Hokes Bluff Eagles (0-0) vs. Southside-Gadsden Panthers (0-1)
AHSAA TV Network Game of the Week
MONTGOMERY – Hokes Bluff High School’s rivalry with Southside-Gadsden High School is the second longest in Eagles football history. The two Etowah County schools’ rivalry will be showcased Thursday night as the AHSAA TV Network Game of the Week.
WOTM TV will be producing the two teams’ 73rd meeting – which will also be shown live over the NFHS Network. Executive producer is Vince Earley of WOTM TV. The commentators will be longtime TV personality Mickey Shadrix and for high school and college coach Rick Rhoades.
WOTM is began its fourth year as producer of the AHSAA TV Network Game of the Week last week televising the AHSAA Kickoff Classic series at Cramton Bowl. Helena beat Chelsea 28-6 in the first game and Auburn downed Hoover 17-14 in last Friday’s contest.
Hokes Bluff holds a 39-30-3 edge in the series which began in 1937, the first year the Eagles fielded a team. Southside won that first game 48-2 and won last year’s contest 31-0. Sandwiched in between have been some of the fiercest battles of any Alabama high school rivalry. The two teams played twice in 1950 – tying 6-6 in the first meeting and then squaring off in the Charity Bowl with Southside winning 19-6.
The Class 5A Panthers (0-1) opened their season last week with a 21-7 loss to Guntersville. Coach Miles Holcomb, in his second season at the helm, led Southside, Class 6A in 2021, to a 5-6 record and earned a berth in the state playoffs. He owns a 13-20 overall head-coaching record with two years at Crossville prior to taking over the Southside program.
In contrast, Coach Mike Robertson begins his 27th season as Hokes Bluff’s head coach Thursday night. His overall record is 170-121 winning the 3A state championship in 2001.
The Eagles (0-0) finished 4-6 last year in Class 3A, Region 6 – a region which has proven to be the toughest in Class 3A year-in and year-out. Robertson’s Eagles finished one game shy of the playoffs with a 3-4 record. Region 6 had a three-way deadlock at the top of its standings last year between Saks, Ohatchee and Piedmont. Piedmont emerged third in the tie and went on to win the state title.
Last week, Southside’s talented wide receiver Cody Roberts had five catches for 31 yards and the Panthers’ lone TD the 21-7 loss to Guntersville. Running back Mason Teague had 67 yards on 12 carries.
The Panthers feature a dynamic passing tandem with Roberts and junior quarterback Gauge NeSmith. He completed 125-of-240 passes last season for 1,931 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also rushed for 336 yards and three scores and earned a spot on the Gadsden Times All-Etowah County team. Anchoring the Panthers’ defense is senior Jerrod Harden, who is also an outstanding wrestler who finished second in the state in the 285-pound division last year. He was named The Times’ Wrestler of the Year last winter.
Robertson’s Eagles feature a strong defense led by 5-foot-10, 245-pound senior guard and defensive lineman Dakota Holcomb, sophomore receiver and defensive back Anderson Morgan. Hokes Bluff also features guard, defensive lineman Leon Chen (5-20, 210)
and 6-5, 225-pound senior Kaleb Coshatt, also a guard and defensive lineman. Senior tight end, defensive end and long snapper Jaylen Simmons is perhaps the most experience player on the Eagles’ squad.
WOTM TV has put together a strong network of cable affiliates across Alabama. It will be live on WOTM TV as well as WABM TV 68 in Birmingham and most Spectrum networks. Check out the listings on the AHSAA website at the following link:
https://www.ahsaa.com/Portals/0/Sports/Football/Super%207/WOTM-Cities-November2020.pdf?ver=OVOVtQ2dCsWzvgoL086upQ%3d%3d×tamp=1605813191158
To access the AHSAA Game of the Week over the NFHS Network, go to the following link
https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/ahsaa/gamce94eb4770
The AHSAA Radio Network’s Scoreboard Show will also air across the state Friday night. Go to www.ahsaaradionetwork.com for network information.
2022 AHSAA TV NETWORK
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
SCHEDULE
All Games also airing Live at 7 p.m., on WOTM TV/
AHSAA TV Network, WABM TV MY68, and NFHS Network
Week 0: Aug. 18 Chelsea vs. Helena – KICKOFF CLASSIC, CRAMTON BOWL
Aug. 19 Hoover vs. Auburn – KICKOFF CLASSIC, CRAMTON BOWL
Week 1: Aug. 25 Southside-Selma at Hokes Bluff
Week 2: Sep. 1 Minor at Mountain Brook
Week 3: Sep. 8 Valley at Sylacauga
Week 4: Sep. 15 Auburn at Lee-Montgomery
Week 5: Sep. 22 Anniston at Piedmont
Week 6: Sep. 29 Orange Beach at St Michael Catholic
Week 7: Oct. 6 Lee-Montgomery at Central-Phenix City
Week 8: Oct. 13 Prattville at Lee-Montgomery
Week 9: Oct. 20 Gulf Shores at Vigor
Week 10: Oct. 27 Hueytown at Gardendale
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