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






2023 Team Previews 

  


Sidney Lanier Poets

Head Coach: Derone Fagan (second season)
Career Record: 4 seasons, (17-25)
At Sidney Lanier: one season, (5-5)
Stadium: Cramton Bowl
2022 Enrollment:  748
Rank:  73rd in the AHSAA, 40th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   608-434-39   (58.0%)
Last 25 years:   95-162   (37.0%)  (Rank: 310th in the AHSAA, 49th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   46-87  (34.6%)  (Rank: 298th in the AHSAA, 48th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2022
Last Region Championship:   1999
Last Winning Season:   2022
Last Losing Season:   2021

 2022 
Class:  6A              Region:   2
Record:  5-5
Region Record:   3-3, (fourth)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Theodore by a score of 35-20.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  259 (25.9)
Defense:  205 (20.5)


 2023 
Class: 6A              Region:   2
Strength of Schedule: 43-59 (42%) (352nd in the AHSAA, 55th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  29-33 (47%)
Non-Region Strength:  14-26 (35%)



 2022 Results 
 8/20  vs. Lee Montgomery    20-7   W  
 8/26   OPEN 
 9/3  @ Jeff Davis    6-22   L  
 9/8  vs. Pike Road  (6A)  *  21-35   L  
 9/16  vs. Park Crossing  (6A)  *  28-12   W  
 9/23  @ Satsuma  (4A)   54-6   W  
 9/30  @ Russell County  (6A)  *  33-14   W  
 10/6  vs. Stanhope Elmore  (6A)  *  41-17   W  
 10/14  vs. Carver Montgomery  (6A)  *  20-23   L  
 10/21  @ Wetumpka  (6A)  *  16-34   L  
 10/28   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/4  @ Theodore    20-35   L  

 2023 Schedule 
 8/26  @ Percy Julian  (7A)       
 9/1   OPEN 
 9/7  vs. J.A.G.  (7A)       
 9/15  @ Pike Road  (6A)  *      
 9/22  @ Park Crossing  (6A)  *      
 9/29  @ Jasper  (5A)       
 10/7  vs. Russell County  (6A)  *      
 10/13  @ Stanhope Elmore  (6A)  *      
 10/20  @ Carver Montgomery  (6A)  *      
 10/26  vs. Wetumpka  (6A)  *      
 11/2  @ Vigor  (5A)       
 11/9  @ Benjamin Russell        


Class  6A Region  2
Team 2022 Record Region Scoring                            
Carver Montgomery (6A) 8-2 6-0285-200
Pike Road (6A) 7-5 4-2345-255
Wetumpka (6A) 7-4 4-2314-250
Sidney Lanier (6A) 5-5 3-3259-205
Stanhope Elmore (6A) 4-6 3-3221-246
Russell County (6A) 3-7 1-5209-312
Park Crossing (6A) 0-9 0-6103-284

 2023 Preview 


       Sidney Lanier completed the 2022 season with a 5-5 record. With their 3-3 region record and a fourth place finish in Class 6A region two, the Poets earned a spot in the playoffs in 2022. Sidney Lanier's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Theodore by a score of 35-20.

       The Poets improved in 2022 with their first winning season since 2017. It marked the first time since the 2019 season that the Poets qualified for the playoffs.

       Since 2010, Sidney Lanier has gone a combined 46-87. Their 34.6% winning percentage ranks 48th in Class 6A over the past thirteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Sidney Lanier has managed to compile a record of 95-162. Their 37.0% winning percentage ranks 49th in Class 6A and 310th in the AHSAA.




       The Poets are led by head coach Derone Fagan who is entering his second season at the helm. His team finished with a 5-5 record in his first season at Sidney Lanier. The Poets saw improvement from a 2-8 record the season before coach Fagan arrived. Under his direction the Poets have qualified for the playoffs once. They have not won a region crown with Coach Fagan. Over the course of his career, Coach Fagan's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times .

       This is likely the last season for the Poets as it is expected they will consolidate with Carver prior to next season. A long and storied history will go with them.

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

       The Poets open the 2023 season on the road against non-region opponent Percy Julian on Saturday, August 26 at Cramton Bowl. Last year the Percy Julian Panthers finished with an overall record of 1-9 and in ninth place in Class 7A region two. The Panthers closed out the regular season with a loss to Enterprise by a score of 36-18.

       Sidney Lanier and Percy Julian have met a total of 69 times on the football field. The Poets have a 21-46-2 record against the Panthers. They last met in 2022 with Sidney Lanier winning by a score of 20-7.

       Sidney Lanier lost 6A All-State  defensive back Zariah Marks to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating was teammate athlete Tacaris Bozeman.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Alabama School for the Deaf won Deaf School National Championships in 1971, 1987, 1991, 2000, 2001 and 2002.