKenzie on Friday, August 25 at Williams-Vickery Field. Last year the McKenzie Tigers finished with an overall record of 7-4 and in third place in Class 1A region two. The Tigers lost in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs to Sweet Water by a score of 47-6.

       Ariton and McKenzie have met a total of 14 times on the football field. The Purple Cats have a 7-7-0 record against the Tigers. They last met in 2016 with Ariton winning by a score of 33-26.

       Ariton returns 2A All-State Junior defensive back Bryson Peavy. He was named to the honorable mention team last season.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Alabama School for the Deaf won Deaf School National Championships in 1971, 1987, 1991, 2000, 2001 and 2002.