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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Spanish Fort Toros

Head Coach: Chase Smith (third season)
Career Record: 5 seasons, (30-23)
At Spanish Fort: 2 seasons, (16-7)
Stadium: The Hill
2024 Enrollment:  897
Rank:  52nd in the AHSAA, 20th in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   182-55   (77.0%)
Last 25 years:   182-55   (77.0%)  (Rank: 9th in the AHSAA, 2nd in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   156-34  (82.1%)  (Rank: 7th in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2020
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2007

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   1
Record:  9-3
Region Record:   7-1, (second)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Pike Road by a score of 31-17.
Final ASWA Poll:   9th
Scoring:  330 (27.5)
Defense:  174 (14.5)


 2024 
Class: 6A              Region:   1
Strength of Schedule: 63-50 (56%) (80th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  54-38 (59%)
Non-Region Strength:  9-12 (43%)



 2023 Results 
 8/24  vs. Fairhope  (7A)   14-17   L  
 9/1  vs. Blount  (6A)  *  44-0   W  
 9/8  @ Baldwin County  (6A)  *  14-13   W  
 9/15  vs. Saraland  (6A)  *  7-49   L  
 9/22  @ Theodore  (6A)  *  8-3   W  
 9/29  @ Daphne  (7A)   35-27   W  
 10/6  vs. St. Pauls  (6A)  *  35-6   W  
 10/12  @ McGill-Toolen  (6A)  *  41-19   W  
 10/20  vs. Robertsdale  (6A)  *  45-0   W  
 10/27  @ Murphy  (6A)  *  42-9   W  
 11/3   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Bessemer City    28-0   W  
 11/17  @ Pike Road    17-31   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/22  @ Fairhope  (7A)       
 8/30  @ Theodore  (6A)  *      
 9/6  vs. Baldwin County  (6A)  *      
 9/13  @ Saraland  (6A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Murphy  (6A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Daphne  (7A)       
 10/4  @ Blount  (6A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Gulf Shores  (6A)  *      
 10/18   OPEN 
 10/25  vs. McGill-Toolen  (6A)  *      
 11/1  @ St. Pauls  (6A)  *      
 11/8  vs. Benjamin Russell        
 11/15  @ Hueytown        


Class  6A Region  1
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Gulf Shores (5A) 15-0 8-0576-138
Saraland (6A) 14-1 8-0754-220
Spanish Fort (6A) 9-3 7-1330-174
Theodore (6A) 7-4 6-2257-158
St. Pauls (6A) 7-4 5-3236-189
McGill-Toolen (6A) 5-5 4-4271-266
Murphy (6A) 2-8 2-6123-330
Blount (6A) 2-8 2-6129-274
Baldwin County (6A) 2-8 2-6213-317

 2024 Preview 


       Spanish Fort completed the 2023 season with a 9-3 record. With their 7-1 region record and a second place finish in Class 6A region one, the Toros earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Spanish Fort reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Pike Road by a score of 31-17.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Spanish Fort ranked 34th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 14.5 points a game.

       As one of the best football programs in the state since 2010, Spanish Fort has gone a combined 156-34. Their 82.1% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 6A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 18 seasons, Spanish Fort has finished a combined 182-55. Their 77.0% winning percentage ranks 2nd in Class 6A and 9th in the AHSAA. Their last losing season was 2007.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Spanish Fort lost 6A All-State  defensive lineman Cole McConathy to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates linebacker Sterling Dixon, offensive lineman Chandler Wilson and defensive back Javontae Walton.

Head Coach:
       The Toros are led by head coach Chase Smith who is entering his third season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 16-7 over the past two seasons at Spanish Fort. Under his direction the Toros have qualified for the playoffs a total of two times. They have not won a region crown with Coach Smith. Over the course of his career, Coach Smith's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of three times .

Season Outlook:

       The Spanish Fort Toros will play in Class 6A region one during the 2024 season.

      

       The Toros enter the 2024 season riding a 6 game regular season winning streak.

       It took the Toro's offense a while to get going last year. In their first five games they only scored more than 14 points once in a 44-0 win over Blount. As the season progressed the offense did jell and scored 28 or more points in all but one of the last seven games.

       The Toros lost all-state players Cole McConathy and Sterling Dixon from an excellent defense. They also will be without Chandler Wilson and Javontae Walton who all graduated in the spring.

       Dual threat quarterback Shamburger will be back to lead the charges and with a year of experience will help the Toros get off to a better start to the season in 2024. The Toros return six starters from last season on offense and just three to the defense.

       Coach Chase Smith had this to say about the 2024 football season at Spanish Fort. ''Looking for a young team to step up to the challenge of Region one and 6A competition.''

    The Toros have a good shot at one of the last two playoff slots in region one this season. They have qualified for the playoffs every year since 2007 and are hopeful to continue that streak in 2024.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      QB Aaden Shamburger will be returning after completing 95-of-166 passes for 1,270 yards and 12 TDs last season. He also ran for 602 yards and 4 touchdowns.

      RB Sawyer Wilson will be returning for his senior season after rushing for 815 yards and 7 TDs in 2023. WR Justin Bonner will be back for his junior season after catching 29 passes for 552 yards and 5 TDs last season.

      MLB Bishop Burkhalter collected 110 tackles (40 solo) including 5 sacks and will be back for his senior season.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: Aaden Shamburger QB 11th grade; Justin Bonner WR 11th grade; Nemo Hoxon WR/Ath. 12th grade; Sawyer Wilson RB 12th Grade; Ryan Perry OL 12th grade; Cole Miller OL 11th grade
DEFENSE: Bishop Burkhalter LB 12th grade; Landon York S 12th grade; Newton Gardner LB 12th grade
NEWCOMERS: Isaiah Woodall LB; AJ Riley CB; Trelan Thomas CB; Chambers Jones OL; Tyde Staten OL; Jonas Nelson OL; Ty Williams DL; Brandon Marino DL; Sam Wilder; DL Caleb Chesser S

Season Opener:
       The Toros open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Fairhope on Thursday, August 22 at Fairhope Municipal Stadium. Last year the Fairhope Pirates finished with an overall record of 3-7 and in sixth place in Class 7A region one. The Pirates ended last season on a positive note with a win over Briarwood by a score of 24-14 after failing to gain a playoff spot.

       Spanish Fort and Fairhope have met a total of 9 times on the football field. The Toros have a 5-4-0 record against the Pirates. They last met in 2023 with Fairhope winning by a score of 17-14.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

The Morgan Academy Senators have appeared in 14 state championship games from 1984-2008, winning the title 11 times.