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






2024 Team Previews 

  


W.S. Neal Eagles

Head Coach: Hugh Fountain (tenth season)
Career Record: 36 seasons, (266-143)
At W.S. Neal: 9 seasons, (62-39)
Stadium: Buddy Taylor Field
2024 Enrollment:  285
Rank:  205th in the AHSAA, 58th in Class 4A

 History 
Overall Record:   440-407-10   (52.0%)
Last 25 years:   115-149   (44.0%)  (Rank: 254th in the AHSAA, 47th in Class 4A)
Since 2010:   60-87  (40.8%)  (Rank: 264th in the AHSAA, 47th in Class 4A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   1996
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2021

 2023 
Class:  3A              Region:   1
Record:  6-5
Region Record:   5-2, (third)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Randolph County by a score of 48-36.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  355 (32.3)
Defense:  262 (23.8)


 2024 
Class: 4A              Region:   1
Strength of Schedule: 64-37 (63%) (18th in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 4A)
Region Strength:  44-23 (66%)
Non-Region Strength:  20-14 (59%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. Georgiana  (1A)   22-12   #Lost  
 8/31  vs. McIntosh  (1A)   53-6   W  
 9/8  vs. Mobile Christian  (3A)  *  6-38   L  
 9/15  vs. Monroe County  (3A)  *  48-12   W  
 9/22  @ Hillcrest Evergreen  (3A)  *  22-3   W  
 9/29   OPEN 
 10/6  @ Cottage Hill Christian  (3A)  *  42-13   W  
 10/13  vs. Flomaton  (3A)  *  44-21   W  
 10/20  @ Thomasville  (3A)  *  28-34   L  
 10/27  vs. Excel  (3A)  *  46-39   W  
 11/3  vs. T.R. Miller  (4A)   8-36   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  @ Randolph County    36-48   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23   OPEN 
 8/29  @ Excel  (3A)       
 9/6  vs. St. Michael  (4A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Orange Beach  (4A)  *      
 9/20  @ Marianna FL   (-)       
 9/27  vs. Blountstown FL   (8-4)       
 10/4  @ Satsuma  (4A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Escambia County  (4A)  *      
 10/18  @ Jackson  (4A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Mobile Christian  (4A)  *      
 11/1  @ T.R. Miller  (3A)       


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 


       W.S. Neal completed the 2023 season with a 6-5 record. With their 5-2 region record and a third place finish in Class 3A region one, the Eagles earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. W.S. Neal's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Randolph County by a score of 48-36.

       Since 2010, W.S. Neal has gone a combined 60-87. Their 40.8% winning percentage ranks 47th in Class 4A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, W.S. Neal has managed to compile a record of 115-149. Their 44.0% winning percentage ranks 47th in Class 4A and 254th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       W.S. Neal lost 3A All-State  defensive back Carter Hodges to graduation. He was named to the honorable mention team last season.

Head Coach:
       The Eagles are led by head coach Hugh Fountain who is entering his tenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 62-39 over the past nine seasons at W.S. Neal. Under his direction the Eagles have qualified for the playoffs a total of eight times. They have won one region crown with Coach Fountain. His 266 wins rank 8th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Fountain's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of twenty-eight times and won six region championships. Coach Fountain won two state championships prior to arriving at W.S. Neal, the last coming in 2017 at Escambia Academy.

Season Outlook:

       The W.S. Neal Eagles will play in Class 4A region one during the 2024 season. The Eagles move up in classification to Class 4A. They may find the going slightly tougher with the move.

       The Eagles have one of the toughest overall schedules in Class 4A. Their opponents had a combined record of 64-37 last season. That ranks 1st in Class 4A and 18th in the AHSAA.

       The Eagles have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons under Coach Fountain. Can they continue that success in 2024? Well they may find the going a little more difficult moving up to 4A and joining teams like Jackson, Mobile Christian and St. Michael in their new region.

    The Eagles have a good shot at one of the last two playoff slots in region one this season.

Season Opener:
       The Eagles open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Excel on Friday, August 30 at Panther Stadium. Last year the Excel Panthers finished with an overall record of 4-6 and in sixth place in Class 3A region one. The Panthers ended last season on a positive note with a win over Southern Choctaw by a score of 42-6 after failing to gain a playoff spot.

       W.S. Neal and Excel have met a total of 9 times on the football field. The Eagles have a 5-4-0 record against the Panthers. They last met in 2023 with W.S. Neal winning by a score of 46-39.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Foley outscored their opponents 433-6 in 1961. The Lions were named state champions by the Alabama Sports Writers Association that season.