Central, Clay County Coach now has 358 career wins

     MONTGOMERY – Central, Clay County’s 29-7 victory Friday night and Citronelle’s 14-7 triumph over UMS-Wright made Coach Danny Horn the winningest football coach in AHSAA state history.
     UMS-Wright’s Terry Curtis started the season as the AHSAA’s winningest coach but heading into this week’s games, he and Horn were deadlocked with 357 wins each. Horn’s record improved to 358-97 with tonight’s victory, and Curtis’ record with the loss is 357-102-0. Ironically, the two coaching legends’ careers parallel the same years. Both became head coaches in 1989, and both are still going strong 36 years later in 2024.
   Close on the heels of both Hall-of-Fame coaches is another HOF legend Paul Benefield of Fyffe. His Red Devils beat Sylvania 49-17 tonight to move his career record to 355-58-0. His head-coaching career started in 1992.
    Having three head coaches’ competing for this lofty goal at the same is unparalleled in AHSAA football history. Curtis and Horn are the only two coaches in AHSAA history to coach eight AHSAA state football championships. Benefield has coached seven. All three have won their state crowns at the same school – albeit Horn with six state championships at Clay County and two since Clay County and rival Lineville merged to form Central of Clay County.
    With the rest the season remaining, it is anybody’s guess who will emerge as the leader by season’s end.