He led the Panthers to their first back-to-back playoff seasons in 2008-09. This year, he’s guided Spring Garden to its first-ever 5-0 start in school history.
Now, Howard and the Panthers have achieved another first – their first-ever ranking.
Just five days after their 42-21 homecoming victory against Jacksonville Christian, the Panthers (5-0) cracked the top 10 in the latest Alabama Sportswriters Association Class 1A football poll, released on Wednesday. The Panthers come in at No. 10 after receiving 19 points in this week’s poll.
“It’s good for the kids,” Howard said. “They like to see things like that. It gives them a feeling of pride in what they do. I’m glad to see them get all the accolades they’ve gotten so far this season.
“I was just talking to (senior running back) Forrest (Livingston) while I was taping him up before practice today (Tuesday), saying we’ve won more games this year than the previous two. It’s a big step forward.”
Of course, with the ranking, the Panthers have the spotlight on them now, but Howard said that’s just fine with him.
“It gives us something else to shoot for,” he said. “It’s a lot better being hunted than to be the hunter sometimes.”
Spring Garden puts its unbeaten record on the line again this week when it hosts Region 7 foe Woodville (0-5) on Friday.
Speaking of Region 7, two of Spring Garden’s top rivals remain ranked in the Class 1A poll, and both of them face each other on Friday.
Following its 62-0 thrashing of Woodville last Friday, Cedar Bluff (5-0) moved up a spot in this week’s poll to No. 6. The Tigers will host Collinsville (5-0), which held on to its No. 8 ranking following a 38-19 victory over previously unbeaten Donoho last Friday.
The Panthers have beaten the Tigers the past three seasons by an average of less than a touchdown. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at newly renovated L.D. Bruce Field.
In Class 3A, the Piedmont Bulldogs (5-0) held on to their top ranking after last Thursday’s thrilling 7-0 victory over then-No. 2 Leeds (4-1), which dropped one spot to No. 3 this week.
Piedmont received 30 of 32 first-place votes. T.R. Miller (5-0), which moved up to No. 2, received the other two first-place votes.
The Bulldogs travel to Region 5 rival White Plains (2-3) on Friday.
In other statewide happenings, Muscle Shoals head coach Scott Basden can relate to Spring Garden’s Howard.
When Basden took over as head coach at Muscle Shoals in 2008, the Trojans had won just 14 games in the previous four seasons.
The Trojans’ fortunes have turned around considerably since then. For only the third time in school history, Muscle Shoals has the top ranking in the ASWA football poll.
Muscle Shoals, which improved to 5-0 after a 38-6 win against Dora, stepped over Hartselle for the top spot in Class 5A after the Tigers dropped a 21-14 decision to Decatur.
The top ranking might be short-lived – or the Trojans, who have the state’s stingiest defense at 1.8 points per game allowed, could prove they’re right where they belong on Friday as they host now-No. 4 Hartselle in a Class 5A, Region 8 game.
While the top spot in the six other classes remained the same, other positions tightened up near the top.
Auburn pulled to within three points of Clay-Chalkville for the No. 2 spot in Class 6A after an easy 49-24 win over Gadsden City coupled with the Cougars 31-28 overtime win against Pinson Valley. And Central of Clay County’s 42-14 win over Munford helped it catch Dadeville for a second-place tie in Class 4A, helped by Dadeville’s 42-34 win over Tallassee.
In games involving ranked teams this week, Class 6A No. 7 Carver-Montgomery is at No. 3 Auburn, Class 5A No. 3 Spanish Fort hosts No. 5 St. Paul’s, Class 3A No. 7 Colbert County is at No. 5 Lauderdale County, Class 2A No. 6 Woodland travels to No. 7 Wellborn, and AISA No. 4 Clarke Prep at No. 2 Monroe Academy.
This week’s complete rankings are listed below, with first-place votes and record in parenthesis.
Class 6A
1. Hoover (32) (5-0) 384
2. Clay-Chalkville (5-0) 269
3. Auburn (5-0) 266
4. McGill-Toolen (5-0) 230
5. Austin (5-0) 193
6. Mountain Brook (5-0) 125
7. Carver-MGY (4-1) 116
8. Vestavia Hills (4-1) 110
9. Gadsden City (4-1) 39
10. Daphne (3-2) 17
Others receiving votes: Central-Phenix City (4-1) 16, Fairhope (4-1) 16, Spain Park (4-1) 15, Davidson (4-1) 12, Tuscaloosa Co. (4-1) 8, Pelham (4-1) 5, Hazel Green (4-1) 1, Oak Mountain (4-1) 1, Stanhope Elmore (4-1) 1.
Class 5A
1. Muscle Shoals (24) (5-0) 356
2. Jackson (3) (5-0) 285
3. Spanish Fort (4) (5-0) 269
4. Hartselle (1) (4-1) 184
5. St. Paul’s (4-1) 161
6. Fort Payne (5-0) 152
7. Demopolis (5-0) 124
8. Homewood (4-1) 114
9. Eufaula (4-1) 61
10. Cullman (4-1) 55
Others receiving votes: Benjamin Russell (5-0) 23, McAdory (5-0) 10, Sylacauga (5-0) 10, Wenonah (5-0) 9, Vigor (4-1) 7, Boaz (5-0) 3, Russellville (4-1) 1.
