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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Hale County Wildcats

Head Coach: Ryan Locke (third season)
Career Record: 4 seasons, (23-22)
At Hale County: 2 seasons, (7-13)
Stadium: Howell Field
2024 Enrollment:  272
Rank:  220th in the AHSAA, 9th in Class 3A

 History 
Overall Record:   495-442-24   (53.0%)
Last 25 years:   118-145   (45.0%)  (Rank: 224th in the AHSAA, 35th in Class 3A)
Since 2010:   60-86  (41.1%)  (Rank: 265th in the AHSAA, 42nd in Class 3A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2021
Last Region Championship:   1996
Last Winning Season:   2020
Last Losing Season:   2023

 2023 
Class:  4A              Region:   3
Record:  3-7
Region Record:   2-5, (sixth)
Playoff Record:   Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  265 (26.5)
Defense:  292 (29.2)


 2024 
Class: 3A              Region:   3
Strength of Schedule: 43-62 (41%) (354th in the AHSAA, 59th in Class 3A)
Region Strength:  33-41 (45%)
Non-Region Strength:  10-21 (32%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  @ Northside  (4A)   21-28   L  
 9/1  vs. Greensboro  (3A)   44-0   W  
 9/8  vs. Montevallo  (4A)  *  21-33   L  
 9/15  @ Holt  (4A)  *  41-0   W  
 9/22  vs. American Christian  (4A)  *  6-29   L  
 9/29   OPEN 
 10/6  @ Bibb County  (4A)  *  8-44   L  
 10/13  vs. Dallas County  (4A)  *  41-8   W  
 10/20  @ West Blocton  (4A)  *  37-44   L  
 10/27  vs. Sipsey Valley  (4A)  *  20-48   L  
 11/2  @ Gordo  (3A)   26-58   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Pickens Academy  (1A)       
 8/30  vs. Oakman  (3A)       
 9/6  @ Wilcox Central  (3A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Greensboro  (3A)  *      
 9/20  @ Thorsby  (3A)  *      
 9/27   OPEN 
 10/4  vs. Southside Selma  (3A)  *      
 10/11  @ Thomasville  (3A)  *      
 10/18  vs. Sumter Central  (3A)  *      
 10/25  @ Dallas County  (3A)  *      
 11/1  @ Jemison  (5A)       
 11/7  @ Bayside Academy        


Class  3A Region  3
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Thomasville (3A) 10-2 6-1378-192
Thorsby (2A) 9-3 6-1406-274
Southside Selma (3A) 7-4 3-3386-267
Hale County (4A) 3-7 2-5265-292
Sumter Central (3A) 4-5 1-5164-264
Greensboro (3A) 1-9 0-677-401
Dallas County (4A) 0-10 0-7123-473
Wilcox Central (4A) 2-8 0-7201-379

 2024 Preview 


       Hale County finished the 2023 season with a disappointing 3-7 record. Last year Hale County finished sixth in Class 4A region three with a 2-5 region record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

       Since 2010, Hale County has gone a combined 60-86. Their 41.1% winning percentage ranks 42nd in Class 3A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Hale County has managed to compile a record of 118-145. Their 45.0% winning percentage ranks 35th in Class 3A and 224th in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Wildcats are led by head coach Ryan Locke who is entering his third season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 7-13 over the past two seasons at Hale County. The Wildcats have yet to reach the playoffs under his direction. They have not won a region crown with Coach Locke. Over the course of his career, Coach Locke's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times and won one region championship.

Season Outlook:

       The Hale County Wildcats will play in Class 3A region three during the 2024 season. The Wildcats may find the schedule slightly easier this season with the move down in classification from Class 4A to 3A. They will compete in region three this year.

      

       The Wildcats move from 4A down to 3A and will hopefully be able to grab on of the four playoff spots in 2024. It's something they have not accomplished since the 2021 season. Their last playoff victory came back in 2013.

       Hale County has won one less game than the previous season in each of the past four seasons. They have made the playoffs twice in the past ten years. Coach Locke will be out to turn things around in 2024.

    The Wildcats could find themselves challenging for one of the playoff spots for region three this season with a few breaks and a little improvement. Hale County missed the playoffs the past couple of seasons but hope to return to the post season in 2024.

Season Opener:
       The Wildcats open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Pickens Academy on Friday, August 23 at Billy McGee Stadium. Last year the Pickens Academy Pirates finished with an overall record of 2-8 and in fifth place in Class AA region two. The Pirates ended last season on a positive note with a win over Morgan Academy by a score of 36-32 after failing to gain a playoff spot.

       This will be the second meeting between Hale County and Pickens Academy on the football field. The Wildcats have a 1-0-0 record against the Pirates. They last met in with

  


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.