Alabama sets 2002 prep alignment

By Staff
From Staff Reports
Jan. 2, 2002
Things will look a little different for the area Alabama high schools beginning with the 2002 football season.
The new alignments for 2002-2003 have been released and Choctaw County, Livingston and Sumter County who all used to be in the same area, are now in three different leagues.
This current school year the three are in Class 4A Area 7. The new alignment has Sumter County dropping to Class 3A Area 6, Choctaw County moving to Class 4A Area 2 and Livingston going to Class 4A Area 8.
Southern Choctaw High School remains in Class 2A and will compete in Area 1 along with Bayside Academy, Leroy and McIntosh. The only change to that league was the Excel let and Washington County moved in.
Joining Sumter County in Class 3A, Area 6 will be Aliceville and Francis Marion, while Jackson, Monroe County and Thomasville will battle with Choctaw County for Class 4A, Area 2 honors. Demopolis, Greensboro and Greene County are in Area 8 along with Livingston High School.
Austin Bishop
Nichols had big year at Louisiana Tech
Former Philadelphia HIgh School standout Jamie Nichols was a stalwart along the defensive line for the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech.
Going into Louisiana Tech's 49-24 loss to Clemson in the Humanitarian Bowl, Nichols was second on the team in tackles with 68 total stops. He also had four quarterback sacks and a team-high 16 tackles for a loss.
The 6-foot-3, 302-pounder also had two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and blocked a kick.
Austin Bishop
Defense key to titles at Enterprise
The Bulldogs of Enterprise High School won the MHSAA Class 2A state title in 1987 and the Class 1A crown in 1986 and in both instances the defenses were incredible.
The 1986 squad allowed just 65 points in 13 games for a points per game allowed average of just 5.0. The Bulldogs beat Noxapater 28-0 in the championship game, posting their fifth shutout of the season. Three of those shutouts came in the playoffs.
The Bulldogs allowed seven or less points in 11 of their 13 games, with opponents scoring 13 once and 14 once. The closest game all year was a 12-7 decision over Mize in the last regular season game of the year.
EHS also put up the points, scoring 433 on the year for an average of 33.3.
In 1987, Enterprise posted seven shutouts on the way to a title showdown with Mound Bayou that saw the Bulldogs squeak out a 21-20 win.
The Bulldogs gave up 81 points in 13 games for an average of 6/2, while scoring 328 points for an average of 25.2.
EHS took a 7-0 win over St. John and a 6-0 win over Lake to earn a spot in the title game.
Austin Bishop
Postponed hoops dates finalized
The game dates and playing sites between Heidelberg High School and Philadelphia High School have been finalized at least for now.
The two schools will play at Heidelberg High School on Jan. 14 and then tangle at Philadelphia on Feb. 2.
Marty Stamper
Best no longer decided on the floor
The Mississippi High School Activities Association held an Overall State Championship from 1951 through 1982. The winners of each of the state's classes would come back the week after their respective state tournaments and play for the overall title.
During that time span the classifications were AA, A, BB and B, with AA being the largest and B being the smallest.
Harrison Central (AA) beat Mendenhall (A), 40-39 to take the 1982 boys title, while the Harrison Central Red Rebelettes edged Lafayette (A), 48-45 for the girls crown.
It was not always the biggest schools that won, although they did hold an edge, especially in the latter stages of the event.
Duck Hill (B) won the 1979 title and it beat the Class BB school (Scott Central), 74-70 in overtime to do it.
Class B Ingomar won the 1978 boys championship with a 66-62 win over Class BB Utica.
Austin Bishop
Somebody had to be first
The first ever football champion to be recognized by the Mississippi Private School Association was Indianola which took a 21-7 win over Fayette for the Class AA crown in 1970.
No Class A champions were recognized until 1972 and Jackson Prep won the first AAA title without the benefit of a playoff in 1971. Play did not begin in Class AAAA u until 1986.
The first Class A champion was Strider, which defeated Heidelberg Academy 34-6 in 1972.
Austin Bishop
That Forrest was on fire
Louisville High School sophomore sensation had a big three days in the Nanih Waiya Girls Christmas Tournament last week.
She scored 105 points in three games including 45 in a 53-37 win over Nanih Waiya as the Lady Wildcats won the tournament by winning three games in three days.
Austin Bishop
Track meet to have three divisions
The Alabama High School Athletic Association State Indoor Track Meet is set for Feb. 1-2 at the Valley Sports Coliseum in Priceville.
The meet will be broken down into three divisions, instead of the two that was printed in the 2002 AHSAA Winter Sports book.
The competition will be for classes 1A-4A, 5A and 6A. The meet begins at noon on Feb. 1 with the 3200 meter run finals and the four field events. The last event of the day is the 800 meter relay finals at 4:45 p.m.
The meet picks back up the next day on Saturday morning at 9:30 and concludes at 5:25 p.m. with the awards presentation.
Austin Bishop