Preseason games with local teams and others from nearby:
GDW Analysis:
Preseason work is very much done for football teams in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA).
Four teams from the Gameday Weekly coverage area were involved in jamboree play.
The Cullman Bearcats went into Tuscaloosa County Thursday for a first time encounter with Northridge High School.
On Friday, a county jamboree was the scene from West Point Stadium with the Warriors battling the Hanceville Bulldogs.
Holly Pond Broncos headed into Etowah County, playing West End for a half and JB Pennington too.
Other jamborees that GDW paid attention from neighboring locations included Arab vs. Grissom on Thursday from Milton Frank Stadium, Oakman at Jasper Friday night as well as the Addison Bulldogs hosting Lynn and half a dozen schools gathering in a jamboree from Malcolm Blake Stadium at Winston County High School.
West Point gets in a groove to defeat Hanceville:
West Point showed steady play on the offensive side vs. Hanceville when the Warriors scored late in the first quarter and entered the Bulldogs' end zone three times during the second to claim a 27 to 0 verdict in the varsity part of this jamboree.
New West Point coach Kevin McCravy has a background of being offensive minded. McCravy served as offensive coordinator at Russellville in 2023. Before that, he spent five consecutive years calling the plays for Decatur.
His debut for West Point featured a good passing attack by Hunter Hensley. Hensley connected on six of his first nine attempts, gaining 227 yards and three touchdowns.
The scores were 60 yards to Bryant Moon, 56 yards to Brayden Monfort and 69 yards to Moon. Moon led the pass catchers with four for 159 yards.
West Point's defense presented Hanceville difficulty all evening. The Warriors were able to stop the Bulldogs on 4th and goal from the West Point 10 late in the 3rd quarter when a pass fell incomplete in the end zone. This came after Hanceville recovered a bad snap on a shotgun formation play at West Point's 25 yard line.
Arab was a 23 to 13 winner with Grissom in the Arabian Knights' debut with Kyle Routon. Routon was given the nod to replace Lee Ozmint after the Marshall County school released him in the spring following an off the field incident.
In the rival game between Lynn and Addison, Lynn put together a pair of scoring drives in the 2nd half and shut out the Bulldogs 14 to 0.
Two solid teams from the Northwest corner collided in Tuscumbia as Mars Hill Bible defeated Deshler 28 to 14.
Now on to official business:
The AHSAA has set August 22 as the official date to open the 2024 football schedule.
Locally, the Cullman Bearcats step into the spotlight by a first time visit into Madison to play the Bob Jones Patriots.
Everyone else will be under the lights on Friday.
The county matchup sees Cold Springs going to Ray Talley Stadium to play Hanceville.
A rivalry game is set from Mark Smothers Stadium with the Vinemont Eagles and Falkville Blue Devils to battle. Vinemont has 25 wins in the series, 20 wins for Falkville.
West Point gets the McCravy era officially going at home with the Haleyville Lions.
Holly Pond's first year with Will McDaniel will be from Thomas/Michelfelder Field against 1A school Appalachian out of neighboring Blount County.
Fairview and Good Hope have jamboree games. Fairview sees the No. 1 squad from 2A, the Pisgah Eagles to visit Dafford Smith Stadium.
A matchup against the No. 1 of Class 3A awaits Good Hope. The Raiders will play Friday at the Fyffe Red Devils.
All regular season games will kick off at 7:00 p.m.
Photo of togetherness with the Hanceville band and West Point band on the field, performing the National Anthem before their jamboree from West Point Stadium.
Photo courtesy of Cullman County Schools.
