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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Walter Wellborn Panthers

Head Coach: Jeff Smith (sixteenth season)
Career Record: 27 seasons, (177-120)
At Walter Wellborn: 15 seasons, (101-65)
Stadium: The Hill
2024 Enrollment:  224
Rank:  252nd in the AHSAA, 39th in Class 3A

 History 
Overall Record:   405-291-13   (58.0%)
Last 25 years:   134-133   (50.0%)  (Rank: 202nd in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 3A)
Since 2010:   97-58  (62.6%)  (Rank: 90th in the AHSAA, 15th in Class 3A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2017

 2023 
Class:  3A              Region:   4
Record:  7-4
Region Record:   6-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Flomaton by a score of 34-0.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  368 (33.5)
Defense:  293 (26.6)


 2024 
Class: 3A              Region:   6
Strength of Schedule: 47-50 (48%) (243rd in the AHSAA, 42nd in Class 3A)
Region Strength:  43-43 (50%)
Non-Region Strength:  4-7 (36%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  @ Anniston  (4A)   22-38   L  
 9/1  vs. Ohatchee  (3A)   7-26   L  
 9/8   OPEN 
 9/15  vs. Beulah  (3A)  *  60-34   W  
 9/22  @ Dadeville  (3A)  *  21-12   W  
 9/29  @ Talladega  (4A)   40-7   W  
 10/6  vs. Childersburg  (3A)  *  56-28   W  
 10/13  @ Randolph County  (3A)  *  30-25   W  
 10/20  vs. Weaver  (3A)  *  48-27   W  
 10/27  @ Saks  (3A)  *  62-34   W  
 11/3  vs. Cleburne County  (4A)   22-28   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Flomaton    0-34   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23   OPEN 
 8/30  @ J.B. Pennington  (3A)  *      
 9/6  vs. Weaver  (3A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Glencoe  (3A)  *      
 9/20  @ Saks  (3A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Cleburne County  (4A)       
 10/4   OPEN 
 10/11  @ Ohatchee  (3A)  *      
 10/18  vs. Locust Fork  (3A)  *      
 10/25  @ Piedmont  (3A)  *      
 11/1  vs. Westbrook Christian  (3A)  *      


Class  3A Region  6
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Locust Fork (2A) 12-1 6-0685-191
Walter Wellborn (3A) 7-4 6-0368-293
J.B. Pennington (3A) 8-3 5-1391-165
Piedmont (3A) 5-7 4-3315-289
Ohatchee (3A) 5-5 3-4242-334
Weaver (3A) 4-6 1-5341-268
Westbrook Christian (3A) 5-5 2-5328-300
Saks (3A) 1-9 0-6198-424
Glencoe (3A) 3-7 0-7234-414

 2024 Preview 


       Walter Wellborn completed the 2023 season with a 7-4 record. Last year Walter Wellborn captured the region four title and a number one seed in the Class 3A playoffs. They finished region play with a 6-0 record. It was the first region championship for the Panthers since the 1995 season. Walter Wellborn's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Flomaton by a score of 34-0.

       Since 2010, Walter Wellborn has gone a combined 97-58. Their 62.6% winning percentage ranks 15th in Class 3A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Walter Wellborn has managed to compile a record of 134-133. Their 50.0% winning percentage ranks 30th in Class 3A and 202nd in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Panthers are led by head coach Jeff Smith who is entering his sixteenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 101-65 over the past fifteen seasons at Walter Wellborn. Under his direction the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs a total of twelve times. They have won one region crown with Coach Smith. His 177 wins rank 27th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Smith's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of nineteen times and won two region championships.

Season Outlook:

       The Walter Wellborn Panthers will play in Class 3A region six during the 2024 season. Following realignment, the Panthers remain in 3A but move from region four over to region six.

      

       The Panthers enter the 2024 season having won 6 straight region games.

       The Panthers will welcome back running back Jabari Williams for his junior season. He will be an important piece in the offense when the season opens.

       Wellborn has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past five seasons and there is not reason that streak will be halted in 2024. The Panthers head directly into region play when they open the season at J.B. Pennington on August 30th.

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

Returning Starters:
ALL-COUNTY: Raymond Williams, LB, Sr.; Kyle Bright, WB/DB, Sr.; Ethan Carroll, TE/DL, Sr.; Dozier Hayes, OL, Sr.; Larry Armond, LB, Sr.; Zack Pressly, OL, Jr.; Jaxon Newton, ATH, Jr.; Caleb McCurry, DB, Jr.

Season Opener:
       The Panthers open the 2024 season on the road against region opponent J.B. Pennington on Friday, August 30 at W.R. Sutton Memorial Stadium. Last year the J.B. Pennington Tigers finished with an overall record of 8-3 and in second place in Class 3A region seven. The Tigers lost in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs to Piedmont by a score of 44-14.

       This will be the second meeting between Walter Wellborn and J.B. Pennington on the football field. The Panthers have a 1-0-0 record against the Tigers. They last met in with

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Clay County shutout an amazing eleven opponents in 1996. The Panthers outscored their opponents 613-42 finishing the season 15-0.