News

We now have 836 teams &  
190,063 games on AHSFHS.org.





Search Site

AHSFHS Article Series


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






2016 Team Previews 


    Share on Facebook        
     

  


Park Crossing Thunderbirds

Head Coach: Smitty Grider (third season)
Stadium: Cramton Bowl
Career Record: 11 seasons, (84-39)
At Park Crossing: 2 seasons, (15-6)
2014 Enrollment:  986
Rank:  40th in the AHSAA, 8th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   15-6   (71.0%)
Last 25 years:   15-6   (71.0%)  (Rank: 24th in the AHSAA, 5th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   15-6  (71.0%)  (Rank: 51st in the AHSAA, 8th in Class 6A)
Last Region Championship:   2015

 2015 
Class:  6A              Region:   2
Record:  8-3    (Team record for wins in a season)    (Team record for losses in a season)
Region Record:   6-1, (first)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Bessemer City by a score of 28-24.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  376 (34.2)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  218 (19.8)    (Team record for points allowed in a season)

D1 Players lost to Graduation
      Jeawon Taylor,  ,  ,  DB  [Florida]
      P.J. Blue,  ,  ,  DB  [Louisville]

 2016 
Class: 6A              Region:   2
Strength of Schedule: 52-57 (48%) (233rd in the AHSAA, 42nd in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  19-43 (31%)
Non-Region Strength:  33-14 (70%)



 2015 Results 
 8/21  @ St. James  (4A)   37-14   W  
 8/28  @ Sidney Lanier  (5A)   24-6   W  
 9/3  vs. Dothan  (6A)  *  21-7   W  
 9/11  vs. Wetumpka  (6A)  *  37-10   W  
 9/18  vs. Carroll  (6A)  *  41-12   W  
 9/25  vs. Theodore  (7A)   28-35   L  
 10/2  @ Northview  (6A)  *  41-34   W  
 10/9  vs. Carver Montgomery  (6A)  *  48-27   W  
 10/16  @ Russell County  (6A)  *  55-12   W  
 10/22  @ Stanhope Elmore  (6A)  *  20-33   L  
 10/30   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/6  vs. Bessemer City    24-28   L  

 2016 Schedule 
 8/18   Jeff Davis        
 8/25  vs. Lee Montgomery        
 9/2  vs. Stanhope Elmore  (6A)  *      
 9/9  @ Northview  (6A)  *      
 9/15  vs. Russell County  (6A)  *      
 9/23  @ Gadsden City  (7A)       
 9/29  @ Carver Montgomery  (6A)  *      
 10/8  vs. Dothan  (6A)  *      
 10/14  vs. Sidney Lanier  (6A)  *      
 10/21  vs. Clay-Chalkville  (6A)       
 10/28   OPEN 
 11/4  vs. Saraland        
 11/11  @ Bessemer City        
 11/18  vs. Blount        
 11/25  @ Opelika        


Class  6A Region  2
Team 2015 Record Scoring                            
Carver Montgomery 3-7234-297
Dothan 6-5316-304
Northview 4-7309-360
Park Crossing 8-3376-218
Russell County 0-10101-551
Sidney Lanier 4-7225-280
Stanhope Elmore 2-7214-225

 2016 Preview 


       Last year Park Crossing captured the region 2 title and a number one seed in the Class 6A playoffs. They finished region play with a 6-1 record. Park Crossing's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Bessemer City by a score of 28-24.  The 376 points scored by the Thunderbirds last year were a team record in a single season.  The defense allowed a team record 218 points last season.

       Since 2010, Park Crossing has gone a combined 15-6. Their 71.0% winning percentage ranks 8th in Class 6A over the past six seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Park Crossing has gone a combined 15-6. Their 71.0% winning percentage ranks 5th in Class 6A and 24th in the AHSAA.

       The Thunderbirds are led by head coach Smitty Grider who is entering his second season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 15-6 over the past two seasons at Park Crossing. Under his direction the Thunderbirds have qualified for the playoffs once. They have won one region crown with Coach Grider.

       Coach Grider's overall record as a head football coach in eleven seasons stands at 84-39 (68.3%). Over the course of his career, Coach Grider's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of eight times and won two region championships.

      

      The Park Crossing Thunderbirds will play in Class 6A region 2 during the 2016 season.

       The Thunderbirds should be considered one of the favorites for the Region 2 championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs.

       The Thunderbirds open the 2016 season on a neutral field against non-region opponent Jeff Davis on Thursday, August 18 Last year the Jeff Davis Volunteers finished with an overall record of 6-4 and in seventh place in Class 7A region 2. The ended last season on a positive note with a win over Carver Montgomery by a score of 51-9 after failing to gain a playoff spot.

       Park Crossing and Jeff Davis have met a total of 5 times on the football field. The Thunderbirds have a 3-2-0 record against the Volunteers. They last met in 2020 with Jeff Davis winning by a score of 30-29.

       Park Crossing returns 6A All-State Senior kicker Jake Lane. He was named to the honorable mention team last season. The Thunderbirds also return Junior offensive lineman Marcus Jenkins. He was named to the first team.

  








Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Spence McCracken won a record 21 Area/Region Championships at Montgomery Academy, Lee Montgomery and Opelika during his coaching career.