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

2024 Team Previews




Dale County Warriors
Head Coach: Evan Ballard (second season) Career Record: 1 season, (3-7) At Dale County: one season, (3-7) Stadium: Warrior Stadium 2024 Enrollment: 317 Rank: 183rd in the AHSAA, 36th in Class 4A

History

Overall Record: 397-486-20 (45.0%)
Last 25 years: 127-142 (47.0%) (Rank: 211st in the AHSAA, 40th in Class 4A)
Since 2010: 72-80 (47.4%) (Rank: 214th in the AHSAA, 38th in Class 4A)
Last Playoff Appearance: 2020
Last Region Championship: 2014
Last Winning Season: 2020
Last Losing Season: 2023

2023

Class: 4A Region: 2
Record: 3-7
Region Record: 2-5, (fifth)
Playoff Record: Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll: Not Ranked
Scoring: 273 (27.3)
Defense: 451 (45.1)

2024

Class: 4A              Region: 2
Strength of Schedule: 54-53 (50%) (191st in the AHSAA, 28th in Class 4A)
Region Strength:  31-41 (43%)
Non-Region Strength:  23-12 (66%)

2023 Results

8/25	vs. Ariton (2A)	33-20	W
9/1	vs. Carroll (5A)	30-62	L
9/8	@ Andalusia (4A) *	6-56	L
9/15	vs. Montgomery Academy (4A) *	42-57	L
9/22	vs. Bullock County (4A) *	14-31	L
9/29	@ G.W. Long (2A)	25-62	L
10/6	vs. Slocomb (4A) *	60-30	W
10/13	vs. Geneva (4A) *	37-30	W
10/20	@ Catholic Montgomery (4A) *	0-63	L
10/27	@ B.T. Washington (4A) *	26-40	L
11/3	OPEN

2024 Schedule

8/23	vs. Headland (5A)
8/29	vs. G.W. Long (2A)
9/6	vs. Ashford (4A) *
9/13	@ Straughn (4A) *
9/19	@ New Brockton (4A) *
9/27	@ Ariton (2A)
10/4	vs. Opp (4A) *
10/11	@ Daleville (4A) *
10/18	vs. Pike County (4A) *
10/25	@ Geneva (4A) *
11/1	OPEN
11/8	vs. Fairfield

Class 4A Region 2
Team	2023 Record	Region	Scoring
Straughn (3A)	10-2	8-0	428-215
Opp (3A)	4-7	4-4	199-329
Dale County (4A)	3-7	2-5	273-451
Pike County (3A)	4-5	4-4	217-158
Geneva (4A)	3-7	2-5	225-383
New Brockton (3A)	3-7	3-5	163-313
Ashford (3A)	4-6	2-6	252-276
Daleville (3A)	3-7	2-6	238-340

2024 Preview

       Dale County finished the 2023 season with a disappointing 3-7 record. Last year Dale County just missed making the playoffs with a fifth place finish in Class 4A region two with a 2-5 region record.

       Dale County struggled on the defensive side of the football last year. The defense found little success in stopping opposing offenses as they gave up an average of 45.1 points a game.

       Since 2010, Dale County has gone a combined 72-80. Their 47.4% winning percentage ranks 38th in Class 4A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Dale County has managed to compile a record of 127-142. Their 47.0% winning percentage ranks 40th in Class 4A and 211st in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Warriors are led by head coach Evan Ballard who is entering his second season at the helm. His team finished with a 3-7 record in his first season at Dale County. The Warriors saw improvement from a 2-8 record the season before coach Ballard arrived. The Warriors have yet to reach the playoffs under his direction. They have not won a region crown with Coach Ballard.

Season Outlook:

       The Dale County Warriors will play in Class 4A region two during the 2024 season.



       The Warriors have not made the playoffs since 2020 but have a better shot this season with the realignment of region 2. Only two current teams this season qualified for the playoffs in 2023. That alone will give the Warriors a shot.

       Their non-region schedule is difficult. The Warriors open against Headland and host G.W. Long in week two. Midseason they travel to Ariton. Those three teams finished a combined 23-12 last year. In Region 2 only one team, 3A Straughn, won more games than they lost last season. This will be one wide open region race until November.

       The Warriors will be much more experienced in 2024 with most starters returning from last year's squad. Coaches tell us they will return nine to the offense and seven on defense. So fans will be happy to know the Warriors will be in the hunt for a playoff spot when the season opens.

       Coach Ballard told us about this year's team at Dale County. ''We have an experienced team returning and we are looking to build off of a strong foundation that was set in year one last year.''

    The Warriors have a good shot at one of the last two playoff slots in region two this season. Dale County has failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2020 but hope to return to the post season this year.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      RB Tristan Smith will be returning for his senior season after rushing for 1,193 yards and 16 TDs last season.

      WR/QB Junior Smith will be back for his junior season after rushing for 590 yards and 10 TDs last season.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: QB: Dallas Hedstrom, RB: Tristan Smith, RB: Damarkus Smith, FB: Stacey Atkins, WR/QB: Junior Smith, OL: Aidan Spotts, OL: Sean Green, OL: Michael Chancey, OL: Gavin Fultz
DEFENSE: DB: Kam Cotton, DB: Tristan Smith, DB: Dallas Hedstrom, LB: Stacey Atkins, OLB: Junior Smith, DL: Sean Green, DL: Gavin Fultz
NEWCOMERS: ILB: Jaylen Griffin (FR), DB/WR: Cody Jaggars, OLB: Clae Camp, OL: Gavin Odom

Season Opener:
       The Warriors open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Headland on Friday, August 23 at Warrior Stadium. Last year the Headland Rams finished with an overall record of 10-3 and in third place in Class 5A region two. The Rams lost in the quarter-finals round of the Class 5A playoffs to Gulf Shores by a score of 35-14.

       Dale County and Headland have met a total of 78 times on the football field. The Warriors have a 34-43-1 record against the Rams. They last met in 2021 with Headland winning by a score of 27-26.

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.