Bob Jones moves to No. 1 in 7A; perfect season within sight
Bob Jones defensive line has been key to teams success Coach Kevin Rose says (Record photo/Lindsay Vaught)
MADISON- It appears, barring a major upset, that Bob Jones is about to pull off a perfect season. Presently 6-0, the Patriots toughest part of their schedule is behind them. They will not face another ranked team in the final four games of the regular season. Grissom, this weeks opponent is winless.
Bob Jones has never had a perfect regular season. The closest they got was 9-1 regular seasons in 2009 , 2011, and 2013. Hoover ended their playoff run in 2009 and 2011, Vestavia Hills in 2013.
The Patriots under Coach Kevin Rose have been here before. They were 9-0 in 2011 before losing to Hoover to end the regular season and were 8-0 in 2013 before losing to Austin.
According to the AHSAA’s Director of Media Communications Ron Ingram, a perfect season is not that uncommon.
Ingram provided figures that showed last year (2014) 19 high schools finished the regular season undefeated. In 7A Fairhope went 10-0 but lost in the playoffs. Four schools had perfect seasons and won state titles in their classification; Clay-Chalkville (6A), St. Pauls Episcopal (5A), Fyffe (2A), and Maplesville (1A).
Locally, East Limestone and Guntersville went 10-0 last year. Madison Academy went a perfect 15-0 in 2013 as did Hoover to win state titles.
“Undefeated regular seasons, while an important feat, are not as rare as you might think. It is more rare among the large schools, however,” Ingram said.
Bob Jones moved up to #1 in 7A in the latest poll released Wednesday.
Bob Jones is the only undefeated team in 7A and received 312 first place votes. Spain Park at 5-1 is #2 and James Clemens at 5-1 is #3. Prattville and Hoover, both 5-1 round out the top 5.
“We’re finding a way to win close games against good football teams,” Rose said. “Miles Strickland and Brad Anderson have produced. Our offensive line has come on anchored by Tucker Walters and Kendall Randolph. Defensively, we’ve played a lot of linemen. We’ve had a rotation where six to nine have played a lot and that has allowed our ones to be fresh in the fourth quarter and get some big stops.”
Rose singled out middle linebacker Cameron Langham. The senior has come on strong. Against Florence he had a sack that caused a fumble and recovered it.
“In the kicking game Matt Stephenson needs to improve to punt the ball to force fair catches and kicking he needs to show he can make extra points and fields goals to win a game.”
Rose said that there will be no talk about anything other than the game this week.
“The seniors and captains met with me last week. The players said we’re not going to talk about anything except going 1-0 this week. They are a determined group that wants to be focused internally on things we can control. And that is becoming the best team we can be and at the end if that’s good enough then fine if not we will accept that.”
After this week, Bob Jones face Huntsville for homecoming, goes to Hazel Green, and closes out the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 29 at home against Austin.
