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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Fort Payne Wildcats

Head Coach: Chris Elmore (seventh season)
Career Record: 11 seasons, (71-49)
At Fort Payne: 6 seasons, (44-24)
Stadium: Wildcat Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  835
Rank:  59th in the AHSAA, 27th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   589-408-30   (59.0%)
Last 25 years:   175-101   (63.0%)  (Rank: 80th in the AHSAA, 15th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   105-53  (66.5%)  (Rank: 69th in the AHSAA, 13th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2019
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2016

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   8
Record:  7-5
Region Record:   3-2, (second)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Muscle Shoals by a score of 41-10.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  449 (37.4)
Defense:  362 (30.2)    (Team record for points allowed in a season)


 2024 
Class: 6A              Region:   8
Strength of Schedule: 64-48 (57%) (71st in the AHSAA, 14th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  31-35 (47%)
Non-Region Strength:  33-13 (72%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. Scottsboro  (5A)   51-56   L  
 9/1  @ Etowah  (4A)   54-27   W  
 9/7  vs. Mae Jemison  (6A)  *  61-13   W  
 9/15  @ Gadsden City  (6A)  *  41-63   L  
 9/22   OPEN 
 9/29  vs. Arab  (5A)   38-14   W  
 10/6  @ Lee Huntsville  (6A)  *  42-49   L  
 10/13  @ Hazel Green  (6A)  *  35-14   W  
 10/20  vs. Buckhorn  (6A)  *  23-14   W  
 10/27  vs. Athens  (6A)   28-29   L  
 11/3  @ Cherokee County  (4A)   21-14   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Mortimer Jordan    45-28   W  
 11/17  @ Muscle Shoals    10-41   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Scottsboro  (5A)       
 8/30  vs. Guntersville  (5A)       
 9/6   OPEN 
 9/13  @ Southside Gadsden  (6A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Mae Jemison  (6A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Mortimer Jordan  (6A)       
 10/4  @ Buckhorn  (6A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Gadsden City  (6A)  *      
 10/18  @ Hazel Green  (6A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Lee Huntsville  (6A)  *      
 11/1  @ Pelham  (6A)       
 11/8  vs. Pell City        
 11/15  vs. Homewood        
 11/22  @ Oxford        


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 


       Fort Payne completed the 2023 season with a 7-5 record. With their 3-2 region record and a second place finish in Class 6A region eight, the Wildcats earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Fort Payne reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Muscle Shoals by a score of 41-10.

       The defense allowed a team record 362 points last season. The Wildcats had some tough luck last season as three of their five losses were by less than eight points.

       Since 2010, Fort Payne has gone a combined 105-53. Their 66.5% winning percentage ranks 13th in Class 6A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Fort Payne has managed to compile a record of 175-101. Their 63.0% winning percentage ranks 15th in Class 6A and 80th in the AHSAA. The Wildcats have been successful on the football field with twenty-one winning seasons during this time.

Head Coach:
       The Wildcats are led by head coach Chris Elmore who is entering his seventh season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 44-24 over the past six seasons at Fort Payne. Under his direction the Wildcats have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times. They have won two region crowns with Coach Elmore. Over the course of his career, Coach Elmore's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of eight times and won two region championships.

Season Outlook:

       The Fort Payne Wildcats will play in Class 6A region eight during the 2024 season.

      

       Coach Elmore has to be excited about the prospects for the 2024 version of his Wildcats from Ft. Payne. They return one of the best quarterbacks in the state with Dax Varnadore who threw for nearly 3,000 yards last season.

       The offense was great last season but the defense will need some improvement if the Wildcats have any hope of getting past the second round of the playoffs in 2024. The offense scored 449 points but the defense allowed 362 including 56 to Scottsboro, 63 to Gadsden City and 49 to Lee Huntsville. All were losing efforts for the Wildcats.

       This season the Wildcats will face seven teams that qualified for the playoffs last year. So, this year will not be a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination. Their non-region opponents include Scottsboro, Guntersville, Mortimer Jordan and Pelham. Those schools combined for a 33-13 record last year.

       Coach Elmore had this to say about his Wildcats in 2024. ''Honorable Mention All State QB Dax Varnadore returns for his senior season after a 3,000 yard junior season with only 2 INT's. Carter Tinker, Connor Kinsley, and Brannon Oliver are all 3 year starters that look to have big senior seasons. 8 starters back on Offense, 5 starters back on defense, and all key specialists back have us cautiously optimistic for the 2024 season.''

    The Wildcats are considered one of the favorites for the region eight championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. The Wildcats have successfully qualified for the playoffs every year since 2016 and expect to be included again when November rolls around.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      QB Dax Varnadore will be returning after completing 212-of-351 passes for 2,936 yards last season along with 22 touchdowns. WR Blake Griggs will be back for his junior season after catching 41 passes for 542 yards and 5 TDs last season.

      Carter Blalock returns at RB after rushing for 690 yards and 5 TDs as a sophomore last season. WR Brannon Oliver will also be back after catching 40 passes for 627 yards and scoring 5 TDs.

      MLB Carter Tinker collected 144 tackles (85 solo) and will be back for his senior season. Kicker Connor Hughes was a perfect 12 of 12 on field goals and 52 of 52 on extra points.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: QB- Dax Varnadore; WR- Brannon Oliver; OL- Malcolm Jackson; OL- Jayden Jackson; WR- Ryker Shankles; WR- Blake Griggs; RB Carter Blalock
DEFENSE: LB- Carter Tinker; FS- Luke Patton; CB- Connor Kinsley; DE- Mason Chandler; DE- Lucas Tallent; P/K- Conner Hughes
NEWCOMERS: LB- Ryker Ingle; CB- Cooper Jackson

Season Opener:
       The Wildcats open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Scottsboro on Friday, August 23 at Pat Trammell Stadium. Last year the Scottsboro Wildcats finished with an overall record of 8-3 and in second place in Class 5A region seven. The Wildcats lost in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs to Moody by a score of 28-10.

       Fort Payne and Scottsboro have met a total of 90 times on the football field. The Wildcats have a 54-33-3 record against the Wildcats. They last met in 2023 with Scottsboro winning by a score of 56-51.

  


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Woody Clements was the head coach at Holt for a record 41 straight seasons.