Indians looking to back up state title

Until 2017, the Pinson Valley High School football program had yet to accomplish several things.

The team had never won 10 games in a season. It had never scored more than 450 points in a season. It had never advanced beyond the quarterfinals of the playoffs. 

The Indians didn’t just achieve those marks in 2017. They shattered them. 

They rolled through Class 6A, Region 6, and the subsequent playoffs. Pinson Valley posted 15 wins, scored 609 total points and won the program’s first state championship.

“It was very good, very nice and everything you work for,” said head coach Patrick Nix, who is entering his second season at Pinson. “Great to see those kids and this community get what they got.”

There were speed bumps, to be sure. Starting quarterback Bo Nix missed five games in the regular season, but Barry White steered the ship well in his absence. Bo Nix was able to return for the final regular season game and helped carry the Indians through the playoffs.

It won’t be easy for Pinson Valley to duplicate what it did last year, but the Indians should have the pieces to be one of the top 6A teams once again.

OFFENSE

Auburn commit Bo Nix is regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects in the country and enters his senior season looking to put up another spectacular season. He will be working with several new targets this fall, as leading receivers LiAllen Dailey, Orion Morris and Dilan Henderson graduated.

“We’re still trying to find which guys are going to be the go-to guys that he can truly count on and know are going to be there,” Patrick Nix said.

Demarion Holloman returns with the most experience. Keyonteze Johnson is expected to be a key player for the Indians, while Mountain Brook transfer Tye Pouncey and basketball player Geordon Pollard will also get their chances.

White filled in admirably for Bo Nix last season and gives the Indians a comfortable second option.

Jay Sharp will be the bell cow in the backfield for the Indians after coming on last season.

“Jay’s going to be a special player, without a doubt,” Patrick Nix said. “He did a lot of things out of the backfield, catching the ball, and is a great running back in all aspects. He’s a complete guy.”

Jaylen Hatcher and Donnie Hawkins return as starters along the offensive line, a unit that Patrick Nix said has been “our biggest surprise, in a positive way.” Earnest Files is battling for a spot along the line as well, after transferring from Huffman last year.

DEFENSE

Pinson Valley’s defense will try to match last year’s unit, which allowed less than 15 points per contest. That was more than enough for an offense that scored fewer than 30 points just once all season.

Up front, Gabe Hamby and Joel Parker return as key pieces to the defensive line.

“They’re both really, really good players,” Patrick Nix said. “Both had great years last year, had a great offseason and spring and we have super high expectations for them.”

Raymond Womack led a linebacker group last fall that lost all three starters. The Indians will have to find some new production in the middle of their defense, but Patrick Nix believes they still have potential to be “very good at linebacker.”

The secondary appears to be one of Pinson Valley’s strengths entering the season, as the state’s interception leader, Deshazio Williams, returns on the backend. GaQuincy McKinstry, who will also play some receiver, helps Williams anchor that position unit as well. Senior Rhasaan Christian has contributed for the Indians since his freshman year, so he provides plenty of experience as well. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

Pinson will have to replace kicker Aiden Campbell, but the return game should be solid for the Indians. Sharp, Johnson and McKinstry are among the players who will be featured on kickoff and punt returns.

SCHEDULE

Pinson Valley ran through its schedule unblemished last fall but has a stern test right out of the gate this year. On Saturday, Aug. 25, the Indians will take on defending Class 7A champion Hoover. The game will feature last year’s champ in the state’s two highest classifications and will be broadcast at 11 a.m. on ESPN.

The Indians will also play Ramsay and Lee-Huntsville in non-region action. Region 6 features Clay-Chalkville, Gardendale, Huffman, Oxford, Pell City and Shades Valley.

Update 7/30: Special teams section corrected to indicate Aiden Campbell was last year's kicker.