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






2023 Team Previews 

  


Bessemer City Purple Tigers

Head Coach: Antonio Nelson (third season)
Career Record: 2 seasons, (1-19)
At Bessemer City: 2 seasons, (1-19)
Stadium: Bessemer City Stadium
2022 Enrollment:  627
Rank:  79th in the AHSAA, 46th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   660-405-34   (62.0%)
Last 25 years:   145-126   (54.0%)  (Rank: 149th in the AHSAA, 35th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   61-80  (43.3%)  (Rank: 248th in the AHSAA, 40th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2019
Last Region Championship:   2009
Last Winning Season:   2019
Last Losing Season:   2022

 2022 
Class:  6A              Region:   4
Record:  1-9
Region Record:   1-6, (eighth)
Playoff Record:   Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  192 (19.2)
Defense:  345 (34.5)


 2023 
Class: 6A              Region:   4
Strength of Schedule: 56-49 (53%) (119th in the AHSAA, 26th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  39-37 (51%)
Non-Region Strength:  17-12 (59%)



 2022 Results 
 8/18  @ Woodlawn  (6A)   15-18   L  
 8/26  vs. Tuscaloosa County  (7A)   7-28   L  
 9/2  @ McAdory  (6A)  *  6-35   L  
 9/8  @ Northridge  (6A)  *  12-40   L  
 9/16  vs. Hueytown  (6A)  *  21-59   L  
 9/23  vs. Shades Valley  (6A)   20-26   L  
 9/30  vs. Brookwood  (6A)  *  23-32   L  
 10/7  @ Hillcrest Tuscaloosa  (6A)  *  16-47   L  
 10/14  @ Central Tuscaloosa  (6A)  *  20-27   L  
 10/21  vs. Paul Bryant  (6A)  *  52-33   W  
 10/28   OPEN 

 2023 Schedule 
 8/25  vs. Woodlawn  (6A)       
 9/1  @ Tuscaloosa County  (7A)       
 9/8  vs. McAdory  (6A)  *      
 9/15  vs. Northridge  (6A)  *      
 9/22  @ Hueytown  (6A)  *      
 9/29  @ Shades Valley  (6A)       
 10/6  @ Brookwood  (6A)  *      
 10/13  vs. Hillcrest Tuscaloosa  (6A)  *      
 10/20  vs. Central Tuscaloosa  (6A)  *      
 10/27  @ Paul Bryant  (6A)  *      
 11/3   OPEN 
 11/10  @ Spanish Fort        


Class  6A Region  4
Team 2022 Record Region Scoring                            
Hillcrest Tuscaloosa (6A) 11-1 7-0506-250
Hueytown (6A) 8-4 6-1531-306
Northridge (6A) 7-4 5-2342-226
McAdory (6A) 6-5 4-3337-199
Brookwood (6A) 4-6 2-5190-298
Central Tuscaloosa (6A) 2-8 2-5121-401
Paul Bryant (6A) 1-9 1-6157-483
Bessemer City (6A) 1-9 1-6192-345

 2023 Preview 


       Bessemer City finished the 2022 season with a disappointing 1-9 record. Last year Bessemer City finished eighth in Class 6A region four with a 1-6 region record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

       Bessemer City was inconsistent offensively last year and they need some improvement if the Purple Tigers want to be competitive. They only averaged 19.2 points a game.

       The Purple Tigers would prefer to forget the past two seasons as they have finished with a 1-19 record. Since 2010, Bessemer City has gone a combined 61-80. Their 43.3% winning percentage ranks 40th in Class 6A over the past thirteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Bessemer City has managed to compile a record of 145-126. Their 54.0% winning percentage ranks 35th in Class 6A and 149th in the AHSAA.




       The Purple Tigers are led by head coach Antonio Nelson who is entering his third season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 1-19 over the past two seasons at Bessemer City. The Purple Tigers have yet to reach the playoffs under his direction. They have not won a region crown with Coach Nelson.

       The three consecutive losing seasons are the first at Bessemer City since 1966 and only the second in school history.

       This season, the Purple Tigers will be a long shot for one of the four playoff spots in region four.

       The Purple Tigers open the 2023 season at home against non-region opponent Woodlawn on Friday, August 25 at Bessemer City Stadium. Last year the Woodlawn Colonels finished with an overall record of 6-4 and in sixth place in Class 6A region five. The Colonels ended last season on a positive note with a win over Shelby County by a score of 31-7 after failing to gain a playoff spot.

       Bessemer City and Woodlawn have met a total of 47 times on the football field. The Purple Tigers have a 28-17-2 record against the Colonels. They last met in 2022 with Woodlawn winning by a score of 18-15.

      

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

In 1969 the two point conversion was adopted for play following a touchdown. Until that time all conversions were worth one point.