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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Central Volunteers

Head Coach: Danny Horn (seventh season)
Career Record: 35 seasons, (351-97)
At Central Clay County: 6 seasons, (64-14)
Stadium: Volunteer Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  425
Rank:  134th in the AHSAA, 44th in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   115-35   (77.0%)
Last 25 years:   115-35   (77.0%)  (Rank: 7th in the AHSAA, 2nd in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   115-35  (76.7%)  (Rank: 18th in the AHSAA, 2nd in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   Never

 2023 
Class:  5A              Region:   4
Record:  10-1
Region Record:   5-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   First round loss to UMS-Wright by a score of 7-0.
Final ASWA Poll:   3rd
Scoring:  400 (36.4)
Defense:  80 (7.3)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   4
Strength of Schedule: 61-50 (55%) (93rd in the AHSAA, 25th in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  32-33 (49%)
Non-Region Strength:  29-17 (63%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25   OPEN 
 9/1  @ Benjamin Russell  (6A)   30-13   W  
 9/8  vs. Tallassee  (5A)  *  41-7   W  
 9/15  @ Elmore County  (5A)  *  48-6   W  
 9/22  vs. Handley  (4A)   31-6   W  
 9/29  @ Alexandria  (5A)   48-13   W  
 10/6  vs. Valley  (5A)  *  47-0   W  
 10/13  vs. Sylacauga  (5A)  *  48-0   W  
 10/20  @ Beauregard  (5A)  *  49-7   W  
 10/27  vs. Russell County  (6A)   30-14   W  
 11/3  @ Wetumpka  (6A)   28-7   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. UMS-Wright    0-7   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Handley  (4A)       
 8/30  vs. Benjamin Russell  (6A)       
 9/6  vs. Valley  (5A)  *      
 9/13  @ Marbury  (5A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Sylacauga  (5A)  *      
 9/27  @ Scottsboro  (5A)       
 10/4  @ Elmore County  (5A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Holtville  (5A)  *      
 10/18  @ Beauregard  (5A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Pell City  (6A)       
 11/1   OPEN 


Class  5A Region  4
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Central Clay County (5A) 10-1 5-0400-80
Holtville (5A) 7-4 4-1293-221
Valley (5A) 7-4 4-1300-265
Elmore County (5A) 8-3 3-2401-223
Marbury (5A) 2-9 2-3210-440
Beauregard (5A) 6-5 2-3263-251
Sylacauga (5A) 2-8 1-4184-387

 2024 Preview 


       Central completed the 2023 season with a 10-1 record. The Volunteers cruised through the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record going into the post season. Last year Central captured the region four title and a number one seed in the Class 5A playoffs. They finished region play with a 5-0 record. Central's season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs when they fell to UMS-Wright by a score of 7-0.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Central Clay County ranked 3rd in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 7.3 points a game.

      

       Central is a relatively new football program having fielded a team only twelve seasons. They have managed a record of 115-35 over the past twelve years.

       Over the past 12 seasons, Central has finished a combined 115-35. Their 77.0% winning percentage ranks 2nd in Class 5A and 7th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Central lost 5A All-State  offensive lineman Nathan Pybus to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates defensive lineman Aiden Stewart and linebacker Koby Johnson.

Head Coach:
       The Volunteers are led by head coach Danny Horn who is entering his seventh season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 64-14 over the past six seasons at Central. Under his direction the Volunteers have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times. They have won four region crowns with Coach Horn. Coach Horn has won two state championships at Central, the last coming in 2019. His 351 wins rank 3rd among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Horn's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of times and won eighteen region championships. He has a 75-24 record in the playoffs during his career. The playoff victories rank with the best among active coaches. Coach Horn won six state championships prior to arriving at Central, the last coming in 2005 at Clay County.

Season Outlook:

       The Central Volunteers will play in Class 5A region four during the 2024 season.

       Central will face six opponents that reached the playoffs last season.

       The Volunteers enter the 2024 season riding a 16 game regular season winning streak. Central has won 10 consecutive region games.

       Last year the Volunteers rolled through the regular season to a perfect 10-0 start. Then the wheels fell off when star running back LaDamion Boyd was on the sideline with a broken fibula for the first round playoff game against UMS-Wright. The Vols got nothing going on offense and lost the game 7-0.

       It ended the season on a sour note for everyone in Clay County including the coaches and fans. But Boyd will be back in 2024 and healthy for the season opener. Boyd rushed for 1,821 yards and scored 22 touchdowns for the Vols during the regular season before being injured.

       The Volunteers will face eight teams that qualified for the playoffs in 2023. Their 16 game regular season winning streak could be in serious jeopardy with games against the likes of Handley and Benjamin Russel to open the 2024 football season. They defeated both teams last year but they are still quality opponents.



    The Volunteers 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 four and should be a team in the thick of the hunt to represent the South in the Class 5A Super Seven come December.

Returning Starters:
STARTERS:RB- LaDamion Boyd, QB- Deshun Gibbons, OL- Noah Peterson, OL- Duey Brown, LB- Damari Whetstone, LB- J.T. Wilkinson, SS- Taylor Boyd

Season Opener:
       The Volunteers open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Handley on Friday, August 23 at Wright Field. Last year the Handley Tigers finished with an overall record of 10-2 and in first place in Class 4A region four. The Tigers lost in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs to B.T. Washington by a score of 22-9.

       Central and Handley have met a total of 13 times on the football field. The Volunteers have a 10-3-0 record against the Tigers. They last met in 2023 with Central winning by a score of 31-6.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The Alabama High School Athletic Association was first organized in 1921.