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2024 Team Previews
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| Catholic Knights |
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Head Coach: Kirk Johnson (fourth season) Career Record: 3 seasons, (41-2) At Catholic Montgomery: 3 seasons, (41-2) Stadium: Catholic Field 2024 Enrollment: 304 Rank: 197th in the AHSAA, 57th in Class 5A |
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Overall Record: 405-397-14 (50.0%) Last 25 years: 151-126 (54.0%) (Rank: 153rd in the AHSAA, 17th in Class 5A) Since 2010: 108-57 (65.5%) (Rank: 72nd in the AHSAA, 12th in Class 5A) Last Playoff Appearance: 2023 Last Region Championship: 2023 Last Winning Season: 2023 Last Losing Season: 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class: 4A
Region: 2
Record: 15-0 (Team record for wins in a season) Region Record: 7-0, (first) Playoff Record: Won the Class 4A State Championship by defeating Cherokee County at the Alabama Super Seven 35-0 in Birmingham. Final ASWA Poll: 1st Scoring: 614 (40.9) Defense: 73 (4.9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class: 5A
Region: 2
Strength of Schedule: 81-43 (65%) (12th in the AHSAA, 3rd in Class 5A) Region Strength: 42-29 (59%) Non-Region Strength: 39-14 (74%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Catholic completed the 2023 season with a 15-0 record. Last year Catholic captured the region two title and a number one seed in the Class 4A playoffs. They finished region play with a 7-0 record. The Knights reeled off five straight playoff wins to claim the Class 4A State Championship by defeating Cherokee County at the Alabama Super Seven 35-0 in Birmingham. No team at Catholic ever won more games in a season than the fifteen victories last year. The high-scoring Catholic Montgomery offense ranked 23rd in the AHSAA. They averaged 40.9 points a game. The Knights defense dominated most opponents as they ranked 1st in the AHSAA. The defense gave up just 4.9 points a game. Over the past two seasons the Knights have Finished 28-1 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. Since 2010, Catholic has gone a combined 108-57. Their 65.5% winning percentage ranks 12th in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons. Over the past 25 seasons, Catholic has managed to compile a record of 151-126. Their 54.0% winning percentage ranks 17th in Class 5A and 153rd in the AHSAA. Graduated All-State Players: Catholic lost 4A All-State athlete Caleb McCreary to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Head Coach: The Knights are led by head coach Kirk Johnson who is entering his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 41-2 over the past three seasons at Catholic. Under his direction the Knights have qualified for the playoffs a total of three times. They have won three region crowns with Coach Johnson. Coach Johnson led to a state championship in 2023. Season Outlook: The Catholic Knights will play in Class 5A region two during the 2024 season. The Knights move up in classification to Class 5A. They may find the going slightly tougher with the move. The Knights have one of the toughest overall schedules in Class 5A. Their opponents had a combined record of 81-43 last season. That ranks 3rd in Class 5A and 12th in the AHSAA. Catholic will face six opponents that reached the playoffs last season. The Knights enter the 2024 season riding a 15 game winning streak. They have also won 34 consecutive regular season games. Catholic has won 31 consecutive region games. They have won 7 straight games on their home turf at Catholic Field. What do the Knights do for an encore in 2024? They will need to find a replacement for graduated quarterback Caleb McCreary in August if they have hopes of repeating the success of last season. The return of running back Josh Griffin will be helpful early in the season. The Knights will face eight teams that qualified for the playoffs in 2023 including Saraland and St. James along with Catholic out of Pensacola, Florida. Their 34 game regular season winning streak could be in serious jeopardy with games against the likes of St. James, and Saraland. They return eight players to the offense and nine to a defense that was one of the best in state history. So anyone who thought the run by Catholic might be coming to an end might wish to look the other way this season. The move to 5A will slow them down but it will not be a stall by any stretch of the imagination. Coach Johnson will have a competitive team ready to show how well they can play in 5A. While most teams rebuild during the off season, Catholic has been a consistent winner the past few years and will simply reload this season. The Knights enter the season with expectations of not only a region crown but will be contending for a trip to the state championship game. They are considered one the favorites in region two and should be a team in the thick of the hunt to represent the South in the Class 5A Super Seven come December. The Knights have succeeded in reaching the playoffs every year since 2015 and this year should be no exception. Players to Watch in 2024: RB Josh Griffin will be returning for his senior season after rushing for 1,843 yards and 25 TDs last season. RB Zaylan Jackson-Ligon will also be returning for his junior season after rushing for 487 yards and 3 TDs last season. WR JJ Williams will be back for his junior season after catching 32 passes for 458 yards and 3 TDs in 2023. LB Kamden Miller collected 115 tackles (65 solo) including one sack and will be back for his senior season. FS Jotavion Pierce collected 104 tackles (59 solo) including one sack and will be returning for his senior season. Returning Starters: OFFENSE: JJ Williams WR, Zaylon Jackson WR , Giovanna Hayner RB , Wilson Hodges TE, Brody Hudson WR, Aaron Taylor OL, Cayden Dees OL, Daniel Burns OL DEFENSE: JoTavion Pierce SS, Gavin Phelan FS, Rickie Williams CB, Kam Miller LB, Myles Khatri LB, KJ Washington DL, Garrett Sanford DL, Harrison Rogers DL, Dylan Rogers DL Season Opener: The Knights open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent St. James on Friday, August 23 at Carlisle Field. Last year the St. James Trojans finished with an overall record of 11-3 and in first place in Class 3A region three. The Trojans lost in the semi-finals round of the Class 3A playoffs to Mobile Christian by a score of 34-30. Catholic and St. James have met a total of 34 times on the football field. The Knights have a 15-19-0 record against the Trojans. They last met in 2017 with Catholic winning by a score of 7-6. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History
Homewood defeated Benjamin Russell in five overtimes during the Class 5A Super Six state championship game in 2000.
Homewood defeated Benjamin Russell in five overtimes during the Class 5A Super Six state championship game in 2000.
