Week 1 football preview: All six county teams in action with PCHS, RBHS, Vina kicking off campaigns
Belgreen (1-0) vs. Sumiton Christian (0-1)
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Sparks Stadium
Series history: Belgreen and Sumiton Christian have met just once. Last season, Belgreen lost to the Eagles 49-18.
What to expect: Belgreen got its season off to a roaring start by blowing out Shoals Christian 54-8 last week.
The Bulldogs will doubtless be very confident at home going into this one—and not just because of the score line of their first win. BHS had several different players find the endzone so they know that they don’t have to rely on just one or two players to score.
Sumiton Christian, for whatever reason, forfeited its game last week against Victory Christian; BHS can’t expect to have this one handed to them, but the Bulldogs should have confidence on both sides of the ball that they can make this game much closer than it was last year.
Next week: Belgreen will host county rival Tharptown on Friday, September 5.
Phil Campbell (0-0) at Hamilton (1-0)
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Joe Sargent Stadium (Hamilton, Ala.)
Series history: Phil Campbell is 4-27-1 all-time against Hamilton. This matchup has only been played intermittently over the last few decades with Friday’s contest being just the fourth since the turn of the century. Last time out these two sides engaged in a shootout that ended with Hamilton taking a 55-40 victory. The last time the Bobcats beat the Aggies was September 26, 1986.
What to expect: Class 4A Hamilton will be the favorite in this game, having beaten Phil Campbell last season and wiped out Hale County in the Aggies’ season-opener last week. But the Bobcats are not without weapons to make Hamilton earn it. Phil Campbell lost 1,000-yard rusher Hayden Wingo to graduation, but starting QB Hayston Scott, who also ran for 1,000 yards last year, is back and he’s got a corps of experienced receivers that he can look to when he’s not making plays with his legs.
The running game will still be key (and likely still most of what PCHS does offensively), but if the Bobcats do what head coach Jacob Hamilton wants them to do, Scott will be throwing the ball around the yard a lot more than last season and giving opponents a more balanced offense to defend. It will be interesting to see what PCHS’ run/pass ratio will be Friday night and as the season plays out.
Next week: Phil Campbell will open region play on the road at Vinemont.
Red Bay (0-0) vs. Lamar County (1-0)
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: George Bell Stadium (Vernon, Ala.)
Series history: Red Bay is 2-8 all-time against Lamar County with the Tigers dropping the game 50-32 last season. RBHS’ two wins over the Bulldogs came back-to-back in 2010 and 2011.
What to expect: The Tigers are hoping for reinvigoration under first-year head coach Tyler Jeffreys, son of longtime RBHS head coach Dale Jeffreys, and Friday night’s contest will give an idea of just how far along the team has come in just the short time since the new man has taken over.
The biggest question mark for the Tigers will be its defense. While the Red Bay offense, returning key players like QB Jeremiah Thorne and 1,000-yard rusher Jaxon Vinson, averaged just over 21 points per game last campaign—not great but not impotent, either—the RBHS defense surrendered just under 35 points per game. That trend can’t continue if Red Bay wants to have the type of success it's looking for.
The Tigers were able to sneak into the playoffs last season despite that porousness on defense, but another 2-8 season is not what Red Bay has in mind. (Jeffreys told the Franklin Free Press one of the team’s goals is to have a winning season.) Lamar County, who also won two games last year, only scored 12 points in its season-opening win against South Lamar, so at first glance the Tigers aren’t facing an offensive juggernaut this week. If the Red Bay defensive unit can show improvement from last year—keep the Bulldogs to half what they scored last year—the Tigers, with the offensive starters they have returning, should have a decent chance at kicking the new Jeffreys era off with a victory.
Next week: The Tigers travel to Livingston to take on the University Charter School Trail Blazers.
Russellville (0-1) vs. Mars Hill (1-0)
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Golden Tiger Stadium
Series history: In three meetings the Golden Tigers have yet to beat the Mars Hill Panthers. Two of the games have been close: Russellville lost 31-30 in the first meeting in 2022 and then fell 27-24 in 2023. Last year Mars Hill beat RHS by two touchdowns, 28-14.
What to expect: Credit to this young and inexperienced Golden Tiger team where it’s due: RHS went on the road at Deshler last Friday and nearly walked away with the win after some gave them no chance at all. In fact, Russellville was just a play or two more (or maybe one or two mistakes less) from putting the game away in the second half.
In the same way, there’s not many giving the Golden Tigers a chance against Mars Hill this week, either. First, there’s the history to consider: While not a storied series, in the three games RHS and MHBS have played, it seems that the Panthers have just had Russellville’s number. Then there’s what Mars Hill has done lately, which—discounting the Class 3A state title the Panthers won last season—is nearly double up on another successful private school, Madison Academy, 51-27 in the season opener.
There were a lot of bright spots for RHS to point to after the Deshler defeat—positive things they’ll need happen again on Friday—but also mistakes that the Golden Tigers simply cannot commit if they want a chance to beat the Panthers. Whatever happens, Friday night will certainly be a learning experience for a lot of the young Golden Tigers in their home opener.
Next week: The Golden Tigers start region play at home against rival Lawrence County.
Tharptown (0-1) at Waterloo (0-0)
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Waterloo Stadium (Waterloo, Ala.)
Series history: Tharptown is 5-7 against Waterloo with the Wildcats’ last win over the Cougars being in 2016. Last year, Waterloo shut out Tharptown 34-0.
What to expect: The Wildcats did not get off to the start they were likely hoping for, falling 59-0 to Class 4A Danville last week. But 1A Waterloo should be more Tharptown’s speed and a better opportunity for its players to compete as the program reboots under first-year coach Brian White.
Next week: The Wildcats will travel to take on the Belgreen Bulldogs.
Vina (0-0) at Brindlee Mountain (0-1)
Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: The Lions Den (Guntersville, Ala.)
Series history: In the first meeting between these two programs last season, spectators were treated to an instant classic in which Vina captured a 52-44 victory in four overtime periods.
What to expect: I want to expect another knock-down, drag-out battle with multiple overtimes again this year, but I don’t know if we can get that lucky twice. I do expect another tough game for the Red Devils this year, though.
Riding the high off the program’s first winning season since 1989, this year’s Vina team will come in with confidence and pride. But do they have the personnel for a repeat of last campaign’s accomplishments? The Red Devils have some players returning from last year’s defense, but the offensive side of the ball will see a brand new backfield and guys playing new positions. It’s something to consider.
After last year there’s no doubting the heart and determination of Vina under head coach Cody Renfrow, but one of the smallest football schools in the state is going to have to replace talent—on both sides of the ball—that was pivotal to its success in 2024. Friday night’s Brindlee Mountain contest should be a good gauge of where Vina’s at.
Next week: The Red Devils kick off region action at home against Phillips.