End of the 2015 Regular Season Notes

     The undefeated teams....... Our hats are off to the teams that maneuvered the 2015 regular season without suffering a loss. A special congratulations to Beauregard and Cleveland for their first ever perfect regular season. Now the quest for a state championship begins for each of these teams along with the last time they were undefeated:
           7A - None
           6A - Clay-Chalkville 10-0 (2014), Muscle Shoals 10-0 (2012), Opelika 10-0 (2003), Spanish Fort 10-0 (2013)
           5A - Beauregard 10-0, Greenville 10-0 (2011), Guntersville 10-0 (2014), Jackson 10-0 (2013), Wenonah 9-0 (1995)
           4A - Cordova 10-0 (2007), UMS-Wright 10-0 (2005)
           3A - Gordo 10-0 (2014) 
           2A - Cleveland 10-0, G.W. Long 9-0 (2014), Randolph County 10-0 (1992), Red Bay 10-0 (2007), Tanner 10-0 (2012)
           1A - None 
           AISA - Bessemer Academy 10-0 (2014), Edgewood Academy 10-0 (2014), Monroe Academy 10-0 (2013)   

     Winning a region championship is a goal of every team in their quest for a state title. Teams that won their first region crown in 2015 include: Decatur Heritage Christian, Fayetteville, Priceville and Park Crossing. Several schools have gone a while since winning their last region title. They include; Wenonah (1997), Cleveland (1996) Randolph County (1998), Berry Fayette (1996) and Georgiana (1998).

     Maplesville and Tanner each won their sixth consecutive region title in 2015. The longest streaks among teams winning a region title this season.

     If T.R. Miller can win their first two playoff games they will extend their lead for the most ten-win seasons all-time. The Tigers have completed 25 seasons in which they have won at least ten games. 

     Gordo has a streak of 23 consecutive winning seasons. Others with long streaks, along with their last losing season, include; Cullman (1994),  Demopolis (1994), Opelika (1995), Fyffe (1996) and McAdory (1996). Although they did not make this list, the T.R. Miller Tigers have suffered only three losing seasons in the past fifty years.

     Vina has a string of 25 consecutive losing seasons dating back to the 1989 season. The streak is the longest in the AHSAA only surpassed by Lyman Ward with a streak of losing 26 seasons. Others with long streaks include Talladega (21) and Curry (19).

    Team with the first winning season in school history include Helena (8-2) and Northside Methodist Academy (7-3). Other notable teams that registered winning seasons after long droughts include; Dallas County (2004), Hayden (2004), Lee Montgomery (2001), Meek (2003) and Randolph (1974).

     The biggest turnaround can go to several teams. Montevallo, under the direction of one of my favorite Alabama quarterbacks Andrew Zow, went from 1-9 last season to 8-2 in 2015. Wenonah improved from 4-5 to 9-0, D.A.R. went from 2-8 to 8-2, Hayden went from 1-9 to 7-3, Mobile Christian went from 3-7 to 9-1 and Theodore improved from 0-10 to 7-3.

     Playoff Notes

    Hoover, with 86 playoff wins, surpassed Hazlewood in 2014 for the most in Alabama high school football history. The T.R. Miller Tigers are just behind with 85 wins. The Tigers also hold the record with thirty-one first round wins.

    The Colbert County Indians have made the most playoff appearances with 39. Sweet Water and T.R. Miller are right behind with 36.

    The Hoover Bucs have won 17 consecutive opening round playoff games. Others of note include Cedar Bluff (13) and Sweet Water (12). The record belongs to Hazlewood with a string of 20 consecutive first round wins from 1970-1996.

    The following teams qualified for a playoff spot for the first time in their team's history; Park Crossing, Randolph, Woodville and Northside Methodist Academy.
    
    The Hoover Bucs hold another streak of winning 19 consecutive home playoff games.

    Teams that missed the playoffs with the best overall records include; Sand Rock finished with a 7-3 record but all three losses were in region play. Other teams with winning records that failed to claim a playoff spot include Paul Bryant (6-4), Jeff Davis (6-4), Autaugaville (6-4), West End (6-4), Baker (6-4), Fairhope (6-4), Prattville, Smiths Station, Fairfield, Moody, Elmore County, Rogers and WInterboro.

    Luverne continues their streak of consecutive playoff appearances with a state best thirty-three straight appearances. T.R. Miller and Deshler are right behind with a string of 32 consecutive seasons qualifying for the playoffs.

     The T.R. Miller Tigers also hold another distinction. They are 24-0 in first round home games. While that is not the most first round wins, it is the most without a loss. Hazlewood also won 24 first round playoff games against a single loss before the school closed. Cedar Bluff is 21-0 at home in the first round. Mountain Brook also has a perfect 14-0 record at home in the first round.

    The playoffs began in 1966 and since that time only one team has fielded a football each season yet has never qualified for a post season spot. That team would be Bullock County.

    Teams who have never won a first round game that qualified for the playoffs in 2015 include; Chickasaw, D.A.R., Decatur Heritage Christian, Fayetteville, Francis Marion, Hazel Green, Helena, James Clemens, Northside, Park Crossing, Priceville, Randolph, Victory Christian and Woodville. Each of these teams would like to get their championship hopes underway with a win next Friday night.

    Team missing the playoffs which are accustomed to being in the hunt for a state title, along with the string of consecutive appearances broken, include; Tuscaloosa County (19), Fairhope (14), Houston Academy (14), Woodland (11), Gadsden City (9), Decatur (8).