Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
11:45 am Friday, August 3, 2007

Russellville ranked No. 4 in pre-season poll

By Staff
Kim West, Franklin County Times
Like most of his peers, Russellville football coach Doug Goodwin doesn't rely on polls to evaluate teams.
"You could probably take the top 10 or 12 teams (in each classification) and shake them up in the basket and have the same luck as the polls," said Goodwin, who guided a team to a 4A state championship by mowing down several top-ranked teams in the playoffs. "There's not a lot of difference between all the top teams – it's just according to how the team gels, and how lucky they are with injuries."
In the ASWA pre-season poll released Wednesday, Russellville (11-2) was ranked No. 4 in Class 5A behind St. Paul's, J.O. Johnson and Eufala. Defending state champion Athens sustained heavy losses on both offense and defense and was ranked just eighth in the poll.
Athens (12-3) and J.O. Johnson (10-4) loom large on the Golden Tigers' 2007 schedule, although their toughest matchups appear to be the Jaguars, who knocked Russellville out of the playoffs last season, and region archrival Hartselle (11-2), who received poll votes but didn't crack the top 10.
"J.O. Johnson's rank is probably deserved, because they have so many players coming back," said Goodwin, who was surprised Athens was ranked so low. "But games are won on the field, and polls are just a group of people's opinion – at this point in the season, that's all you can do is go on paper and look at how a team did last year and how many players a team has returning."
Russellville won its seventh consecutive region championship last season and has a current 47-game winning streak in region play.
The Golden Tigers start practice Monday, and they will play in a fall jamboree in Tuscaloosa against 6A powerhouse Tuscaloosa County and 4A Central on Friday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. before opening the season Aug. 31 at Deshler.
The Russellville High School Booster Club will host a free Golden Tiger Meet and Greet event tonight from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.
Students, family members, school faculty, former players, and all Golden Tiger fans are encouraged to attend and meet Goodwin and his newly- appointed coaching staff.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025