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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Guntersville Wildcats

Head Coach: Lance Reese (fifteenth season)
Career Record: 14 seasons, (119-42)
At Guntersville: 14 seasons, (119-42)
Stadium: Chorba-Lee Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  406
Rank:  137th in the AHSAA, 47th in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   647-414-21   (61.0%)
Last 25 years:   203-86   (70.0%)  (Rank: 49th in the AHSAA, 8th in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   119-42  (73.9%)  (Rank: 29th in the AHSAA, 4th in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2018

 2023 
Class:  5A              Region:   7
Record:  12-2
Region Record:   4-1, (first)
Playoff Record:   Semi-finals loss to Ramsay by the score of 35-14.
Final ASWA Poll:   8th
Scoring:  432 (30.9)
Defense:  183 (13.1)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   8
Strength of Schedule: 53-54 (50%) (187th in the AHSAA, 35th in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  36-28 (56%)
Non-Region Strength:  17-26 (40%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. Southside Gadsden  (5A)   14-10   W  
 9/1  @ Lawrence County  (5A)   41-7   W  
 9/8  @ Crossville  (5A)   1-0   #Won  
 9/15  vs. Douglas  (5A)  *  56-14   W  
 9/22  @ Boaz  (5A)  *  35-14   W  
 9/29  vs. Buckhorn  (6A)   38-7   W  
 10/6  vs. Scottsboro  (5A)  *  20-6   W  
 10/13   OPEN 
 10/20  vs. Arab  (5A)  *  19-29   L  
 10/27  @ Sardis  (5A)  *  55-0   W  
 11/3  @ Albertville  (7A)   57-16   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Springville    31-7   W  
 11/17  @ John Carroll    20-17   W  
 11/24  vs. Pleasant Grove    31-21   W  
 12/1  @ Ramsay    14-35   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Southside Gadsden  (6A)       
 8/30  @ Fort Payne  (6A)       
 9/6  vs. Brewer  (5A)  *      
 9/13  @ Sardis  (5A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Arab  (5A)  *      
 9/27   OPEN 
 10/4  vs. Grissom  (7A)       
 10/11  vs. Scottsboro  (5A)  *      
 10/18  @ Boaz  (5A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Douglas  (5A)  *      
 11/1  vs. Albertville  (7A)       


Class  5A Region  8
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Guntersville (5A) 12-2 4-1432-183
Scottsboro (5A) 8-3 4-1423-292
Arab (5A) 8-3 4-1282-219
Boaz (5A) 6-6 2-3381-392
Brewer (5A) 4-6 2-4200-249
Sardis (5A) 6-4 1-4302-243
Douglas (5A) 4-6 0-5249-276

 2024 Preview 


       Guntersville completed the 2023 season with a 12-2 record. Last year Guntersville captured the region seven title and a number one seed in the Class 5A playoffs. They finished region play with a 4-1 record. Guntersville made a nice playoff run in 2023, reaching the semi-finals before falling to a very good Ramsay team by the score of 35-14.

       The Wildcats won as many games as in any season since 2015.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Guntersville ranked 25th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 13.1 points a game.

       Over the past two seasons the Wildcats have Finished 21-5 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. Since 2010, Guntersville has gone a combined 119-42. Their 73.9% winning percentage ranks 4th in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Guntersville has finished a combined 203-86. Their 70.0% winning percentage ranks 8th in Class 5A and 49th in the AHSAA. The Wildcats have been successful on the football field with twenty-one winning seasons during this time.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Guntersville lost 5A All-State  linebacker EJ Havis to graduation. He was named to the second team last season. Also graduating was teammate offensive lineman Royce Baucom.

Head Coach:
       The Wildcats are led by head coach Lance Reese who is entering his fifteenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 119-42 over the past fourteen seasons at Guntersville. Under his direction the Wildcats have qualified for the playoffs a total of thirteen times. They have won five region crowns with Coach Reese. His 119 wins rank 49th among active coaches in the AHSAA.

Season Outlook:

       The Guntersville Wildcats will play in Class 5A region eight during the 2024 season. Following realignment, the Wildcats remain in 5A but move from region seven over to region eight.

      

       Guntersville has made the playoffs in each of the past eleven seasons and there is no reason to believe that streak will end anytime soon.

       The Wildcats lost staring quarterback Eli Morrison to graduation and the 1,622 yards and 19 touchdowns he threw for last season. Guntersville will return a solid running back in Enelson Delva. Street Smith is set to step in at quarterback for the Wildcats in 2024.

       The Wildcats return seven players on offense and six to the defense to start the season in August. He feels good about this year's team and is looking forward to another great season in Guntersville.

       Coach Reese told us about this year's team. ''Replacing 3 starters on the Offensive and Defensive line is the focus of the off season. Offensively we have a new QB, but many skill players returning on offense. Defensively we have 3 year starters in MLB Avery Clifton and S-Treyvon Avery that will be the key to success.''

    While most teams rebuild during the off season, Guntersville has been a consistent winner the past few years and will simply reload this 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. Don't be surprised if the Wildcats are making another deep run into the playoffs. The Wildcats have successfully qualified for the playoffs every year since 2012 and expect to be included again when November rolls around.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      RB Enelson Delva will be returning for his senior season after rushing for 1,503 yards and 16 TDs last season.

      WR Cam Logan will also be back for his senior season after catching 30 passes for 469 yards and 6 TDs in 2023.

      Also back will be MLB Avery Clifton who collected 96 tackles (58 solo) and 5 sacks as a junior.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: RB- Enelson Delva, Sr.; RB- Julyon Jordan, Sr.; WR- Cam Logan, Sr.; WR- Treyvon Avery; WR- Dadrien Waller, Jr.; OL- Dalton Wilkerson, Sr.; OL Morgan McCauley
DEFENSE: LB- Avery Clifton, Sr.; CB- Braden Holsonback, Sr.; CB- Cam Gentle, Sr.; LB- Gus Harris, Sr.; OLB- Tyler Thomas, Sr.; S- Treyvon Avery
NEWCOMERS: QB- Street Smith; DE- Kalun Cobb; DE- Cole Adkison; WR- Jack Lenoir; OLB- Camp Green

Season Opener:
       The Wildcats open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Southside Gadsden on Friday, August 23 at Barney Hood Stadium. Last year the Southside Gadsden Panthers finished with an overall record of 8-3 and in first place in Class 5A region six. The Panthers lost in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs to Boaz by a score of 10-7.

       Guntersville and Southside Gadsden have met a total of 13 times on the football field. The Wildcats have a 9-4-0 record against the Panthers. They last met in 2023 with Guntersville winning by a score of 14-10.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Spence McCracken won a record 21 Area/Region Championships at Montgomery Academy, Lee Montgomery and Opelika during his coaching career.