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






2023 Team Previews 

  


Ariton Purple Cats

Head Coach: Steven Kilcrease (eighth season)
Career Record: 12 seasons, (102-40)
At Ariton: 7 seasons, (60-24)
Stadium: Robert F. Zumstien Stadium
2022 Enrollment:  206
Rank:  275th in the AHSAA, 11th in Class 2A

 History 
Overall Record:   360-279-1   (56.0%)
Last 25 years:   149-128   (54.0%)  (Rank: 150th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 2A)
Since 2010:   77-68  (53.1%)  (Rank: 164th in the AHSAA, 21st in Class 2A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2022
Last Region Championship:   2022
Last Winning Season:   2022
Last Losing Season:   2020

 2022 
Class:  2A              Region:   2
Record:  10-2
Region Record:   7-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Highland Home by a score of 44-28.
Final ASWA Poll:   2nd
Scoring:  497 (41.4)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  236 (19.7)


 2023 
Class: 2A              Region:   2
Strength of Schedule: 50-60 (46%) (287th in the AHSAA, 46th in Class 2A)
Region Strength:  29-46 (39%)
Non-Region Strength:  21-14 (60%)



 2022 Results 
 8/19  vs. Dale County  (4A)   60-28   W  
 8/26  @ Highland Home  (2A)   33-34   L  
 9/2  @ Geneva County  (2A)  *  43-14   W  
 9/9  vs. G.W. Long  (2A)  *  34-18   W  
 9/16  vs. Zion Chapel  (2A)  *  35-0   W  
 9/23  @ Straughn  (3A)   28-14   W  
 9/30  vs. Cottonwood  (2A)  *  40-6   W  
 10/7  vs. Abbeville  (2A)  *  49-0   W  
 10/14  @ Wicksburg  (2A)  *  49-35   W  
 10/21  @ Samson  (2A)  *  37-21   W  
 10/28   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/4  vs. Chickasaw    61-22   W  
 11/11  vs. Highland Home    28-44   L  

 2023 Schedule 
 8/25  @ Dale County  (4A)       
 9/1  vs. Highland Home  (2A)       
 9/8  vs. Geneva County  (2A)  *      
 9/15  @ G.W. Long  (2A)  *      
 9/22  @ Zion Chapel  (2A)  *      
 9/29  vs. Straughn  (3A)       
 10/6  @ Cottonwood  (2A)  *      
 10/13  @ Abbeville  (2A)  *      
 10/20  vs. Wicksburg  (2A)  *      
 10/27  vs. Samson  (2A)  *      
 11/3   OPEN 
 11/9  @ Highland Home        


Class  2A Region  2
Team 2022 Record Region Scoring                            
Ariton (2A) 10-2 7-0497-236
G.W. Long (2A) 8-4 6-1319-278
Wicksburg (2A) 6-6 5-2321-259
Cottonwood (2A) 5-6 4-3284-265
Geneva County (2A) 3-7 2-5205-269
Abbeville (2A) 3-7 2-5174-306
Zion Chapel (2A) 3-7 2-5129-313
Samson (2A) 1-9 0-7149-359

 2023 Preview 


       Ariton completed the 2022 season with a 10-2 record. Last year Ariton captured the region two title and a number one seed in the Class 2A playoffs. They finished region play with a 7-0 record. Ariton reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Highland Home by a score of 44-28.

       The 497 points scored by the Purple Cats last year were a team record in a single season.

       The high-scoring Ariton offense ranked 20th in the AHSAA. They averaged 41.4 points a game.

       Since 2010, Ariton has gone a combined 77-68. Their 53.1% winning percentage ranks 21st in Class 2A over the past thirteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Ariton has managed to compile a record of 149-128. Their 54.0% winning percentage ranks 16th in Class 2A and 150th in the AHSAA.




       The Purple Cats are led by head coach Steven Kilcrease who is entering his eighth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 60-24 over the past seven seasons at Ariton. Under his direction the Purple Cats have qualified for the playoffs a total of seven times. They have won three region crowns with Coach Kilcrease. His 102 wins rank 58th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Kilcrease's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of eleven times and won four region championships. Coach Kilcrease won two state championships prior to arriving at Ariton, the last coming in 2009 at Pike Liberal Arts.

       The Purple Cats enter the 2023 season riding a 8 game regular season winning streak.

       The Purple Cats are considered one of the favorites for the region two championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The Purple Cats have successfully qualified for the playoffs every year since 2014 and expect to be included again when November rolls around.

      QB Ian Senn will be returning after completing 50 of 86 passes for 882 yards last season along with 16 touchdowns.

      The defense will be led by Trevor McLaughlin this season after collecting 93 total tackles last season.

       The Purple Cats open the 2023 season on the road against non-region opponent Dale County on Friday, August 25 at Warrior Stadium. Last year the Dale County Warriors finished with an overall record of 2-8 and in seventh place in Class 4A region two.

       Ariton and Dale County have met a total of 9 times on the football field. The Purple Cats have a 3-6-0 record against the Warriors. They last met in 2022 with Ariton winning by a score of 60-28.

       Ariton lost 2A All-State  receiver Landon Tyler to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates defensive lineman Christian Brown and linebacker CJ McNabb.

       The Purple Cats return 2A All-State Senior defensive back Ian Senn. He was named to the first 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.