PREP COUNTDOWN 2020: CCC schools adjusting schedules to fit change
STAFF REPORT
Before all the current cancellations, change was in the works on the high school football front.
Back in May, the 2020 season opener between St. James and Montgomery Academy moved back to campus sites in 2020 and 2021.
The game had originally been scheduled for Aug. 21 (and Aug. 20, 2021) at Huntingdon College as a neutral-site game at the suggestion of former Montgomery Academy coach Gary Nelson to offset a shortage of home playing dates.
When Nelson left to take a job at Southside-Gadsden, St. James coach Jimmy Perry switched the game back to Carlisle Field.
“We’re playing Montgomery Academy at our place,” Perry said. “Montgomery Academy flipped a game with Trinity so now they’ve got five (home games) and five (travel dates). The only reason we were going to do it at Huntingdon was because Gary (had just four home dates) on his schedule. I was just trying to help him out.”
Montgomery Academy had just four home games and moved the season opener to Huntingdon College to create a pair of neutral-site games in 2020 and 2021 with both teams splitting 50 percent of the revenue. New Montgomery Academy athletic director Robert Johnson was able to get Trinity to flip home-and-home dates with Montgomery Academy in 2020 and 2021, giving both Trinity and Montgomery Academy five home dates in both years.
Restoring the 2020 season opener to St. James will give the Trojans five home dates in 2020 and 2021 as well.
Add the changes due to redo on the regional and classifications, it makes for more interesting matchups among the old “Capital City Conference.”
Traditionally, the five schools found a way to schedule each other when regional games were not available. This season, Montgomery Academy and Trinity play all of the other schools.
“It’s different now than when I was at St. James,” stated Johnson, who coached the Trojans from 1997-2006. “Obviously everybody is better. The schools are different in size. The change has been good but we are also dealing with different teams outside the city.”
MA will open with two rivals and follows with Class 3A, Region 3 action against the likes of Hale County, Southside-Selma and a new rival, Prattville Christian. The Eagles finish the season against Alabama Christian, which returns to Class 4A this year along with Trinity and St. James, all regional opponents.
St. James moves back to 4A after spending the last two years at the 3A level. The Trojans took advantage with back-to-back 10-win seasons. They replace region foes such as Dadeville, Pike Road and Prattville Christian with Dale County, Ashford and Geneva. They face ACA for the first time since 2017.
ACA has stayed at 4A, with an exception of a brief trip to 5A, since 2006. The Eagles pick up two of the four CCC rivals in Trinity and MA. They also face Highland Home in Week 2.
Montgomery Catholic will open the season against Pike Road in the annual AHSAA Kickoff Classic. The Knights face Class 3A competition against the likes of Dadeville, Reeltown and Pike County as well as rivals Trinity and Montgomery Academy. Ironically, only Trinity is a regional foe.
Trinity has played one of the more difficult non-region schedules in the area but went local with opponents this season. Gone are games against the likes of Andalusia, American Christian and Leeds. Like Catholic, the Wildcats will battle in Class 3A, Region 4
Pike Road spent its first two years of varsity football as a Class 3A team but the Patriots bump up to Class 5A and face a difficult schedule that features regional action again Andalusia, Charles Henderson and Greenville. They face Tallassee and Calhoun among non-region opponents.
ALABAMA CHRISTIAN
Aug. 20 Trinity Home
Aug. 28 Highland Home Away
Sept. 4 St. James* Away
Sept. 11 Booker T. Washington* Home
Sept. 18 Dale County* Away
Sept. 25 Open
Oct. 2 Ashford (HC)* Home
Oct. 9 Geneva* Away
Oct. 16 Straughn* Home
Oct. 23 Bullock County* Away
Oct. 29 Montgomery Academy Home
MONTGOMERY CATHOLIC
Aug. 20 Pike Road Cramton
Aug. 28 Charles Henderson Home
Sept. 4 Dadeville* Home
Sept. 11 Reeltown* Away
Sept. 18 Beulah* Home
Sept. 25 Montgomery Academy Away
Oct. 2 Pike County* Away
Oct. 9 Childersburg* Home
Oct. 16 Trinity* Away
Oct. 23 Goshen* Away
Oct. 30 Open
MONTGOMERY ACADEMY
Aug. 21 St. James Away
Aug. 28 Trinity Home
Sept. 4 Hale County* Away
Sept. 11 Southside-Selma* Away
Sept. 18 Prattville Christian* Home
Sept. 25 Catholic Home
Oct. 2 Open
Oct. 9 Greensboro* Home
Oct. 16 Thomasville* Home
Oct. 23 Monroe County* Away
Oct. 29 Alabama Christian Away
ST. JAMES
Aug. 21 Montgomery Academy Home
Aug. 28 Reeltown Away
Sept. 4 Alabama Christian* Home
Sept. 11 Bullock County* Home
Sept. 18 Straughn* Away
Sept. 25 Trinity Away
Oct. 2 Booker T. Washington* Away
Oct. 9 Dale County* Home
Oct. 16 Ashford* Away
Oct. 23 Geneva* Home
Oct. 30 Open
TRINITY
Aug. 20 Alabama Christian Away
Aug. 28 Montgomery Academy Away
Sept. 4 Goshen* Home
Sept. 11 Beulah* Away
Sept. 18 Pike County* Home
Sept. 25 St. James Home
Oct. 2 Reeltown* Home
Oct. 9 Dadeville* Away
Oct. 16 Catholic* Home
Oct. 23 Childersburg* Away
Oct. 30 Open
PIKE ROAD
Aug. 20 Catholic Cramton
Aug. 28 Calhoun Home
Sept. 4 Carroll* Home
Sept. 11 Andalusia* Away
Sept. 18 Rehobeth* Home
Sept. 25 Tallassee Home
Oct. 2 Charles Henderson* Home
Oct. 9 Headland* Away
Oct. 16 Open
Oct. 23 Greenville* Away
Oct. 30 Booker T. Washington Home
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