Two-time defending Class 6A state champion Prattville High School and powerful Oxford High School will clash at Cramton Bowl Aug. 23 in the third annual Champions Challenge preseason exhibition football classic sponsored by al.com.
Prattville, which defeated Spain Park 14-0 to claim its second straight 6A state title last December, will be coming in with a new head coach, former assistant head coach Jamey DuBose. He replaces Bill Clark (106-11-0), who guided the Lions to two 15-0 records the last two seasons. Clark, who resigned last winter to become defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at the University of South Alabama, led Prattville to the 6A state finals in 2004
Oxford went 10-0 on the field last season but missed the state playoffs after the Yellow Jackets, officially 3-7, were assessed seven forfeits when a player was declared ineligible.
Like Prattville, Oxford is also under the direction of a new head coach. John Grass left Spain Park after last season’s 6A state finals and replaced Josh Niblett, now the head coach at Hoover High School. Grass, who guided the Jaguars to their first-ever state finals appearance in just his second year at the helm, is 82-43-0 with head-coaching stints at Ashville, Albertville and Moody in addition to Spain Park.
“We think we have an excellent match-up for this year’s Champions Challenge,” said Alabama High School Athletic Association Executive Director Steve Savarese. “Both programs have such great traditions.”
Steve Bailey, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association, coordinates the AHSADCA event. He agrees the contest will be important to both communities.
“No doubt, we have two outstanding teams with such great support from their own communities taking part,” said Bailey. “Both schools are coming in with new head coaches, but they have proven to be outstanding leaders. We’re very excited about this match-up.”
Leading the Lions will this year will be linebacker La’Angelo Albright, last year’s Champions Challenge MVP. Prattville beat North Gwinnett, Ga., 36-3 last season in the 2007 Champions Challenge. North Gwinnett went on to reach the Georgia Class 5A state finals.
“We expect this to be a tremendous challenge for us,” said DuBose. “Oxford has a lot of players returning from a very good team last year. We have a lot of holes to fill this year. We know we have a lot of work to do. It should be a great game.”
Grass said he has made it clear to his players, “To win a state championship, you have go through Prattville. This year is no different.”
Prattville outscored opponents 571-117 in 15 games last season while averaging 38.1 points and allowing only 7.8 per contest. Oxford outscored 10 opponents 367-115, an average of 36.7 points scored and 11.5 allowed.
Hoover downed UMS-Wright 38-0 and Clay County beat Addison 41-6 in the inaugural Champions Challenge in 2006.
CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE FACTS
2008 Champions Challenge: Prattville vs. Oxford.
When/Where: Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl, Aug. 23, 7 p.m. kickoff.
Tickets: $10. Available at Cramton Bowl on game day.
TV: Possible coverage. To be announced.
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CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE HISTORY
2007: Prattville 36, North Gwinnett, Ga. 3
2006: Hoover 38, UMS-Wright 0 (large schools)
2006: Clay County 41, Addison 6 (small schools)
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2007: Prattville 36, North Gwinnett, Ga. 3: The Lions, ranked eighth in the preseason USA Today national rankings, limited the Georgia challengers to just 94 yards total offense in a defensive display of quickness and strength.
Linebacker La’Angelo Albright led the way with 14 tackles, a sack and two more stops behind the line of scrimmage to earn MVP honors. The defense allowed only 11 yards rushing on 36 tries and recorded a safety.
Casey Weston fired two touchdown passes – 20 yards to DeKendrick Moncrief and 28 yards to Emmanuel Davis. Justin Albert, Haley Lewis and Jarrett Bailey also had TD runs covering 29, 32 and 14 yards, respectively. Prattville finished with 331 total yards including 207 rushing.
North Gwinnett’s only points came on Kyle Micek’s 42-yard field goal in the second quarter.
2006: Hoover 38, UMS-Wright 0: The four-time defending Class 6A state champion Bucs came into the game ranked No. 1 nationally in the inaugural Champions Challenge.
Quarterback Ross Wilson led Hoover’s domination with a 16-of-23 passing performance for 261 yards and four touchdowns. Wilson needed only five plays to get the Bucs into the end zone – connecting with Charlie Zorn for a 74-yard touchdown just 1:23 into the game.
He also fired TD passes covering 37 and 35 yards to Brandon Clear, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Virginia, and connected with Adam McBrayer on a 5-yard strike to give the Bucs a 31-0 halftime lead.
Zorn finished with 105 yards receiving on two catches and Clear had four for 92 yards. Jermeniz Owens also rushed for 87 yards on four carries with a 52-yard run in the final quarter. Jordan Means connected on a 49-yard goal for Hoover’s other points.
The Bucs totaled 436 total yards while limiting UMS-Wright, the 2005 Class 4A state champs, to just 152 yards rushing and 75 passing. Terrell Edwards led the Bulldogs with 129 yards on 12 carries.
2006: Clay County 41, Addison 6: The 2005 Class 2A state champions forced 2005 Class 1A state winner into numerous errors early – converting three into quick touchdowns in the first half of the Champions Challenge’s small-school contest at Cramton Bowl.
Clay County running back Lanell Wilson scored three of his team’s first four touchdowns with runs of 6 and 50 yards and a 6-yard pass from quarterback Chase Horn., who finished 6-of-11 for 109 yards and two TDs.
The Panther defense limited Addison to just 37 yards total offense in the first half. That defense was anchored by J.D. Williams, who had five tackles, recovered a fumble and also scored on a Champions Challenge record 93-yard touchdown run in the second half. He also finished as the game’s leading rusher with 103 yards on five carries.
Clay County rolled up 308 of its 416 total yards by intermission.
Blake Turner’s 53 yards rushing on 12 carries paced the Bulldogs. He also had four catches for 48 yards.