Practices begin on Sand Mountain with first games just 3 weeks away
Shannon J. Allen, Correspondent
The official countdown to the 2025 high school football season started Monday when teams who practiced only five days in the spring launched fall camp.
Teams who conducted a full spring training (10 days) won’t kick off fall camp until Monday, Aug. 4.
The first games of the season will be Thursday, Aug. 21, and Friday, Aug. 22, which the AHSAA refers to as Week Zero. Teams who play during Week Zero will have an open date later in their schedule.
Both Albertville and Boaz will feature new head coaches this season. Luke Pruitt succeeded Jeremy Sullivan at Boaz, while Adam Winegarden followed Bert Browne at Albertville. The Aggies will be trying to end a school-record 28-game losing streak, which dates back to the 2022 season.
Albertville’s last victory was a 41-30 decision over Boaz on Aug. 26, 2022.
Lance Reese is the dean of head coaches in Marshall County. Reese enters his 16th season at Guntersville, where he is the winningest coach in program history. He owns a 128-44 record, including nine seasons with nine or more wins.
The dean of coaches on Sand Mountain is the legendary Paul Benefield, who is a member of the Alabama High School Hall of Fame. Benefield, who has guided the Red Devils to seven state championships, begins his 29th season at Fyffe. He owns an incredible overall record of 360-59.
Benefield ranks third on the state’s all-time wins list behind Danny Horn of Central Clay (363) and Terry Curtis (361). Curtis retired following the 2024 season.
Benefield’s 315 victories at Fyffe are the second most at one school in state history. He leads all coaches in most area/region championships with 22. His 70 state playoff wins are the third most ever.
Jason Walker is back for his second season as Crossville’s head coach. The Lions will play only a junior varsity schedule again in 2025. They are eyeing a return to the varsity level in 2026.
Games scheduled for Week Zero are:
Thursday, August 21
Albertville at Arab
Sardis at Geraldine
Friday, August 22
Gaston at Asbury
Boaz at Madison County
Fyffe vs. Maplesville (at Montgomery)
Southside at Guntersville
West End at Pleasant Valley
Games slated for Week 1 are:
Friday, August 29
Boaz at Albertville
Asbury at Gaylesville
Douglas at Susan Moore
Pisgah at Fyffe
Fort Payne at Guntersville
Cleburne County at Sardis
Sand Rock at West End
