PREP FOOTBALL: Reeltown v. Poka: A big-time bout

When Jerome Tate was starting his coaching career at Loachapoka in 1995, he didn’t have to look very far for an example of how to run a successful program.

About 15 miles down Highway 14, Jackie O’Neal was entering his eighth year as Reeltown’s head coach.

And all he had to show for it was a 66-26 record and two trips to the Class 2A championship game.

“I kind of patterned what I did early in my career after Coach O,” Tate said. “Saw how he did things and just kind of mimicked some of the stuff he did, just hoping to have the same kind of success he’s had over the years.”

It appears the strategy has worked.

Tate, in his 15th year with the Indians, has compiled a 108-55 record and has built his program up to the point that it is the third-ranked 1A team in the state.

Due to misleading information, it was originally thought that Tate would break former Smiths Station coach E.L. Godwin’s all-time record for wins for a Lee County coach with his 108th, but further investigation has shown the mark to be a little higher.

Godwin said he compiled 125 wins at Smiths Station and AHSFHS.org — a Web site that keeps very detailed, but not 100-percent accurate records of Alabama high school football history — has Godwin at 113 wins.

Either way, Tate has a little while to go. And the coach, who is rarely the one to shine the spotlight on himself, said that’s just fine with him.

“It doesn’t really matter to me,” he said. “We’re just focused on winning football games.”

He has also built Loachapoka up to a point where, when it takes on No. 4 Reeltown at home Friday night, it’s not a sure win anymore for the Rebels.

Reeltown, which played in the same region as Loachapoka as recently as 2004-2007, has a 4-6 record against the Indians during Tate’s stint as head coach.

And, due to such an extensive history, both sides know what to expect.

“We know what they’re gonna do, they know what we’re gonna do,” Tate said. “It’s gonna be a physical ballgame. Very quick on defense. They don’t have a lot of size, but they run to the ball extremely well. It’s going to be a tough outing for us.”

Those have been hard to come by for both teams since region play started.

Loachapoka has buzzed through its first three region opponents with a 149-8 scoring margin. Reeltown has done the same, outscoring its first three region opponents, 118-21.
It’s safe to say the odds are stacked against a blowout for either side Friday night.

“We’ve been waiting on this,” Loachapoka senior Cory North said.

So while Friday’s game might not count much toward either team’s playoff life, it still means something to both sides.

Especially for Loachapoka, which hasn’t lost a regular-season home game since 2003.

“This is probably gonna have the feel of a third-round playoff game, instead of a third-week or fourth-week regional game,” Tate said.

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No. 4 Reeltown (3-1) at No. 3 Loachapoka (4-0)
Reeltown Key Players: RB/DB Willie McKenzie (Sr., 5-8, 160); RB/DB Ki-Shawn Powell (Jr., 5-8, 165); TE/LB Shaquille Roberson (Jr., 6-3, 210)
Loachapoka Key Players: WR Travis Echols (Sr., 6-0, 160); QB Patrick Moore (Sr., 6-0, 175); WR/S Quindravius Richardson (Sr., 6-2, 190)
Stat Pack: The Rebels average 309 yards on the ground this year ... Moore has accounted for 983 yards and 17 touchdowns ... Loachapoka has eight interceptions and Reeltown has six.
Series Information: Reeltown beat the Indians, 24-14, last year. The Rebels lead the all-time series, 17-8.