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






2024 Team Previews 

  



Sardis Lions

Head Coach: B.J. Brooks (second season)
Career Record: 1 season, (6-4)
At Sardis: one season, (6-4)
Stadium: Lions Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  447
Rank:  128th in the AHSAA, 38th in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   351-458-22   (43.0%)
Last 25 years:   109-152   (42.0%)  (Rank: 290th in the AHSAA, 45th in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   65-80  (44.8%)  (Rank: 230th in the AHSAA, 28th in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2019
Last Region Championship:   2017
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2022

 2023 
Class:  5A              Region:   7
Record:  6-4
Region Record:   1-4, (fifth)
Playoff Record:   Did not qualify.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  302 (30.2)
Defense:  243 (24.3)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   8
Strength of Schedule: 68-46 (60%) (41st in the AHSAA, 12th in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  42-26 (62%)
Non-Region Strength:  26-20 (56%)




 2023 Results 
 8/25  @ D.A.R.  (4A)   60-6   W  
 9/1  @ New Hope  (4A)   34-14   W  
 9/8   OPEN 
 9/15  @ Arab  (5A)  *  26-29   L  
 9/22  @ Columbia  (6A)   42-8   W  
 9/29  vs. Brewer  (5A)   21-14   W  
 10/6  vs. Douglas  (5A)  *  35-21   W  
 10/13  vs. Scottsboro  (5A)  *  21-41   L  
 10/20  @ Boaz  (5A)  *  21-35   L  
 10/27  vs. Guntersville  (5A)  *  0-55   L  
 11/3  @ Hokes Bluff  (3A)   42-20   W  


 2024 Schedule 
 8/22  vs. Geraldine  (3A)       
 8/30  @ Cleburne County  (4A)       
 9/6  @ Arab  (5A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Guntersville  (5A)  *      
 9/20  @ Scottsboro  (5A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Alexandria  (4A)       
 10/4  vs. Boaz  (5A)  *      
 10/11  @ Douglas  (5A)  *      
 10/18  @ Fairview  (5A)       
 10/25  vs. Brewer  (5A)  *      
 11/1   OPEN 



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 


       Sardis completed the 2023 season with a 6-4 record. Last year Sardis just missed making the playoffs with a fifth place finish in Class 5A region seven with a 1-4 region record.

       The Lions improved in 2023 with their first winning season since 2017. The Lions won as many games as in any season since 2017.

       Since 2010, Sardis has gone a combined 65-80. Their 44.8% winning percentage ranks 28th in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Sardis has managed to compile a record of 109-152. Their 42.0% winning percentage ranks 45th in Class 5A and 290th in the AHSAA.

Head Coach:
       The Lions are led by head coach B.J. Brooks who is entering his second season at the helm. His team finished with a 6-4 record in his first season at Sardis. The Lions saw improvement from a 4-6 record the season before coach Brooks arrived. The Lions have yet to reach the playoffs under his direction. They have not won a region crown with Coach Brooks.

Season Outlook:

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

      

       A 6-4 season last year was not quite good enough for Sardis to grab one of the four playoff spots in region 7. They were just one victory away from making the post season for the first time since 2019. Could this be the year they break that streak? They will have to beat one of the four teams they lost to last year and they do play them all in 2024.

       The Lions only return one player, QB Brian Chapman, to the offense but he is the key player for Coach Brooks. They return seven on defense so the group will be counted upon to hold opponents until the offense has time to jell early in the season if the Lions have any hope of another winning season at Sardis.

       Coach Brooks told us ''In my second season and the Lions are trying to build on the momentum of their 1st winning season in 7 years. Defense will be strength of the team. Trying to replace 5 starting OL is going to be challenging ''

    The Lions could find themselves challenging for one of the playoff spots for region eight this season with a few breaks and a little improvement. Unfortunately, Sardis finds themselves in a very competitive region with other playoff quality teams. They may need to pull off an upset or two to have any chance at the postseason. Sardis has failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2019 but hope to return to the post season this year.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      QB Brian Chapman will be returning after completing 99-of-152 passes for 1,333 yards and 17 TDs last season.

      Junior LB Grant Coe, who finished last season with 58 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception will also be back.

      Sophomore LB Levi Martin had 117 tackles including eight for a loss and five sacks.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: QB Brian Chapman
DEFENSE: DL Seth Cooper (All state), DL Tony Sims, LB Levi Martin, LB Grant Coe, DB Brian Chapman, DB Jordan Garrett, DB Canyon McGee
NEWCOMERS: WR/DB Griff Brooks WR/DB Cade Holcombe, WR/DB Cole Lankford, TE/LB Josh Hopper, LB/RB Brayden Lemons, LB/RB Richard Escarment, DL Hudson McDaniel, OL Lucas Wilson, OL Ty Layfield

Season Opener:
       The Lions open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Geraldine on Friday, August 23 at Lions Stadium. Last year the Geraldine Bulldogs finished with an overall record of 12-2 and in second place in Class 3A region six. The Bulldogs lost in the semi-finals round of the Class 3A playoffs to Madison Academy by a score of 48-43.

       Sardis and Geraldine have met a total of 46 times on the football field. The Lions have a 25-20-1 record against the Bulldogs. They last met in 2021 with Geraldine winning by a score of 39-0.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Hazlewood won an amazing seventeen consecutive region championships from 1986-2002.