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






2017 Team Previews 

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Mars Hill Panthers

Head Coach: Darrell Higgins (third season)
Stadium:
Career Record: 2 seasons, (7-14)
At Mars Hill: 2 seasons, (7-14)
2018 Enrollment:  158
Rank:  328th in the AHSAA, 4th in Class 1A

 History 
Overall Record:   10-31   (24.0%)
Last 25 years:   10-31   (24.0%)  (Rank: 368th in the AHSAA, 55th in Class 1A)
Since 2010:   10-31  (24.0%)  (Rank: 347th in the AHSAA, 51st in Class 1A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2017
Last Region Championship:   Never
Last Winning Season:   2017
Last Losing Season:   2016

 2017 
Class:  2A              Region:   8
Record:  7-4    (Team record for wins in a season)
Region Record:   4-2, (third)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Sand Rock by a score of 14-13.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  343 (31.2)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  210 (19.1)


 2018 
Class: 1A              Region:   8
Strength of Schedule: 51-57 (47%) (247th in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 1A)
Region Strength:  31-35 (47%)
Non-Region Strength:  20-22 (48%)



 2017 Results 
 8/25  vs. Vina  (1A)   48-0   W  
 9/1  vs. Cherokee  (1A)   14-21   L  
 9/8  vs. Red Bay  (2A)  *  26-24   W  
 9/15  @ Lamar County  (2A)  *  14-28   L  
 9/22  vs. Sheffield  (2A)  *  21-13   W  
 9/29  @ Waterloo  (1A)   35-12   W  
 10/6  @ Sulligent  (2A)  *  20-52   L  
 10/13  vs. Phil Campbell  (2A)  *  48-20   W  
 10/20   OPEN 
 10/27  @ Hatton  (2A)  *  48-20   W  
 11/3  @ Shoals Christian  (1A)   56-6   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  @ Sand Rock    13-14   L  

 2018 Schedule 
 8/24   OPEN 
 8/31  vs. Sheffield  (2A)       
 9/7  vs. Hackleburg  (1A)  *      
 9/14  @ Phillips Bear Creek  (1A)  *      
 9/21  vs. Cherokee  (1A)  *      
 9/28  @ Brooks  (4A)       
 10/5  @ Vina  (1A)  *      
 10/12  vs. Central Florence  (4A)       
 10/19  @ Waterloo  (1A)  *      
 10/26  vs. Shoals Christian  (1A)  *      
 11/2  @ Lexington  (3A)       
 11/9  vs. Marion County        
 11/16  vs. Donoho        
 11/23  @ South Lamar        
 11/30  vs. Pickens County        
 12/6   Linden        


Class  1A Region  8
Team 2017 Record Scoring                            
Cherokee (1A) 9-4426-191
Hackleburg (1A) 10-2424-221
Mars Hill (2A) 7-4343-210
Phillips Bear Creek (1A) 6-5311-269
Shoals Christian (1A) 1-9178-480
Vina (1A) 1-9152-377
Waterloo (1A) 4-6295-258

 2018 Preview 


       Mars Hill completed the 2017 season with a 7-4 record. With their 4-2 region record and a third place finish in Class 2A region eight, the Panthers earned a spot in the playoffs in 2017. Mars Hill's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Sand Rock by a score of 14-13.

       The Panthers enjoyed the first winning season in the school's history in 2017. No team at Mars Hill ever won more games in a season than the seven victories last year. The 343 points scored by the Panthers last year were a team record in a single season. The Panthers qualified for the playoffs for the first time in the school's history in 2017. The Panthers 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 2018. The Panthers hope to continue the success they had last season. Coach Higgins saw improvement as they won seven games following a 0-10 record in 2016.

      

       Mars Hill is a relatively new football program having fielded a team only four seasons. They have managed a record of 10-31 over the past four years.




       The Panthers are led by head coach Darrell Higgins who is entering his third season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 7-14 over the past two seasons at Mars Hill. Under his direction the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs once. They have not won a region crown with Coach Higgins.

       Coach Higgins' overall record as a head football coach in two season stands at 7-14 (33.3%).

       The Mars Hill Panthers will play in Class 1A region eight during the 2018 season. The Panthers may find the schedule slightly easier this season with the move down in classification from Class 2A to 1A. They will compete in region eight this year.

       The Panthers will be in the mix for one of the last two playoff spots in region eight this season.

       The Panthers open the 2018 season at home against non-region opponent Sheffield on Friday, August 31. Last year the Sheffield Bulldogs finished with an overall record of 4-7 and in fourth place in Class 2A region eight. The Bulldogs lost in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs to Fyffe by a score of 48-0.

       Mars Hill and Sheffield have met a total of 9 times on the football field. The Panthers have a 6-3-0 record against the Bulldogs. They last met in 2017 with Mars Hill winning by a score of 21-13.

       Mars Hill returns 2A All-State  offensive lineman Brooks Thompson. He was named to the second team last season. The Panthers also return  linebacker Colt Smith. He was named to the honorable mention team.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The Tuscaloosa Black Bears were considered one of the best programs in the nation from 1925-1931. Their record over that span was an amazing 61-0-3.