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






2023 Team Previews 

  


Walter Wellborn Panthers

Head Coach: Jeff Smith (fifteenth season)
Career Record: 26 seasons, (170-116)
At Walter Wellborn: 14 seasons, (94-61)
Stadium: The Hill
2022 Enrollment:  259
Rank:  237th in the AHSAA, 31st in Class 3A

 History 
Overall Record:   398-287-13   (58.0%)
Last 25 years:   129-137   (48.0%)  (Rank: 209th in the AHSAA, 36th in Class 3A)
Since 2010:   90-54  (62.5%)  (Rank: 98th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 3A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2022
Last Region Championship:   1995
Last Winning Season:   2022
Last Losing Season:   2017

 2022 
Class:  3A              Region:   4
Record:  6-5
Region Record:   3-3, (fourth)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to St. James by a score of 54-7.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  321 (29.2)
Defense:  294 (26.7)


 2023 
Class: 3A              Region:   4
Strength of Schedule: 45-61 (42%) (355th in the AHSAA, 57th in Class 3A)
Region Strength:  29-34 (46%)
Non-Region Strength:  16-27 (37%)



 2022 Results 
 8/19  vs. Anniston  (4A)   18-52   L  
 8/26  @ Ohatchee  (3A)   45-7   W  
 9/2   OPEN 
 9/8  @ Beulah  (3A)  *  62-7   W  
 9/16  vs. Dadeville  (3A)  *  14-22   L  
 9/23  vs. Talladega  (4A)   48-28   W  
 9/30  @ Childersburg  (3A)  *  46-26   W  
 10/7  vs. Randolph County  (3A)  *  14-42   L  
 10/14  @ Weaver  (3A)  *  22-12   W  
 10/21  vs. Saks  (3A)  *  18-35   L  
 10/28  @ Cleburne County  (4A)   27-9   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/4  @ St. James    7-54   L  

 2023 Schedule 
 8/25  @ Anniston  (4A)       
 9/1  vs. Ohatchee  (3A)       
 9/8   OPEN 
 9/15  vs. Beulah  (3A)  *      
 9/22  @ Dadeville  (3A)  *      
 9/29  @ Talladega  (4A)       
 10/6  vs. Childersburg  (3A)  *      
 10/13  @ Randolph County  (3A)  *      
 10/20  vs. Weaver  (3A)  *      
 10/27  @ Saks  (3A)  *      
 11/3  vs. Cleburne County  (4A)       
 11/10  vs. Flomaton        


Class  3A Region  4
Team 2022 Record Region Scoring                            
Dadeville (3A) 10-1 6-0413-102
Randolph County (3A) 8-3 5-1360-260
Saks (3A) 7-4 4-2369-208
Walter Wellborn (3A) 6-5 3-3321-294
Beulah (3A) 1-9 1-5103-365
Childersburg (3A) 1-9 1-5196-357
Weaver (3A) 2-8 1-5164-299

 2023 Preview 


       Walter Wellborn completed the 2022 season with a 6-5 record. With their 3-3 region record and a fourth place finish in Class 3A region four, the Panthers earned a spot in the playoffs in 2022. Walter Wellborn's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to St. James by a score of 54-7.

       Since 2010, Walter Wellborn has gone a combined 90-54. Their 62.5% winning percentage ranks 16th in Class 3A over the past thirteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Walter Wellborn has managed to compile a record of 129-137. Their 48.0% winning percentage ranks 36th in Class 3A and 209th in the AHSAA.




       The Panthers are led by head coach Jeff Smith who is entering his fifteenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 94-61 over the past fourteen seasons at Walter Wellborn. Under his direction the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs a total of eleven times. They have not won a region crown with Coach Smith. His 170 wins rank 24th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Smith's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of eighteen times and won one region championship.

       Coach Smith thinks the strength of this years team will be along the line of scrimmage this season. He believes this team will be much improved and should do well in 2023.

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

      Noah Screws will be the starting QB when the season opens this fall. Andrew Salter will anchor the offensive and defensive lines for the Panthers in 2023.

       The Panthers open the 2023 season on the road against non-region opponent Anniston on Friday, August 25 at Lott/Mosby Memorial Stadium. Last year the Anniston Bulldogs finished with an overall record of 11-1 and in first place in Class 4A region four. The Bulldogs lost in the quarter-finals round of the Class 4A playoffs to Andalusia by a score of 35-28.

       Walter Wellborn and Anniston have met a total of 37 times on the football field. The Panthers have a 16-20-1 record against the Bulldogs. They last met in 2022 with Anniston winning by a score of 52-18.

       Walter Wellborn lost 3A All-State  offensive lineman Austin Smith to graduation. He was named to the second team last season.

  


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.