Alabama father and son achieve coaching success

It is not unusual for sons to follow in their dad’s high school coaching footsteps.

It is quite uncommon for both to be in their primes – at the same time.

That's how it is at Handley (Roanoke) and Bibb County (Centreville). Mike Battles, Sr., recorded the 247th win of his long career last week when the Tigers beat Central-Coosa last week. Handley, in Class 3A, is currently 7-0 on the year after winning 13 straight games last season (in Class 4A) before falling in the AHSAA state football playoff semifinals at Jackson. His son Mike Battles, Jr., is also 7-0 this season at Class 4A Bibb County and led the Choctaws to 12 straight victories last season before losing to the same Jackson Aggie team in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state playoffs.

A victory over Jackson would have set up the first unbeaten battle in Alabama prep history between two teams coached by a dad and a son. In fact, it would have been the first time a father coached against his son in the semifinals in state history.



Last week, when Bibb County pounded Greene County 49-0, it was the 100th win of the younger Battles' career. He is now 100-50 and has won 19 of his last 20 games at Bibb County. Dad is 247-148-2 in a career that has spanned into four decades. Together the two have recorded 347 wins between them.

Mike, Sr., has been a head coach in three states with his 1975 Irwin County team going 13-0 on the way to a Georgia state title and his 1996 Gautier team went 9-0 in Mississippi. Battles coached Mike Jr. at Walter Wellborn and his other son Bart at Hueytown.

Ironically, Battles, Sr., and Handley will host Wellborn (Anniston) in a key Region 3 game at Roanoke. Wellborn (5-2) is coached by former player Jeff Smith, who played with Mike, Jr., at Wellborn. Handley is averaging 43.3 points per game and Wellborn averages 35.6. Next week Handley will play unbeaten and top-ranked Leeds (7-0) on the road in a game that will likely decide the region title.

Bibb County, which has outscored opponents 336-12 in seven games this season, takes that 48-point scoring average to Selma Friday night to take on winless Southside.

RECEIVERS STILL THE SHOW
Two receivers, Dora senior Stevie Woods and Fairfield senior Anthony Stevenson, stole the spotlight in last week's games with record-book performances in narrow losses.

Woods caught an AHSAA single-game state record 22 passes in Dora's narrow 38-35 loss to unbeaten Oak Grove in a key Class 4A, Region 5 game. The 22 receptions broke the previous record of 20 catches set by Patrick Williamson of Gulf Shores (2004 versus Sweet Water) and Chris Simpson of LaFayette (2000 versus Alabama Christian). Woods finished with 303 yards and two touchdowns covering 47 and 35 yards.



His 303 yards in a game is the third highest in AHSAA history. Simpson had 412 yards in 2000 and Westbrook Christian's Brandon Greer had 311 yards receiving in 1998. Dora quarterback Justin Shadix was 26-for-44 for 391 yards with three touchdowns.

Woods had just 17 catches in the Bulldogs' first six games this season. Dora coach Marin Glover said Woods wanted to make amends from his team's frustrating 2-5 start, which including a pair of one-point losses and a 13-7 overtime defeat to Cordova. Glover said Dora is just a handful of points from being 6-1.

Two weeks ago, Woods played tailback and rushed for close to 130 yards before Friday night's near-record performance.

"(Against Oak Grove) he just played incredible," Glover said.

Meanwhile, Fairfield's Stevenson, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior, caught 17 passes for 208 yards and one touchdown, a 9-yard grab on the last play of the first half with the Tigers trailing Hueytown 42-0. By the time the key Class 5A, Region 4 battle at Fairfield had ended, the Tigers had rallied to close the margin to one point, 48-47, but failed on a two-point try for the win with seven seconds remaining in the game.

Stevenson's 17 catches wrote his name in the AHSAA record book with the sixth-highest reception total in a single game. Stevenson's 208 yards also is 26th on the record book list. Fairfield quarterback Kevin Williams also shined with a 30-for-46 passing effort for 386 yards, six touchdowns and he rushed for 116 yards and another TD in the amazing comeback that fell short for coach Jim Vakakes' Tigers.



FIVE GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK
With region races coming down the stretch this week and next week, several games this week will decide many of the top seeds. While the state playoffs don't officially start until the first Friday in November, these games are as big as any playoff contest will be.

Here are five to choose from:

Class 6A: Vestavia Hills (6-1) at Hoover (7-0) –- The battle of Region 6 unbeatens was derailed last week when Spain Park kicked a field goal in the final seconds to upset Vestavia 19-16. The Rebels will be ready for their arch-rivals, however, when they square off at Hoover. The Bucs already own a win over Byrnes, S.C., and had four straight shutouts to start the season.

Class 6A: Fairhope (5-2) at Daphne (7-0) – The Trojans are ranked No. 2 in the state and could run the table with a win this week. Both Fairhope and Daphne are 5-0 in Region 2.

Class 4A: Oak Grove (Bessemer) (7-0) at Fayette County (6-1) – With legendary coach Waldon Tucker moving past Glenn Daniel of Luverne as the state's winningest prep football coach in the early part of the season, one item might have been overlooked. Fayette is a mighty good football team. Tucker, now with 305 wins and counting, expects Oak Grove to fight to the end. Coach Keith Luker learned a lot of his own coaching from his famous "Uncle Waldon." Luker's Tigers are 7-0 and have won several nail-biters thanks to a very strong running game.

Class 3A: Cordova (7-0) at Hamilton (7-0) – The Blue Devils and Aggies have been rolling toward this date all season. And they come in with almost identical statistics. Hamilton is averaging 47.3 ppg and allowing 9.9. Cordova is averaging 45.3 on offense and allowing 9.9. In Region 5 play, Cordova and Hamilton are clipping 51.2 and 49.2 ppg, respectively. There has been so much anticipation for this game that a local cable television station plans to broadcast the game live Friday night.

Class 1A: Autaugaville (6-1) at Maplesville (7-0) – The Region 4 title will go to the winner. The Red Devils posted six straight shutouts before beating Pickens County 39-27 last week. Autaugaville's offense is averaging 41.7 ppg.