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Ranburne held virtually every advantage in its matchup against rival Woodland Friday, and the Bulldogs maximized almost all of them in their 57-7 win.
The game could not have started any better for RCHS when the Tigers renewed their rivalry with Piedmont Friday. And it could not have finished much worse. Read more
Devontae Houston rushed for 100 yards in the first game of the season. In game number two he ran for over 200 yards. And that pattern remarkably held true to form in game number three as the Handley senior erupted for 315 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries to pace Handley to a 62-36 wi… Read more
All season long Wadley head coach Shenan Motley has been using the word “Overcome” to try to instill a resilient nature into his players. Read more
Quentin Knight rushed for 272 yards and three touchdowns, Boyd Ogles passed for three more scores and the Clay Central Volunteers rolled to a 42-7 win over Springville Friday in their home opener. Read more
RCHS had an explosive start interrupted by lightning, and once play resumed the Tigers never recaptured the magic as they fell to Piedmont 27-15 in a battle of top-5 teams in Class 3A Friday. Read more
My wife and I recently started a business in which we sell prepared hot meals that are ready to take home and eat. I am talking about this a. to shamelessly plug our business (Provision Kitchen! Check it out!) and b. to let you know that I have learned something since we opened our doors. Read more
Holtville couldn’t do it. A whopping 16 penalty flags couldn’t do it either. In fact, the only thing that could stop Handley and running back Devontae Houston in their 34-6 win against 10th-ranked Holtville last Friday was Handley head coach Larry Strain. Read more
The Wadley Bulldogs came just about as close as a team can come to winning a football game with actually doing so after they found themselves on the wrong end of a hard-fought 14-13 decision at the hands of Lanett. Read more
RCHS built its lead early then sat on that lead for the rest of the game while the Tigers’ starters rested in a 27-0 region win over Glencoe. Read more
Ranburne pitched its second straight shutout to start the season, while Woodland found itself on the wrong end of a lopsided score as the two rivals started region play against two very different opponents Friday. Read more
The momentum that Clay Central generated in its season opening win over Benjamin Russell continued unabated in the Volunteers’ region opener Friday as they toppled Munford with a convincing 34-12 victory. Read more
A little bit of history hit home this week when our editor Vanessa Burnside found that the Leader’s sports page made its debut exactly 80 years ago. The issue date of that paper was September 10, 1939, and it was the first issue in the 48th volume of the Leader’s publication. Read more
Wadley was unable to cash in a two-point conversion try late in the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs' comeback fell short in a 14-13 loss to Lanett in Wadley Friday night. Read more
After the first week of the college football schedule we have learned nothing, I repeat, NOTHING about the three college football teams most germane to the Leader's Football Friday predictions. Read more
For Clay Central head coach the celebration of his 300th career win Friday, a 38-14 decision over his former team Benjamin Russell, lasted deep into the night and carried over into Saturday. Read more
Woodland put up a fight early and held a 7-6 lead after the first quarter, but the Bobcats ultimately couldn’t keep pace as Wadley pulled away for a 40-13 win in Woodland Friday night. Read more
RCHS entered Friday’s season opener against Notasulga down a playmaker. Fortunately for the Tigers another one stepped up. Read more
Handley never found a rhythm on offense and found itself on the wrong end of two long fourth-down touchdown passes as they fell to Tallassee 21-7 in Friday’s season opener at Wright Field in Roanoke. Read more
Ranburne got touchdowns from six different players and the Bulldogs’ defense pitched a shutout in the team’s season opening 41-0 win over Glencoe. Read more
Tallassee scored two of its touchdowns on a pair of long fourth down plays, and Handley never found a rhythm on offense as Tallassee extended its winning streak over Handley to four straight with a 21-7 win at Wright Field Friday. Read more
High school kids just aren't the same. Football is not what it used to be. Players are softer, technology is taking over, in 20 years the game will be gone, etc., etc. Read more
RCHS emerged as the night’s big winner from Friday’s three-team jamboree in Wedowee. The host Tigers bested both Ranburne and Wadley for a half, while Wadley picked up a win over Ranburne, which finished 0-2 for the night. Read more
It seems there’s only one thing that can stop Danny Horn from reaching a milestone reserved for the truly elite high school football coaches. Read more
The game didn’t count on the record. But the experience that the players gained was as real as any regular season game could create. For the Handley Tigers if Friday night’s 40-15 win over LaFayette was any indication, they could be in for a fun season. Read more
In a season where moral victories may just have to suffice and progress won’t necessarily be measured by final scores, Blair Armstrong made his Woodland coaching debut Friday. Read more
The first Saturday of college football is the 40(something)-year-old sportswriter’s version of Christmas morning. I wake up every year on that first Saturday absolutely giddy at the prospect of Kirk Herbstreit sliding down my chimney and into my television so I can sit in my recliner and sta… Read more
RCHS defended its home field, Wadley showed some impressive fight against two larger opponents and Ranburne saw its preseason offensive woes continue when the three teams met in their final tuneup before next week's regular season openers. Read more
Don’t ever let it be said that Shenan Motley is scared to shake things up. Read more
The magical run of Danny Horn’s triumphant return to coaching in Clay County culminated in last December’s thrilling 43-42 win over Vigor in the Class 5A state title game. Read more
RCHS head football coach Pat Prestridge is almost definitely closer to the end of his career than the beginning of it. And he knows that his team’s unprecedented run of success may be coming to a close sooner rather than later. So it’s natural to look at the confluence of those two things an… Read more
