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






2024 Team Previews 

  


St. Michael Cardinals

Head Coach: Phillip Rivers (fourth season)
Career Record: 3 seasons, (17-13)
At St. Michael: 3 seasons, (17-13)
Stadium: Volanta Park
2024 Enrollment:  365
Rank:  159th in the AHSAA, 12th in Class 4A

 History 
Overall Record:   22-38   (37.0%)
Last 25 years:   22-38   (37.0%)  (Rank: 309th in the AHSAA, 54th in Class 4A)
Since 2010:   22-38  (36.7%)  (Rank: 289th in the AHSAA, 49th in Class 4A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   Never
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2020

 2023 
Class:  4A              Region:   1
Record:  6-5    (Team record for wins in a season)
Region Record:   5-2, (fourth)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Handley by a score of 68-38.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  412 (37.5)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  328 (29.8)


 2024 
Class: 4A              Region:   1
Strength of Schedule: 68-44 (61%) (30th in the AHSAA, 3rd in Class 4A)
Region Strength:  44-23 (66%)
Non-Region Strength:  24-21 (53%)



 2023 Results 
 8/24  @ Gulf Shores  (5A)   20-41   L  
 9/1  vs. Chickasaw  (2A)   49-18   W  
 9/7  vs. Bayside Academy  (4A)  *  21-27   L (OT) 
 9/15  @ Escambia County  (4A)  *  41-26   W  
 9/21  vs. Satsuma  (4A)  *  42-8   W  
 9/29  vs. McGill-Toolen  (6A)   31-35   L  
 10/6  @ Orange Beach  (4A)  *  49-3   W  
 10/12  vs. Wilcox Central  (4A)  *  45-6   W  
 10/20  @ Jackson  (4A)  *  21-42   L  
 10/27  vs. T.R. Miller  (4A)  *  55-54   W (OT) 
 11/3   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/10  @ Handley    38-68   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Bayside Academy  (3A)       
 8/30  vs. John Carroll  (5A)       
 9/6  @ W.S. Neal  (4A)  *      
 9/13  @ Satsuma  (4A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Escambia County  (4A)  *      
 9/27   OPEN 
 10/4  vs. Jackson  (4A)  *      
 10/11  @ Mobile Christian  (4A)  *      
 10/18  @ Pensacola FL   (0-10)       
 10/25  vs. Orange Beach  (4A)  *      
 11/1  @ UMS-Wright  (5A)       


Class  4A Region  1
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Jackson (4A) 11-1 7-0481-98
Mobile Christian (3A) 15-0 7-0642-152
W.S. Neal (3A) 6-5 5-2355-262
St. Michael (4A) 6-5 5-2412-328
Escambia County (4A) 6-4 3-4256-241
Satsuma (4A) 5-5 2-5203-317
Orange Beach (4A) 1-8 1-6115-252

 2024 Preview 


       St. Michael completed the 2023 season with a 6-5 record. With their 5-2 region record and a fourth place finish in Class 4A region one, the Cardinals earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. St. Michael's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Handley by a score of 68-38.

       No team at St. Michael ever won more games in a season than the six victories last year. The 412 points scored by the Cardinals last year were a team record in a single season. The Cardinals qualified for the playoffs for the first time in the school's history in 2023. The Cardinals have never won a playoff game in the school's history. They would like to break through and pick up that first post season victory in 2024.

      

       St. Michael is a relatively new football program having fielded a team only seven seasons. They have managed a record of 22-38 over the past seven years.

Head Coach:
       The Cardinals are led by head coach Phillip Rivers who is entering his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 17-13 over the past three seasons at St. Michael. Under his direction the Cardinals have qualified for the playoffs once. They have not won a region crown with Coach Rivers.

Season Outlook:

       The St. Michael Cardinals will play in Class 4A region one during the 2024 season.

       The Cardinals have one of the toughest overall schedules in Class 4A. Their opponents had a combined record of 68-44 last season. That ranks 3rd in Class 4A and 30th in the AHSAA.

       The St. Michael Cardinals may have been the best 6-5 team in the state last season. Their losses were to 6A McGill-Toolen, eventual state champions Gulf Shores, Bayside Academy, Jackson and Handley. Those five teams finished last year a combined 49-11.

       Make no mistake about it, quarterback Gunner Rivers is the real deal and will slinging the football around for a few more years in Fairhope. He will lead a wide open offense that will put up a ton of points each week. They averaged nearly 40 points a game last year and will likely top that mark in 2024. This will be an exciting team to watch especially if they can get the defense to make some stops along the way.

       The Cardinals will unveil a new stadium when they host John Carroll in week two. The team is still young with the Junior class being the largest. They lost three offensive and two defensive linemen but return most of the skilled position players. If they can find players along the defensive line they will be much improved on defense. Coach Rivers thinks they will be deeper upfront but with less experience.

    The Cardinals should be in contention for a playoff spot in region one this season. Hosting a first round playoff game on their home turf would be an advantage.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      QB Gunner Rivers will be returning for his sophomore season after completing 229-of-362 passes for 3,077 yards and 29 TDs last season.

      RB Noah Moss will also be back for his junior season after rushing for 488 yards and 6 TDs last season. RB Nick Russo will also be returning for his junior season after rushing for 385 yards and 1 TD last season.

      WR Brody Jones 68 catches 1,125 yards and Tucker Tomlinson 42 catches for 712 yards will both be back for their junior seasons in 2023.

Returning Starters:
QB Gunner Rivers, RB Noah Moss, LB Deese Thompson, LB Toby Edmiston, WR/TE Cooper Kurth, ODB Brady Zdyb, LB/WR Cooper Helper, DB Robert Watson, Safety Ollie Deese

Season Opener:
       The Cardinals open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Bayside Academy on Friday, August 23 at Freedom Field. Last year the Bayside Academy Admirals finished with an overall record of 8-3 and in third place in Class 4A region one. The Admirals lost in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs to Jacksonville by a score of 35-7.

       St. Michael and Bayside Academy have met a total of 5 times on the football field. The Cardinals have a 1-4-0 record against the Admirals. They last met in 2023 with Bayside Academy winning by a score of 27-21.

  


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