RAINSVILLE – Alexandria High School’s rich football playoff history will be meeting Plainview High School’s strong history as well tonight in the AHSAA TV Network/Alabama Public Television/WOTM TV Playoff Game of the week as the second round of the state playoffs gets underway. The game will also be available to subscribers over the NFHS Network.
A total of 52 games is scheduled slate for tonight – with most of them live video-streamed over the NFHS Network.
The Class 4A playoff contest between Alexandria (10-1) and Plainview (11-0) at Rainsville is one of many tonight that feature playoff-seasoned programs and coaches. This game, however, features two of the more prominent “coaching families” in AHSAA history.
The Pruitt boys
Plainview head coach Dale Pruitt is in his third tenure as head coach at his own high school. Just last week, he coached in the 500th game of his head-coaching career — and owns a 330-170 career record.
Two sons have made coaching their profession.
Luke Pruitt began his head-coaching career at Boaz High School this season and led the Pirates to an 8-3 record he worked on his dad’s staff for several years.
Dale’s oldest son Jeremy was quarterback and linebacker on the Bears’ 1990 and 1991 teams that went 14-1 each year – falling in the 3A state finals to Dallas County and Luverne, respectively.
Jeremy coached at the collegiate level with major stops serving as defensive coordinator at Florida State, Georgia, and Alabama, and was head coach at Tennessee. He spent one season in the NFL on the New York Giants staff and is currently an analyst with the Jacksonville State University coaching staff.
Dale Pruitt not only ranks first in wins for the Bears program, which first played football in 1957, he also ranks second. His overall record spans 39 seasons with stops at Pisgah, Fort Payne, Albertville, Marion County (Tenn.), and Dade County (Ga.). He owns a 330-170 coaching record overall – with a 237-148 slate at Plainview.
He was 147-95 in his first stint from 1982-2000 – with two trips to the Class 3A state finals. That period alone would rank him first among the coaches in the Bears’ history. He returned for a second stint from 2000-2014 compiling a 67-35 record, and he came back for his final stint in 2022 and is currently 23-18 in his third stint.
Plainview has had just five losing seasons during that stretch with two coming in his first two seasons in 1984 and 1985.
The Ginns of Alexandria
Alexandria head coach Todd Ginn is now in his eighth season leading the Valley Cubs. His brother Will Ginn is an assistant coach on his football staff and serves as the school’s head basketball coach. Bryant Ginn is also on the football staff.
Larry Ginn, now deceased, was 195-54 in 21 seasons as the head coach from 1986-2006 – guiding Alexandria to two state titles and one runner-up. His teams reached the semifinals five more times.
Todd Ginn is 60-30 overall as head coach. He quarterbacked the Valley Cubs’ 1995 state championship team and anchored the school’s 1998 state basketball championship team.
About the teams
- Plainview is making its 34th playoff appearance and is 36-33 overall.
- Alexandria has reached the state football playoffs 39 times and holds a 58-35 playoff record.
- Plainview’s run-oriented offense is averaging 40.6 points per game while allowing 15.6 points.
- Alexandria is averaging 37.2 points per game and giving up 16.5.
- Plainview beat Brooks 37-12 last week with quarterback Owen Hope rushing for 216 yards and one TD on 17 carries. He was also 7-for-7 passing for 86 yards and another TD. Running back Brody Hodges also had a big game with 74 yards rushing on 12 carries with a score, and receiver Cy Traylor had two receptions for 42 yards and a score. Defensively, Cam Horton, Dawson Sanford, Creek Johnson, and Brayden Lingerfelt have been leaders all season.
- Alexandria had a big night from running back J.J. Beason in last week’s 47-20 first-round playoff win over Fayette County. The 5-foot-10 160-pound junior had 303 yards rushing with four touchdowns covering 20, 50, 7 and 8 yards, respectively. Cole Wheeler, a 6-1, 210-pound junior, was almost perfect completing 14-of-15 passes for 141 yards and one TD. Fullback Ryan Brown and running back Johnathan Santos also scored rushing TDs in last week’s win.
Kickoff for tonight’s Game of the Week will be 7:07 p.m. Most of the other playoff games are also being broadcast over local radio stations or school internet websites.
WOTM TV, which has produced the AHSAA regular-season Game of the Week series since 2019, is also producing the Playoff Game of Week. The executive producer is Vince Earley with commentators Mickey Shadrix and Coach Rick Rhoades in the broadcast booth and Chris Blacksher on the sidelines.
Blacksher and sports writing legend Kevin Scarbinsky will also host the AHSAA TV Network pre-game show, which will be televised live from 5-6 p.m., over the Alabama Public Television Network. The pre-game show will be shown on a delayed basis from 6-7 p.m., over WOTM.tv and the NFHS Network leading up to the kickoff. The game will also be available over the NFHS Network livestreaming portal for network subscribers.
Tonight’s schedule for North Alabama teams
- CLASS 1A
Berry (9-2) at Addison (10-1)
Appalachian (11-0) at Marion County (8-3), Guin
Wadley (10-0) at Meek (8-3), Arley
Hackleburg (8-3) at Hubbertville (11-0) - CLASS 2A
Vincent (9-2) at Pisgah (9-2)
Southeastern (9-2) at Red Bay (9-2)
Lexington (8-3) at Coosa Christian (9-2), Gadsden
Pleasant Valley (10-1) at Tuscaloosa Academy (8-3) - CLASS 3A
Winfield (9-2) at Mars Hill Bible (11-0), Killen
Westbrook Christian (10-1) at Geraldine (10-1)
Fyffe (8-3) at Piedmont (11-0)
Colbert County (8-3) at Gordo (9-1) - CLASS 4A
Good Hope (9-2) at West Morgan (11-0), Trinity
Alexandria (10-1) at Plainview (11-0), Rainsville
Madison Academy (9-2) at Anniston (11-0)
Deshler (10-1) at Hamilton (11-0) - CLASS 5A
Fairview (11-0) at Jacksonville (6-5)
St. Clair County (10-1) at Scottsboro (7-4)
Moody (9-2) at Priceville (8-3)
Russellville (7-4) at Briarwood Christian (6-5) - CLASS 6A
Parker (8-3) at Muscle Shoals (10-0)
Mountain Brook (8-3) at Fort Payne (10-1)
Gadsden City (8-3) at Clay-Chalkville (11-0)
Hartselle (10-1) at Homewood (10-1)
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