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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Fultondale Wildcats

Head Coach: Keon Handley (second season)
Career Record: 7 seasons, (27-47)
At Fultondale: one season, (4-7)
Stadium: Wildcats Field
2024 Enrollment:  342
Rank:  174th in the AHSAA, 27th in Class 4A

 History 
Overall Record:   243-295-2   (45.0%)
Last 25 years:   134-136   (50.0%)  (Rank: 214th in the AHSAA, 41st in Class 4A)
Since 2010:   87-68  (56.1%)  (Rank: 135th in the AHSAA, 23rd in Class 4A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2019
Last Winning Season:   2019
Last Losing Season:   2023

 2023 
Class:  4A              Region:   6
Record:  4-7
Region Record:   4-2, (third)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Deshler by a score of 43-27.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  293 (26.6)
Defense:  247 (22.5)


 2024 
Class: 4A              Region:   5
Strength of Schedule: 42-52 (45%) (311st in the AHSAA, 50th in Class 4A)
Region Strength:  29-45 (39%)
Non-Region Strength:  13-7 (65%)



 2023 Results 
 8/24  vs. Holtville  (5A)   24-28   L  
 9/2  @ Carver Birmingham  (5A)   6-12   L  
 9/8   OPEN 
 9/15  @ Etowah  (4A)  *  48-9   W  
 9/22  @ Oneonta  (4A)  *  28-37   L  
 9/29  @ Corner  (4A)   21-42   L  
 10/6  vs. Ashville  (4A)  *  48-6   W  
 10/13  @ Cherokee County  (4A)  *  0-35   L  
 10/20  vs. Good Hope  (4A)  *  35-7   W  
 10/26  vs. Hanceville  (4A)  *  43-14   W  
 11/2  vs. Mortimer Jordan  (6A)   13-14   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/9  @ Deshler    27-43   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  vs. Linden  (1A)       
 8/30  @ Center Point  (5A)       
 9/6  @ Good Hope  (4A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Fayette County  (4A)  *      
 9/20  @ Dora  (4A)  *      
 9/27   OPEN 
 10/4  vs. Hamilton  (4A)  *      
 10/11  @ Haleyville  (4A)  *      
 10/18  vs. Cordova  (4A)  *      
 10/25  @ Curry  (4A)  *      
 11/1   OPEN 


Class  4A Region  5
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Dora (4A) 8-3 6-1415-232
Haleyville (4A) 8-4 6-1342-297
Fultondale (4A) 4-7 4-2293-247
Fayette County (3A) 6-5 3-3292-230
Good Hope (4A) 3-7 2-4234-285
Cordova (4A) 2-8 2-5239-310
Hamilton (4A) 1-9 1-6258-464
Curry (4A) 1-9 0-7155-489

 2024 Preview 


       Fultondale completed the 2023 season with a 4-7 record. With their 4-2 region record and a third place finish in Class 4A region six, the Wildcats earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Fultondale's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Deshler by a score of 43-27.

       It marked the first time since the 2019 season that the Wildcats qualified for the playoffs.

       The Wildcats would prefer to forget the past two seasons as they have finished with a 4-17 record. Since 2010, Fultondale has gone a combined 87-68. Their 56.1% winning percentage ranks 23rd in Class 4A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Fultondale has managed to compile a record of 134-136. Their 50.0% winning percentage ranks 41st in Class 4A and 214th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Fultondale lost 4A All-State  linebacker Matthew Yafondo to graduation. He was named to the second team last season.

Head Coach:
       The Wildcats are led by head coach Keon Handley who is entering his second season at the helm. His team finished with a 4-7 record in his first season at Fultondale. The Wildcats saw improvement from a 0-10 record the season before coach Handley arrived. Under his direction the Wildcats have qualified for the playoffs once. They have not won a region crown with Coach Handley. Over the course of his career, Coach Handley's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of four times .

Season Outlook:

       The Fultondale Wildcats will play in Class 4A region five during the 2024 season. Following realignment, the Wildcats remain in 4A but move from region six over to region five.

      

       The Wildcats won four games last season which is more than they had won in the three previous seasons combined so Coach Handley saw some improvement in his first year at the helm. Can they continue that success in 2024? It just might be possible. The region is good at the top but there are several teams the Wildcats could beat.

       They do return a good quarterback and a running back with some experience.

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

Players to Watch in 2024:
      QB Brandon Woodall will be returning for his junior season after completing 93-of-173 passes for 1,324 yards and 11 TDs last season.

      RB Jeremiah Jackson will be back too for his senior season after rushing for 558 yards and 7 TDs last season.

Returning Starters:
WR/CB Eric Brown, FS Michael Yafondo, FS DJ Brooks, RB/CB Jaylon Fells, TE/MLB Jaden Gordon, MLB/RB Nedarius Davis

Season Opener:
       The Wildcats open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Linden on Friday, August 23 at Wildcats Field. Last year the Linden Patriots finished with an overall record of 6-3 and in second place in Class 1A region three. The Patriots lost in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs to Brantley by a score of 42-17.

       This will be the second meeting between Fultondale and Linden on the football field. The Wildcats have a 1-0-0 record against the Patriots. They last met in with

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The Super 6 State Championships began in 1996. Since then all title games were played at Legion Field in Birmingham until 2009.