Luker earns Watchman Coach of the Year

It is one thing to build a dynasty at the Class 1A level, but to jump to 2A and keep that dynasty rolling in the first year is something else entirely.

Sweet Water head coach Stacy Luker did just that this season when he guided his Bulldogs to an 11-3 record and came up one possession shy of taking his team to Auburn for the Class 2A state title game.

Sweet Water went unbeaten in region play in 2012, suffering its lone regular season losses to Class 4A power Thomasville and Class 3A heavyweight T.R. Miller.

Moreover, Luker and his staff accomplished the feat with the same classic, physical style of play that has led to considerable success year after year.

Sweet Water’s ground game amassed approximately 4,500 yards this season while notching seven of its 11 wins against playoff teams. And, were it not for an inexplicable fourth quarter on the road against T.R. Miller and one really bad night against Washington County, the Sweet Water defense would have proven good enough to push the Bulldogs all the way to Auburn with a 13-1 record.

Luker has amassed quite the resume in his time at the helm of his alma mater. As his career continues to move forward, he will look to add another Blue Map to his list while he moves closer and closer to the 200-win mark.

But, Luker can now add one more footnote to his storied career: 2012 West Alabama Watchman Coach of the Year.