Pre-season Power Poll #14

Tied at number 14 are the Fort Payne Wildcats and Saks Wildcats

T - #14 – Fort Payne Wildcats

Head Coach: Paul Ellis [5th Year]

2007 Record: 11-1 [Second Round loss to J.O Johnson]

Key Dates in ’08: Etowah – Week 2, North Jackson – Week 5, Scottsboro – Week 9, Gadsden City –Week 10.

Star to Watch: Kyle Crabtree QB – Sophomore

Fresh off back-to-back perfect regular season records for the first time in school history and boasting the return of a rising senior starting quarterback who set numerous school records the previous two seasons, most would think expectations are once again high for the Fort Payne Wildcats.

That might not be the case for folks in Fort Payne. The reason for pessimism links to quarterback Slade Smith’s decision to leave football behind to concentrate on what should be a magnificent baseball career.

The good news is that he informed head coach Paul Ellis in time for spring practice and summer workouts. During that time it appears Ellis has found a capable replacement.

**It should be noted that Smith has been rumored to rejoin the team recently, but HSG has no official knowledge of it. Keep posted to the site and we will do our best to get the full story.**

Rising sophomore Kyle Crabtree looks to be the odds-on-favorite to win the starting quarterback role with the Wildcats thanks to an impressive spring and summer showing. Crabtree, a solid baseball player in his own right, had a nice showing in the team’s spring game against Cherokee County and he competed in the Jacksonville State 7-on-7 without an interception to his name. The youngster has Friday night experience. He started as a defensive back last season.

Along with Crabtree, he will welcome a host of other newcomers to the offensive starting lineup. In all, 7 new starters will grace the field for Ellis’ show-stopping offense. The offense has carried the Wildcats over the past two seasons, although the defense played much better during the ’07 campaign.

Depth will also be an issue. With all the missing bodies on offense, Ellis says that some of his defensive starters may have to switch to the other side or play iron-man.

Overall, some of Fort Payne’s losses should balance out. The rest of Region Class 5A Region 7 should limp into the season. Etowah, who has struggled to regain their dominance of late, has been swirling with rumor and controversy this summer. Fort Payne’s nearby rival Scottsboro lost their top three performers on offense due to graduation - but even with those three starters they still lost to Fort Payne 49-6 last season. New region foe Madison County was a Class 4A third round playoff team in 2007.

True tests loom on the non-region schedule. Bouts with North Jackson [5A] and Gadsden City [6A] in weeks five and 10 should test their mettle. And by no means should you sleep on Plainview in Week One. The Bears [moving from 3A to 4A] put together a solid season last year [lost to Leeds in the 2nd round 34-31] and return a great core of athletes.

2008 Schedule

8/28 – Plainview [A]

9/5 – Etowah [H]

9/12 – Arab [A]

9/19 – Southside-Gadsden [H]

9/26 – North Jackson [H]

10/3 – Boaz [A]

10/10 – Albertville [H]

10/17 – Madison County [A]

10/24 – Scottsboro [A]

10/31 – Gadsden City [H]

Article continued below...

T - #14 – Saks Wildcats

Head Coach: Clint Smith [4th Year]

2007 Record: 9-3 [2nd round loss to Madison County 17-35]

Key Dates in ’08: Anniston – Week 3, Lincoln – Week 6, Cleburne County – Week 7, Handley – Week 8.

Star to Watch: Mytez Madden LB/DB

Much like the other team in the 14th spot of this power poll, the Saks Wildcats look to fill a major void on the offensive side of the ball. Although the Wildcats return a solid core of players on both sides of the ball, they have to find a strong running threat following the loss of 1,000 yard back Stephen Boyd.

Boyd graduated last spring depleting the Wildcats stable of power backs. Last season, when things weren’t going well offensively, the team turned to no. 4 and he unleashed his fury on the heart of the opposing defense. Without his ability to attack the trenches Saks will either have to find a replacement or they will have to find another game-plan.

Good thing Saks has a good young coaching staff. The nine wins earned in 2007 were more than the school compiled during the previous 4 seasons. Now Clint Smith and company have to prove they can do it again.

Leading the charge this season will be Mytez Madden. The senior linebacker/defensive back should be a force to reckon with. Standing 6’ 1” and weighing in at 190 pounds, Madden racked up nearly 120 tackles last season and was a Class 4A All-State Honorable Mention.

The reigning Region 6 champs would probably be ranked a little higher in the pre-season poll had it not been for a change in regions. The Wildcats make the move to the ultra-competitive southern half of the state this season with the likes of Thomasville, Andalusia and the odds-on-favorite to win it all UMS-Wright. And those are the teams outside their region.

In their new region, Saks will have their hands full with Heflin, Lincoln and Handley, all of whom would be considered favorites to make the post-season ahead of Saks. The Wildcats still have to battle Anniston and Childersburg in there as well.

They certainly can do it. It’s just a matter of finding a way to get it done.

2008 Schedule:

8/28 – Wellborn [H]

9/5 – Central Coosa [H]

9/12 – Anniston [A]

9/19 – Munford [H]

9/26 – Clay County [A]

10/2 – Lincoln [A]

10/10 – Cleburne County [H]

10/17 – Handley [A]

10/24 – Childersburg [A]

10/31 – Weaver [H]