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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Southside Panthers

Head Coach: Ben Stewart (first season)
Career Record: 0 seasons, (0-0)
At Southside Gadsden: First season
Stadium: Barney Hood Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  616
Rank:  86th in the AHSAA, 54th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   404-456-38   (47.0%)
Last 25 years:   113-150   (43.0%)  (Rank: 256th in the AHSAA, 40th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   83-69  (54.6%)  (Rank: 146th in the AHSAA, 27th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2022

 2023 
Class:  5A              Region:   6
Record:  8-3
Region Record:   5-1, (first)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to Boaz by a score of 10-7.
Final ASWA Poll:   7th
Scoring:  346 (31.5)
Defense:  218 (19.8)


 2024 
Class: 6A              Region:   8
Strength of Schedule: 51-62 (45%) (298th in the AHSAA, 47th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  30-37 (45%)
Non-Region Strength:  21-25 (46%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  @ Guntersville  (5A)   10-14   L  
 8/31  vs. Hokes Bluff  (3A)   37-12   W  
 9/8  @ Lincoln  (5A)  *  29-8   W  
 9/15  vs. Springville  (5A)  *  35-21   W  
 9/22  @ St. Clair County  (5A)  *  42-13   W  
 9/29  vs. Boaz  (5A)   48-45   W (OT) 
 10/6  vs. Leeds  (5A)  *  23-13   W  
 10/13   OPEN 
 10/20  vs. Alexandria  (5A)  *  49-21   W  
 10/27  @ Moody  (5A)  *  21-34   L  
 11/3  @ Etowah  (4A)   45-27   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/9  vs. Boaz    7-10   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  vs. Guntersville  (5A)       
 8/29  @ Hokes Bluff  (4A)       
 9/5  @ Lee Huntsville  (6A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Fort Payne  (6A)  *      
 9/20   OPEN 
 9/27  vs. Etowah  (4A)       
 10/4  @ Mae Jemison  (6A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Buckhorn  (6A)  *      
 10/18  @ Gadsden City  (6A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Hazel Green  (6A)  *      
 11/1  @ Pell City  (6A)       
 11/8  vs. Mountain Brook        


Class  6A Region  8
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Gadsden City (6A) 9-4 5-0491-259
Southside Gadsden (5A) 8-3 5-1346-218
Fort Payne (6A) 7-5 3-2449-362
Buckhorn (6A) 6-5 3-2237-308
Mae Jemison (6A) 3-8 2-3220-448
Lee Huntsville (6A) 5-5 2-3302-317
Hazel Green (6A) 0-10 0-5118-413

 2024 Preview 


       Southside completed the 2023 season with a 8-3 record. Last year Southside captured the region six title and a number one seed in the Class 5A playoffs. They finished region play with a 5-1 record. It was the first region championship for the Panthers since the 2014 season. Southside's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to Boaz by a score of 10-7.

       The Panthers won as many games as in any season since 2014.

       Since 2010, Southside has gone a combined 83-69. Their 54.6% winning percentage ranks 27th in Class 6A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Southside has managed to compile a record of 113-150. Their 43.0% winning percentage ranks 40th in Class 6A and 256th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Southside lost 5A All-State  running back Mason Teague to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating was teammate linebacker Tytan Rich.

Coaching Change:
     Miles Holcomb  leaves Southside after just three seasons with an 18-15 record. His last team shared a tie for the region championship but fell to Boaz 10-7 in the first round of the playoffs. In five seasons as a head coach at Southside and Crossville his teams have finished a combined 26-28.

2024 Head Coach:
    Ben Stewart  was hired as the next head football coach at Southside in March. He will be tasked to continue the success of Coach Holcomb last season. Stewart was the offensive coordinator at Oxford the past three seasons. He spent time as an assistant at Springville, his alma mater, and Hillcrest Tuscaloosa before Oxford.

Season Outlook:

       The Southside Panthers will play in Class 6A region eight during the 2024 season. The Panthers move up in classification to Class 6A. They may find the going slightly tougher with the move.

      

       The Panthers lost all-state running back Mason Teague to graduation and the 2,145 yards and 20 touchdowns he scored last year. Southside has made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons and tied for their first region crown since 2014.

       In 2024 the Panthers will face seven teams that qualified for the playoffs last year. The move up to 6A will give the Panthers a small margin for error when in comes to region play. Fort Payne and Gadsden City will be expected to lead the pack in Region 8 and the Panthers can expect to fight it out with Buckhorn, Lee and Mae Jemison for the final two playoff spots in 2024. Look for them to be in the hunt to reach the playoffs and possibly host a first round game again.

       Coach Ben Stewart is excited to have his first head coaching job. He says the offensive and defensive lines are the biggest he has had in the past. He said at media days they return about eight on offense and seven on defense. Stewart says they will move QB Bryan to receiver and have a new starter at quarterback when the season opens.

       The foundation has been laid at Southside for another great season.

    The Panthers should be in contention for a playoff spot in region eight this season. Hosting a first round playoff game on their home turf would be an advantage.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      QB Jordan Bryan will be returning after completing 66-of-104 passes for 1,228 yards and 10 TDs last season.

      Also back will be LB Brayden Bowers who collected 128 tackles (78 solo) and 3 sacks as a junior.

      Also returning will be LB Blake Phillips who collected 96 tackles (55 solo) and 4 sacks in 2023. SS Brody McCutcheon will also return after racking up 76 tackles (46 solo).

Returning Starters:
QB Jordan Bryan, OL Jamin Brown, LB Brayden Bowers, LB Blake Phillips, SS Koal Garrett, SS Brody McCutcheon, DB Silas Osborne, DE/RB Jevonte Strong, LB Kolby Dodd, Kicker Caleb Ogle

Season Opener:
       The Panthers open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Guntersville on Friday, August 23 at Barney Hood Stadium. Last year the Guntersville Wildcats finished with an overall record of 12-2 and in first place in Class 5A region seven. The Wildcats lost in the semi-finals round of the Class 5A playoffs to Ramsay by a score of 35-14.

       Southside and Guntersville have met a total of 12 times on the football field. The Panthers have a 4-8-0 record against the Wildcats. They last met in 2023 with Guntersville winning by a score of 14-10.

  


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