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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Cottonwood Bears

Head Coach: Dustin Harrison (fifth season)
Career Record: 7 seasons, (36-38)
At Cottonwood: 4 seasons, (22-20)
Stadium: Hicks Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  184
Rank:  298th in the AHSAA, 27th in Class 2A

 History 
Overall Record:   492-377-20   (57.0%)
Last 25 years:   149-127   (54.0%)  (Rank: 150th in the AHSAA, 20th in Class 2A)
Since 2010:   71-77  (48.0%)  (Rank: 208th in the AHSAA, 31st in Class 2A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2022

 2023 
Class:  2A              Region:   2
Record:  10-2
Region Record:   7-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Quarter-finals loss to Reeltown by a score of 42-22.
Final ASWA Poll:   7th
Scoring:  439 (36.6)
Defense:  229 (19.1)


 2024 
Class: 2A              Region:   2
Strength of Schedule: 41-62 (40%) (359th in the AHSAA, 51st in Class 2A)
Region Strength:  27-46 (37%)
Non-Region Strength:  14-16 (47%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25   OPEN 
 9/1  @ Northside Methodist Academy  (3A)   52-38   W  
 9/8  vs. Abbeville  (2A)  *  50-14   W  
 9/15  @ Wicksburg  (2A)  *  28-20   W  
 9/22  vs. Samson  (2A)  *  47-0   W  
 9/29   OPEN 
 10/6  vs. Ariton  (2A)  *  43-7   W  
 10/13  @ G.W. Long  (2A)  *  48-15   W  
 10/20  @ Zion Chapel  (2A)  *  35-20   W  
 10/27  @ Geneva County  (2A)  *  38-0   W  
 11/2  vs. Headland  (5A)   26-42   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Luverne    26-8   W  
 11/17  @ Isabella    24-23   W  
 11/24  vs. Reeltown    22-42   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  vs. Randolph Clay GA   (4-6)       
 8/30  @ Ashford  (4A)       
 9/6  vs. Providence Christian  (2A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Houston County  (2A)  *      
 9/20  @ Samson  (2A)  *      
 9/26  vs. Rehobeth  (6A)       
 10/4  @ Geneva County  (2A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Ariton  (2A)  *      
 10/18  @ Abbeville  (2A)  *      
 10/25  @ G.W. Long  (2A)  *      
 11/1   OPEN 


Class  2A Region  2
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Cottonwood (2A) 10-2 7-0439-229
G.W. Long (2A) 7-4 6-1330-276
Ariton (2A) 6-5 5-2311-285
Providence Christian (3A) 5-6 5-3211-294
Houston County (1A) 5-5 4-4232-232
Samson (2A) 3-7 2-5157-304
Abbeville (2A) 1-9 1-6128-375
Geneva County (2A) 0-10 0-740-328

 2024 Preview 


       Cottonwood completed the 2023 season with a 10-2 record. Last year Cottonwood captured the region two title and a number one seed in the Class 2A playoffs. They finished region play with a 7-0 record. It was the first region championship for the Bears since the 2010 season. Cottonwood lost in the quarter-finals of the playoffs last season to a good Reeltown team by a score of 42-22.

       The Bears won as many games as in any season since 2010. The Bears hope to continue the success they had last season. Coach Harrison saw improvement as they won ten games following a 5-6 record in 2022.

       Since 2010, Cottonwood has gone a combined 71-77. Their 48.0% winning percentage ranks 31st in Class 2A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Cottonwood has managed to compile a record of 149-127. Their 54.0% winning percentage ranks 20th in Class 2A and 150th in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Bears are led by head coach Dustin Harrison who is entering his fifth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 22-20 over the past four seasons at Cottonwood. Under his direction the Bears have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have won one region crown with Coach Harrison. Over the course of his career, Coach Harrison's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of four times and won one region championship.

Season Outlook:

       The Cottonwood Bears will play in Class 2A region two during the 2024 season.

      

       The Bears enter the 2024 season having won 10 straight region games.

       Last year's 10-2 record was the best in Cottonwood since the 2010 football season. Can they build on that and grab a playoff spot for the third year in a row? Their two losses came at the hands of Headland and Reeltown.

       Klete Meadows will be back at the running back position after rushing for 986 yards and 16 touchdowns last year.

    The Bears are considered one of the favorites for the region two championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs.

Season Opener:
       The Bears open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Randolph Clay GA on Friday, August 23 at Hicks Stadium.

       This will be the second meeting between Cottonwood and Randolph Clay GA on the football field. The Bears have a 1-0-0 record against Randolph Clay GA. They last met in with

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The first night game played between high school teams in the state occurred on September 23, 1927 when Pike Road and Cloverdale met in the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.