Class 4A
1. Oneonta (29) (5-0) 374
2t. Central-Clay Co. (2) (5-0) 272
2t. Dadeville (1) (5-0) 272
4. UMS-Wright (4-1) 223
5. Handley (4-1) 173
6. Beauregard (4-1) 141
7. Thomasville (3-2) 93
8. Madison Co. (4-1) 77
9. Andalusia (4-1) 68
10. Tallassee (4-1) 32
Others receiving votes: Dora (4-1) 24, Sardis (4-1) 20, Jemison (4-1) 11, Brooks (4-1) 10, Fairview (4-1) 8, Calera (4-1) 6, J.O. Johnson (4-1) 6, St. James (4-1) 5, Ardmore (4-1) 4, Jacksonville (4-1) 3, Monroe Co. (3-2) 2.
Class 3A
1. Piedmont (30) (5-0) 378
2. T.R. Miller (2) (5-0) 285
3. Leeds (4-1) 223
4. Hamilton (5-0) 222
5. Lauderdale Co. (4-1) 165
6. Sylvania (5-0) 164
7. Colbert Co. (5-0) 129
8. Madison Acad. (3-2) 79
9. Fayette Co. (4-1) 63
10. Daleville (5-0) 56
Others receiving votes: Straughn (4-1) 23, Bayside (2-3) 20, B.B. Comer (4-1) 3, Barbour Co. (4-1) 3, Dale Co. (3-2) 3, Saks (4-1) 3, W.S. Neal (4-1) 3, Deshler (2-3) 2.
Class 2A
1. Tanner (30) (5-0) 375
2. Washington Co. (2) (5-0) 289
3. Fyffe (5-0) 257
4. Sweet Water (4-1) 224
5. Reeltown (4-1) 174
6. Woodland (4-1) 143
7. Walter Wellborn (4-1) 86
8. Elba (3-2) 85
9. Mobile Chr. (5-0) 60
10. G.W. Long (4-1) 47
Others receiving votes: Vincent (4-1) 38, N. Sand Mountain (4-1) 19, Oakman (4-1) 10, Lanett (4-1) 5, Fultondale (3-2) 3, Samson (4-1) 3, Ider (4-1) 2, Horseshoe Bend (4-1) 1, Millry (4-1) 1, Montgomery Acad. (2-3) 1, Sheffield (3-2) 1.
Class 1A
1. Marion Co. (30) (5-0) 377
2. Linden (1) (5-0) 289
3. Brantley (1) (5-0) 250
4. Ragland (4-0) 207
5. Pickens Co. (5-0) 199
6. Cedar Bluff (5-0) 142
7. Maplesville (4-1) 141
8. Collinsville (5-0) 110
9. Keith (5-0) 53
10. Spring Garden (5-0) 19
Others receiving votes: Hackleburg (4-1) 18, Lynn (4-1) 9, Falkville (5-0) 5, Geneva Co. (4-1) 4, Shoals Chr. (3-2) 1.
AISA
1. Edgewood Acad. (30) (7-0) 378
2. Monroe Acad. (1) (6-0) 284
3. Tuscaloosa Acad. (1) (6-0) 262
4. Clarke Prep (6-0) 223
5. Lee-Scott (5-1) 177
6. Pickens Acad. (6-0) 158
7. Autauga Acad. (5-1) 130
8. Restoration (6-1) 94
9. Fort Dale Acad. (4-2) 56
10. Macon-East (5-1) 41
Others receiving votes: Patrician (4-2) 12, Glenwood (4-2) 7, Escambia Acad. (3-3) 1, Jackson Acad. (3-3) 1.
The Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee members are: Paul Beaudry, Chairman, Alabama Media Group; Andrew Garner, Andalusia Star-News; Jonathan Deal, Athens News Courier; Erich Hilkert, Atmore Advance; Bran Strickland, Anniston Star; Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News; Adam Robinson, Brewton Standard; Rob Rice, Blount Countian; Shannon Fagan, Cherokee Herald; Ross Wood, Clarke Co. Democrat; Rob Ketcham, Cullman Times; Jonathon Bentley, Daily Mountain Eagle; Justin Graves, Decatur Daily; David Mundee, Dothan Eagle; Lee Peacock, Evergreen Courant; Newton Peters, Florala News; Gregg Dewalt, Florence TimesDaily; Lew Gilliland, Fort Payne Times-Journal; Dennis Victory, Freelance (Birmingham); Chris McCarthy, Gadsden Messenger; Kim Craft, Gadsden Times; Davis Potter, Hamilton Journal Record; Daniel Boyette, Huntsville Times; Josh Bean, Mobile Press-Register; Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser; Robert Carter, North Jefferson News; Jason Galloway, Opelika-Auburn News; Shannon Allen, Sand Mountain Reporter; Jason Bowen, Scottsboro Daily Sentinel; Lavonte Young, Talladega Daily Home; Andrew Carroll, Tuscaloosa News; Griffin Pritchard, Wetumpka Herald.
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