By By Jimmy Boone / EMG sports writer
Aug. 6, 2003
BUTLER, Ala. Choctaw County faces a difficult year on the football field as the Tigers seek to rebound from last season's 2-8 record.
Among the obstacles the Tigers will have to cross on the road to improvement, will be a schedule that features two defending state champions.
The Tigers open by traveling to cross county rival Southern Choctaw on Aug. 29 and Hillcrest-Evergreen on Sept. 5.
Last year Southern Choctaw (14-0) was the Class 2-A state champion. Southern Choctaw starts the year as the top ranked team in Class 2-A.
In the third game of the year, Choctaw County will host defending Class 4-A state champion UMS Wright (14-1) of Mobile. UMS Wright is currently ranked second.
The Tigers finished in a tie for sixth place in AHSAA Class 4-A, Region 1 with a 2-5 mark.
If facing two state champions was not enough, two other teams enter the year ranked in the top ten of the ASWA poll.
The Tigers experience will show quickly at the offensive skill positions.
With very few players lost to graduation, Choctaw County will have 45 lettermen back including 17 starters.
Another challenge to the Tigers is that they will only have four home games, while playing six games on the road.
The Tigers will only host one home game in the first six contests of the year.
After the three tough games to open the season, the Tigers will have to tackle three more dangerous games as they travel to Thomasville on Sept. 19, Demopolis Sept. 26, and Gulf Shores on Oct. 3.
Thomasville was 9-3 last year and is currently ranked seventh in Class 4-A while Demopolis finished the year at 13-1 and is currently ranked sixth.
Finally, on Oct. 10 Choctaw County will play its second home game of the year as Jackson pays a visit to Butler.
The Tigers will go on the road one final time as they travel to Andalusia on Oct. 17. Choctaw County will wrap us the regular season with home games against Monroe County (Oct. 24) and Leroy (Oct. 31.)