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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Gardendale Rockets

Head Coach: Chad Eads (seventh season)
Career Record: 6 seasons, (45-28)
At Gardendale: 6 seasons, (45-28)
Stadium: Driver Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  816
Rank:  62nd in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   383-261-3   (60.0%)
Last 25 years:   161-124   (56.0%)  (Rank: 127th in the AHSAA, 27th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   100-64  (61.0%)  (Rank: 105th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2022
Last Winning Season:   2022
Last Losing Season:   2023

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   5
Record:  3-8
Region Record:   3-3, (fourth)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Gadsden City by a score of 44-16.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  376 (34.2)
Defense:  441 (40.1)    (Team record for points allowed in a season)


 2024 
Class: 6A              Region:   5
Strength of Schedule: 55-51 (52%) (137th in the AHSAA, 28th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  32-33 (49%)
Non-Region Strength:  23-18 (56%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. James Clemens  (7A)   21-26   L  
 9/1  @ North Gwinnett GA    41-50   L  
 9/8  @ Mortimer Jordan  (6A)  *  21-58   L  
 9/15   OPEN 
 9/22  vs. Parker  (6A)  *  22-41   L  
 9/29  vs. Austin  (7A)   7-38   L  
 10/5  @ Jackson-Olin  (6A)  *  58-12   W  
 10/13  vs. Minor  (6A)  *  61-49   W  
 10/20  @ Woodlawn  (6A)  *  59-20   W  
 10/27  vs. Mountain Brook  (6A)  *  42-56   L  
 11/2  @ Hueytown  (6A)   28-47   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  @ Gadsden City    16-44   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ James Clemens  (7A)       
 8/30  vs. Pinson Valley  (6A)       
 9/6  vs. Parker  (6A)  *      
 9/13  @ Jackson-Olin  (6A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Minor  (6A)  *      
 9/27  @ Central Tuscaloosa  (6A)       
 10/4  @ Homewood  (6A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Mortimer Jordan  (6A)  *      
 10/18  @ Woodlawn  (6A)  *      
 10/25   OPEN 
 11/1  vs. Spain Park  (6A)       


Class  6A Region  5
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Parker (6A) 12-2 6-0528-206
Mortimer Jordan (6A) 8-3 4-2383-292
Gardendale (6A) 3-8 3-3376-441
Homewood (6A) 6-5 4-2267-237
Minor (6A) 4-6 2-4200-238
Woodlawn (6A) 2-7 1-5128-358
Jackson-Olin (6A) 0-10 0-6108-416

 2024 Preview 


       Gardendale finished the 2023 season with a disappointing 3-8 record. With their 3-3 region record and a fourth place finish in Class 6A region five, the Rockets earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Gardendale's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Gadsden City by a score of 44-16.

       Gardendale took a step backwards last year with their first losing season since 2011. The Rockets lost as many games as in any season since 2005. The defense allowed a team record 441 points last season. The Rockets hope to rebound after a down year. Last season they struggled winning just three games which followed a 9-4 record in 2022.

       Gardendale had a very good offense last year, scoring 34.2 points per game, but it couldn't keep up with a defense that gave up 40.1 points per game.

       Since 2010, Gardendale has gone a combined 100-64. Their 61.0% winning percentage ranks 16th in Class 6A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Gardendale has managed to compile a record of 161-124. Their 56.0% winning percentage ranks 27th in Class 6A and 127th in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Rockets are led by head coach Chad Eads who is entering his seventh season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 45-28 over the past six seasons at Gardendale. Under his direction the Rockets have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times. They have won one region crown with Coach Eads.

Season Outlook:

       The Gardendale Rockets will play in Class 6A region five during the 2024 season.

      

       The Gardendale Rockets would prefer to forget about the 3-8 record form last year and move on to bigger and better things in the future. While the offense was pretty good putting up 376 points the defense allowed a school record 441 points. They gave up more than 40 points in seven games losing six of those contests. The offense scored more than 40 five times but they only won three of those games.

       The three victories last year were the fewest in Gardendale since the 2005 football season. The Rockets are not accustomed to losing and don't expect them to have another season like last year anytime soon. One bright spot was that they did manage to reach the playoffs for the tenth season in a row.

    The Rockets have a good shot at one of the last two playoff slots in region five this season. They have qualified for the playoffs every year since 2013 and are hopeful to continue that streak in 2024.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      WR Morgan Harris will be returning to the offense after catching 28 passes for 444 yards and 6 TDs.

      DE Caiden Combs collected 110 tackles (79 solo) including 15 sacks and will be back for his senior season. Jackson Firestone also had 108 tackles (40 solo) last year as a junior.

Returning Starters:
RB/WR Milaki Handy, WR Carter Jenkins, DE/TE Caiden Combs, WR Jacoby Quates Jr., OLB Rowan Warmack, LB Jackson Firestone, DL Jackson Stanford, DB Josh Malone, S Kamari Todd, OL Rhett Fitzpatrick, DB Braylon Henry

Season Opener:
       The Rockets open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent James Clemens on Friday, August 23 at Madison City Schools Stadium. Last year the James Clemens Jets finished with an overall record of 7-4 and in first place in Class 7A region four. The Jets lost in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs to Hoover by a score of 42-16.

       Gardendale and James Clemens have met a total of 5 times on the football field. The Rockets have a 2-3-0 record against the Jets. They last met in 2023 with James Clemens winning by a score of 26-21.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Brantley won an amazing 62 consecutive region games between 2002-2010.