News

We now have 836 teams &  
190,063 games on AHSFHS.org.


Search Site





AHSFHS Article Series


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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Isabella Mustangs

Head Coach: Tate Leonard (ninth season)
Career Record: 8 seasons, (75-21)
At Isabella: 8 seasons, (75-21)
Stadium: Bill Nabors Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  169
Rank:  308th in the AHSAA, 37th in Class 2A

 History 
Overall Record:   368-534-27   (41.0%)
Last 25 years:   160-119   (57.0%)  (Rank: 120th in the AHSAA, 13th in Class 2A)
Since 2010:   105-53  (66.5%)  (Rank: 68th in the AHSAA, 7th in Class 2A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2021
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2015

 2023 
Class:  2A              Region:   4
Record:  9-3
Region Record:   5-2, (third)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Cottonwood by a score of 24-23.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  481 (40.1)
Defense:  282 (23.5)


 2024 
Class: 2A              Region:   5
Strength of Schedule: 68-46 (60%) (35th in the AHSAA, 3rd in Class 2A)
Region Strength:  39-28 (58%)
Non-Region Strength:  29-18 (62%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25   OPEN 
 9/1  @ Maplesville  (1A)   34-14   W  
 9/8  @ Thorsby  (2A)  *  43-50   L  
 9/15  vs. Central Coosa  (2A)  *  63-0   W  
 9/22  @ Fayetteville  (2A)  *  67-33   W  
 9/29  vs. Billingsley  (1A)   33-6   W  
 10/6  vs. B.B. Comer  (2A)  *  13-47   L  
 10/13  vs. Ranburne  (2A)  *  29-25   W  
 10/20  vs. Vincent  (2A)  *  35-28   W  
 10/27  @ Woodland  (2A)  *  55-14   W  
 11/3  @ Keith  (1A)   42-24   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/9  @ St. Lukes    44-17   W  
 11/17  vs. Cottonwood    23-24   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/22  vs. Thorsby  (3A)       
 8/30  vs. Maplesville  (1A)       
 9/6  @ Sulligent  (2A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Tuscaloosa Academy  (2A)  *      
 9/20  @ Aliceville  (2A)  *      
 9/27  @ Billingsley  (1A)       
 10/4  @ Highland Home  (2A)       
 10/11  vs. Greene County  (2A)  *      
 10/18  @ Vincent  (2A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Lamar County  (2A)  *      
 11/1   OPEN 


Class  2A Region  5
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Tuscaloosa Academy (2A) 10-3 5-1482-256
Sulligent (2A) 9-3 5-1418-253
Aliceville (2A) 5-6 4-2337-340
Isabella (2A) 9-3 5-2481-282
Lamar County (2A) 7-4 4-2392-326
Vincent (2A) 6-5 4-3308-203
Greene County (2A) 2-7 0-6144-315

 2024 Preview 


       Isabella completed the 2023 season with a 9-3 record. With their 5-2 region record and a third place finish in Class 2A region four, the Mustangs earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Isabella reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Cottonwood by a score of 24-23.

       The high-scoring Isabella offense ranked 29th in the AHSAA. They averaged 40.1 points a game.

       Since 2010, Isabella has gone a combined 105-53. Their 66.5% winning percentage ranks 7th in Class 2A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Isabella has managed to compile a record of 160-119. Their 57.0% winning percentage ranks 13th in Class 2A and 120th in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Mustangs are led by head coach Tate Leonard who is entering his ninth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 75-21 over the past eight seasons at Isabella. Under his direction the Mustangs have qualified for the playoffs a total of eight times. They have won three region crowns with Coach Leonard.

Season Outlook:

       The Isabella Mustangs will play in Class 2A region five during the 2024 season. Following realignment, the Mustangs remain in 2A but move from region four over to region five.

       The Mustangs have one of the toughest overall schedules in Class 2A. Their opponents had a combined record of 68-46 last season. That ranks 3rd in Class 2A and 35th in the AHSAA. Isabella will face six opponents that reached the playoffs last season.

       With the AHSAA realignment region 5 has six teams that qualified for the playoffs last year. Someone will be left out of the post season come November. It is especially crowded at the top.

       In each of the past three seasons the Mustangs have scored more than 430 points. Coach Leonard has the offense clicking and if they can improve a little on defense this could be a team to watch in the future in 2A.

       The Mustangs return six starters from last season to the offense and seven on defense so experienced players will be the key to success at Isabella this season.

       Coach Leonard said about his team and their schedule in 2024. ''Tough Schedule, Region and Non Region ''

    The Mustangs are considered one of the favorites for the region five championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The Mustangs have successfully qualified for the playoffs every year since 2015 and expect to be included again when November rolls around.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: OL- Colton Conway; OL- Aidan Gray; OL- Lane Mims; OL- Colten Leonard; RB- Garrett Price; WR- Austin Porter
DEFENSE: DL- Darus Moletle; DL- Coton Conway; DL- Lane Mims; DL- Jedaiah Works; LB- Garrett Price; LB- Noah McMinn; CB- Kaden Tuttle
NEWCOMERS: ATH- Javarius Craig, 9th; RB- Jedaiah Works, 10th

Season Opener:
       The Mustangs open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Thorsby on Thursday, August 22 at Bill Nabors Stadium. Last year the Thorsby Rebels finished with an overall record of 9-3 and in second place in Class 2A region four. The Rebels lost in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs to Reeltown by a score of 48-14.

       Isabella and Thorsby have met a total of 59 times on the football field. The Mustangs have a 38-21-0 record against the Rebels. They last met in 2023 with Thorsby winning by a score of 50-43.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Hazlewood won five consecutive state championships from 1988-1992. During this span the Golden Bears won 29 playoff games in a row.