Takeaways: Week 7

By Chad Barnett
East Alabama Sports Today

Jacksonville: Keep your head up

On the outside looking in, last week’s loss to Cleburne County would be a devastating one for Jacksonville. But on a second look, the Golden Eagles’ 24-14 home loss after leading 14-0 is only a snapshot of where they are headed.

Jacksonville has witnessed steady improvement since the arrival of head coach Clint Smith. The Golden Eagles went 5-5 in his first year and 8-5 in his second year. This season Smith led the Eagles to their first 6-0 start since the school’s banner 1999 season when they finished the regular season undefeated.

On top of steady progression, this Jacksonville team is stacked with youth. Its offensive line? Made up of mostly sophomores. Its top running threat? A sophomore, Tae Ackles.

Bottom line is this; Jacksonville will only get better as the years progress. Clint Smith will make the Golden Eagles a perennial contender.

Wellborn: Thrill on “The Hill”

It would be dishonest to say this week’s game between Piedmont and Wellborn will be the biggest game in the famed stadium at Wellborn, also known as “The Hill.” That nod would most certainly go to one of the barn-burners with cross-town rival Oxford back in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. That being said, this week’s matchup will be standing room only.

The Bulldogs enter Wellborn as the gold standard for football programs in Calhoun County. They have set the bar that Wellborn and all the other local schools are trying to reach.

As the old saying goes, “If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man.” Well, this is their shot.

A sixth straight playoff appearance seems to be in hand for Wellborn. But a win this week would ring louder than any first-round berth.

Cleburne County: Old school

Cleburne County celebrated on the road last week. It celebrated much like it has over their proud history.

Following their 24-14 come-from-behind win over Jacksonville on the road, the Tigers put themselves in the driver’s seat for their first region title since 2006. An eighth region title leans on the shoulders of their game against Saks in two weeks. The Tigers play Sardis (3-3) this week and Hokes Bluff (2-4) after Saks. Both of those games should turn out well for them.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about last week’s win was the method in which they got the job done. The Tigers pounded their way to victory; finesse wasn’t their M.O.

Despite the early deficit, they still ran the ball 52 times for 215 crushing yards. Fullback Cole Corkren led the second half charge, with 48 of his 60 rushing yards coming in the game’s final quarter. It was an old school run game reminiscent of old-school Tiger football.

“Once we got into the second half I felt like we could go to the old style of Cleburne County football,” Tigers head coach Michael Shortt said.

Anniston: In need of a U-turn

The Anniston Bulldogs started out smashingly under head coach Eddie Bullock. The former Bulldog player led Anniston to 19 wins (five in the post-season) and two region titles in his first two seasons as head coach. Since then, however, the Bulldogs have struggled to maintain the momentum.

Anniston went 5-5 during each of the last two years during the regular season. And although they made the playoffs in 2012, they lost in the first round 47-0 to Oneonta to finish 5-6.

This season they are going to need to put in some extra work to get to the .500 mark. Anniston is 1-4 this season after last week’s 13-12 Homecoming loss Springville in when their last-minute two-point conversion attempt failed to materialize. Springville was winless entering the game.

Chad Barnett covers high school football for the “Pigskin Roundup.” Read his impressions of the high school football week that was every week at East Alabama Sports Today.

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