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  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2024 Team Previews 

  


Hillcrest Patriots

Head Coach: Jamie Mitchell (fourth season)
Career Record: Total (254-86)
                           4 seasons, Alabama (38-13)
                           Out-of-State (216-73)
At Hillcrest Tuscaloosa: 3 seasons, (34-5)
Stadium: Roy Johnson Jr. Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  1,122
Rank:  31st in the AHSAA, 31st in Class 7A

 History 
Overall Record:   310-183   (63.0%)
Last 25 years:   182-109   (62.0%)  (Rank: 82nd in the AHSAA, 9th in Class 7A)
Since 2010:   123-47  (72.4%)  (Rank: 35th in the AHSAA, 4th in Class 7A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2019

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   4
Record:  12-1    (Team record for wins in a season)
Region Record:   7-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Quarter-finals loss to Saraland by a score of 31-21.
Final ASWA Poll:   3rd
Scoring:  512 (39.4)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  116 (8.9)


 2024 
Class: 7A              Region:   3
Strength of Schedule: 62-51 (55%) (98th in the AHSAA, 17th in Class 7A)
Region Strength:  43-37 (54%)
Non-Region Strength:  19-14 (58%)



 2023 Results 
 8/26  vs. Southaven MS    43-0   W  
 9/1  @ Pike Road  (6A)   30-6   W  
 9/8  vs. Northridge  (6A)  *  48-3   W  
 9/15  vs. Hueytown  (6A)  *  35-6   W  
 9/22  @ Brookwood  (6A)  *  56-6   W  
 9/29  vs. Gadsden City  (6A)   32-3   W  
 10/6  @ Central Tuscaloosa  (6A)  *  49-14   W  
 10/13  @ Bessemer City  (6A)  *  28-0   W  
 10/20  vs. Paul Bryant  (6A)  *  60-13   W  
 10/27  vs. McAdory  (6A)  *  48-21   W  
 11/3   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. St. Pauls    20-6   W  
 11/17  vs. Helena    42-7   W  
 11/24  @ Saraland    21-31   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  vs. Florence  (7A)       
 8/30  @ Sparkman  (7A)       
 9/6  vs. Hoover  (7A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Vestavia Hills  (7A)  *      
 9/20  @ Hewitt-Trussville  (7A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Hueytown  (6A)       
 10/4  @ Tuscaloosa County  (7A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Thompson  (7A)  *      
 10/18  @ Prattville  (7A)  *      
 10/25  @ Oak Mountain  (7A)  *      
 11/1   OPEN 


Class  7A Region  3
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Hillcrest Tuscaloosa (6A) 12-1 7-0512-116
Thompson (7A) 11-2 7-0482-143
Hewitt-Trussville (7A) 9-4 5-2493-275
Vestavia Hills (7A) 9-3 5-2396-173
Hoover (7A) 5-7 4-3301-283
Tuscaloosa County (7A) 5-5 2-5218-310
Prattville (7A) 3-7 2-6216-355
Oak Mountain (7A) 1-9 0-7140-384

 2024 Preview 


       Hillcrest completed the 2023 season with a 12-1 record. The Patriots cruised through the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record going into the post season. Last year Hillcrest captured the region four title and a number one seed in the Class 6A playoffs. They finished region play with a 7-0 record. Hillcrest lost in the quarter-finals of the playoffs last season to a good Saraland team by a score of 31-21.

       No team at Hillcrest ever won more games in a season than the twelve victories last year. The last time they won as many was back in 2011. The 512 points scored by the Patriots last year were a team record in a single season.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Hillcrest Tuscaloosa ranked 6th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 8.9 points a game.

       Over the past two seasons the Patriots have Finished 23-2 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. Since 2010, Hillcrest has gone a combined 123-47. Their 72.4% winning percentage ranks 4th in Class 7A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Hillcrest has managed to compile a record of 182-109. Their 62.0% winning percentage ranks 9th in Class 7A and 82nd in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Hillcrest lost 6A All-State  defensive back TJ Banks to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates receiver Jamarcus Prince and linebacker AJ Quarles.

Head Coach:
       The Patriots are led by head coach Jamie Mitchell who is entering his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 34-5 over the past three seasons at Hillcrest. Under his direction the Patriots have qualified for the playoffs a total of three times. They have won two region crowns with Coach Mitchell. The win total includes 38 wins in Alabama and 216 victories from outside the state. Over the course of his career, Coach Mitchell's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of four times and won two region championships.

Season Outlook:

       The Hillcrest Patriots will play in Class 7A region three during the 2024 season. The Patriots move up in classification to Class 7A. They may find the going slightly tougher with the move.

      

       The Patriots enter the 2024 season riding a 25 game regular season winning streak. They have won 8 straight games on their home turf at Roy Johnson Jr. Stadium.

       The last two seasons have ended with the same result with losses to Saraland in the playoffs to spoil an otherwise perfect season. That will not happen in 2024 as the Patriots make the move up to 7A and leave 6A to Saraland and Clay-Chalkville.

       As if region 3 was not hard enough they add Hillcrest to the mix in 2024. The Patriots 25 game regular season winning streak could be in serious jeopardy with games against the likes of Florence, Hoover, Vestavia Hills and Hewitt-Trussville the first five weeks.

       The Patriots return five starters to an explosive offense including QB Bryson Kimbrough who will lead the charges into the 2024 football season. The defense will have four players returning who will provide leadership on that side of the ball.

       Coach Mitchell told us about his team and the upcoming season. ''Hillcrest will be lead by Senior QB Bryson Kimbrough and Junior WR Kahden Smith. Hillcrest will have several newcomers and young players to make big impacts.''

    While most teams rebuild during the off season, Hillcrest has been a consistent winner the past few years and will simply reload this season.     The Patriots should be in contention for a playoff spot in region three this season. Hosting a first round playoff game on their home turf would be an advantage.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      Christian Richey returns at RB after rushing for 543 yards as a freshman last season.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: QB- Bryson Kimbrough, WR- Kahden Smith, RB- Christian Richey, OL- Mason Booth, OL- Kyson Bishop, OL- James Craig
DEFENSE: DL- Kindal Moorehead, DL- Tayvion Johnson, DL- Adrian Love, LB- Joshua Whitehaed
NEWCOMERS: DB- Jamarion Bennett, DB- Javarski Lanier, LB- JaMichael Watson, DL- Zauri Hughes, DL- DeShaun Pope, WR- Jordan Chambers-Smith, RB- Jacobi Harris, RB- Jay'veon Lowe

Season Opener:
       The Patriots open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Florence on Friday, August 23 at Roy Johnson Jr. Stadium. Last year the Florence Falcons finished with an overall record of 6-5 and in fourth place in Class 7A region four. The Falcons lost in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs to Thompson by a score of 42-0.

       This will be the second meeting between Hillcrest Tuscaloosa and Florence on the football field. The Patriots have a 1-0-0 record against the Falcons. They last met in with

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The Prattville Lions won 56 consecutive regular season games between 2001 and 2007.