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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Benjamin Russell Wildcats

Head Coach: Smitty Grider (third season)
Career Record: 19 seasons, (143-71)
At Benjamin Russell: 2 seasons, (18-6)
Stadium: Martin-Savarese Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  672
Rank:  76th in the AHSAA, 44th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   675-373-26   (64.0%)
Last 25 years:   181-112   (62.0%)  (Rank: 83rd in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   95-64  (59.7%)  (Rank: 112nd in the AHSAA, 18th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2021

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   3
Record:  10-3
Region Record:   5-1, (first)
Playoff Record:   Quarter-finals loss to Pike Road by a score of 31-28.
Final ASWA Poll:   10th
Scoring:  450 (34.6)
Defense:  268 (20.6)


 2024 
Class: 6A              Region:   3
Strength of Schedule: 53-51 (51%) (163rd in the AHSAA, 34th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  27-35 (44%)
Non-Region Strength:  26-16 (62%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. Wetumpka  (6A)   40-19   W  
 9/1  vs. Central Clay County  (5A)   13-30   L  
 9/8  @ Calera  (6A)  *  57-7   W  
 9/15   OPEN 
 9/22  vs. Homewood  (6A)  *  21-41   L  
 9/29  @ Smiths Station  (7A)   34-23   W  
 10/6  @ Chilton County  (6A)  *  50-7   W  
 10/12  vs. Pelham  (6A)  *  41-14   W  
 10/20  @ Briarwood  (6A)  *  25-21   W  
 10/27  vs. Helena  (6A)  *  20-17   W  
 11/3  @ Valley  (5A)   35-19   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/9  vs. Sidney Lanier    39-12   W  
 11/17  vs. Hueytown    47-27   W  
 11/24  vs. Pike Road    28-31   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  vs. Opelika  (7A)       
 8/30  @ Central Clay County  (5A)       
 9/6  vs. Calera  (6A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Chilton County  (6A)  *      
 9/20  @ Spain Park  (6A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Charles Henderson  (5A)       
 10/4  @ Helena  (6A)  *      
 10/11   OPEN 
 10/18  @ Pelham  (6A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Chelsea  (6A)  *      
 11/1  vs. Percy Julian  (6A)       
 11/8  @ Spanish Fort        


Class  6A Region  3
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Benjamin Russell (6A) 10-3 5-1450-268
Helena (6A) 9-3 5-1416-226
Pelham (6A) 5-5 2-4211-242
Spain Park (7A) 7-3 4-3338-196
Chilton County (6A) 4-6 1-5248-264
Calera (6A) 0-10 0-692-433
Chelsea (7A) 2-8 1-6170-374

 2024 Preview 


       Benjamin Russell completed the 2023 season with a 10-3 record. Last year Benjamin Russell captured the region three title and a number one seed in the Class 6A playoffs. They finished region play with a 5-1 record. It was the first region championship for the Wildcats since the 2013 season. Benjamin Russell lost in the quarter-finals of the playoffs last season to a good Pike Road team by a score of 31-28.

       The Wildcats won as many games as in any season since 2015.

       Since 2010, Benjamin Russell has gone a combined 95-64. Their 59.7% winning percentage ranks 18th in Class 6A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Benjamin Russell has managed to compile a record of 181-112. Their 62.0% winning percentage ranks 16th in Class 6A and 83rd in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Benjamin Russell lost 6A All-State  receiver Malcolm Simmons to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating was teammate quarterback Gabe Benton.

Head Coach:
       The Wildcats are led by head coach Smitty Grider who is entering his third season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 18-6 over the past two seasons at Benjamin Russell. Under his direction the Wildcats have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have won one region crown with Coach Grider. His 143 wins rank 42nd among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Grider's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of fourteen times and won six region championships.

       Coach Grider needs seven wins this season to reach the 150 win milestone.

Season Outlook:

       The Benjamin Russell Wildcats will play in Class 6A region three during the 2024 season.

      

       The Wildcats enter the 2024 season riding a 6 game regular season winning streak.

       The losses of QB Gabriel Benton and WR Malcolm Simmons to graduation will create a void in the Wildcat's offense this season that will need to be filled if they have hopes of making a deep playoff run.

       Only three opponents on the Wildcat's 2024 schedule qualified for the playoffs last season. Coach Grider says they will have seven returning starters on offense and seven on defense. Alijah Johnson will be the starting quarterback for the Wildcats when the season opens.

       They may have lost some depth at the skilled positions but this will still be a very good football team at Benjamin Russell.

    The Wildcats should be in contention for a playoff spot in region three this season. Hosting a first round playoff game on their home turf would be an advantage.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      RB T.J. Wilson will be returning for his senior season after rushing for 1,264 yards and 11 TDs last season.

      WR Cederian Morgan will be back for his junior season after catching 36 passes for 622 yards and 4 TDs in 2023.

      MLB Noah Long collected 87 tackles (42 solo) including 5 sacks and will be back for his senior season. SS Aquavious Marbury had 99 tackles (67 solo) and 12 sacks as a sophomore last season.

Returning Starters:
STARTERS: QB- Alijah Johnson, Jr.; WR- Cederian Morgan; RB T.J. Wilson; Lorenzo Crawford; LB Noah Long ; Lajavious Calhoun; SS- Aquavious Marbury; WR- Cody Marbury
NEWCOMERS: QB- Alijah Johnson; SS- Radrekus Glenn; OLB- Christian Smith

Season Opener:
       The Wildcats open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Opelika on Friday, August 23 at Martin-Savarese Stadium. Last year the Opelika Bulldogs finished with an overall record of 4-6 and in fifth place in Class 7A region two.

       Benjamin Russell and Opelika have met a total of 75 times on the football field. The Wildcats have a 37-35-3 record against the Bulldogs. They last met in 2019 with Opelika winning by a score of 45-17.

  


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