RHS football schedule features mix of old rivals, new opponents
The 2022 Russellville High School varsity football season is fast approaching. With kickoff on the horizon, here is a look at the matchups for head coach John Ritter’s Golden Tigers.
Aug. 19 – Russellville at Grissom
The Golden Tigers open the season with a trip to Huntsville to take on 7A Grissom. This will be the first meeting ever between the two schools on the football field.
Grissom went 3-7 in 2021 and will be led by former Lawrence County head coach Rich Dutton, who is entering year two at the school.
Aug. 26 – Russellville at Deshler
The long-time rivals get together for the 96th time, with RHS leading the series 46-45-4. Russellville won this past year’s game by a 45-37 score.
Class 4A Deshler went 3-7 in 2021 and will be led this year by new head coach Patrick Malone.
This will be Russellville’s first trip to Tuscumbia since 2019.
Sept. 2 – Lawrence County at Russellville
Class 5A Region 8 play gets underway when the Red Devils visit RHS.
Lawrence County will be looking to improve on the past season’s 0-10 record. Trent Walker will be in year two as head coach at LCHS.
The Golden Tigers won 43-0 a year ago and hold a 24-5 series advantage.
Sept. 9 – Russellville at West Point
Russellville heads back out on the road for a region contest against the Warriors. West Point went 6-4 this past season for Coach Don Farley but missed the 5A playoffs. The teams last met in 2019 when RHS won 51-6.
The Warriors have never beaten the Golden Tigers in eight previous tries.
Sept. 16 – East Limestone at Russellville
The Golden Tigers and Indians remain region opponents after ELHS made the playoffs in 2021. East was second to RHS in the region and was 5-6 overall a year ago.
The Indians will be led this season by new head coach Clint Woodfin.
RHS won this past season’s game 42-0 – in the rain, no less – and the Golden Tigers hold a 10-2 series lead.
Sept. 23 – Mars Hill at Russellville
A big non-region game will be held in Russellville as the 3A Panthers come to town for the first-ever meeting between the two football teams.
Darrell Higgins will be entering his seventh season at Mars Hill. The Panthers were 10-4 in 2021, losing in the 2A semifinals at Cleveland. Mars Hill won state titles in 2018 and 2020, and the Panthers were region champs a year ago.
Sept. 30 – Brewer at Russellville
Region opponent Brewer went 2-8 this past year. RHS went on the road and defeated Brewer 52-0 in 2021.
The Golden Tigers hold an 8-0 series lead and have outscored the Patriots 395-46.
Matt Plunkett will be entering year two as head coach at Brewer.
Oct. 14 – Russellville at Ardmore
After a week off, the Golden Tigers get back onto the field with another region game.
The Ardmore team went 7-4 a year ago in its first season under head coach Jonathan Snider. AHS made the playoffs in 2021, losing in round one at Alexandria.
Russellville won 51-0 a year ago, and the Golden Tigers hold a 6-1 series lead, with the lone Ardmore victory coming in 1937.
Oct. 21 – Russellville at Fairview
Russellville and Fairview will be region opponents this season for the first time. The Aggies defeated the Golden Tigers in round two of the 2021 Class 5A playoffs at RHS by a 35-21 score.
This will be the second time in history the teams have played each other in football.
Head coach George Redding Jr. will be entering year 16 at Fairview. His team went 12-2 a year ago, losing in the 5A semifinals at Pleasant Grove.
Oct. 28 – Athens at Russellville
Class 6A Athens comes to RHS to finish the regular season. The Golden Eagles are led by head coach Cody Gross.
The last meeting between the two schools was in 2013, when AHS won at home.
Athens went 4-6 in 2021 and missed the playoffs.
Russellville holds a 20-9 series lead.
