Linden to open 2016 season at Hillcrest-Evergreen

January 29, 2016 Jeremy D. Smith AHSAA, Alabama, football, Linden, Linden High School, Patriots, prep sports

10-30-15 -- Linden, Ala. -- Linden's Dequan Charleston (7) runs the ball against Dora during the 2015 season. Linden will open its 2016 season with HIllcrest-Evergreen. — 10-30-15 — Linden, Ala. — Linden’s Dequan Charleston (7) runs the ball against Dora during the 2015 season. Linden will open its 2016 season with HIllcrest-Evergreen.

A week after facing Thomasville in a Jamboree exhibition, Linden is set to open its 2016 season Friday, Aug. 26 when it travels to Hillcrest-Evergreen. A Class 3A semifinalist in 2015, Hillcrest Evergreen finished 8-6 overall. The season opener will mark the first time the two schools have faced one another.

Linden shifts into Class 1A, Region 1 play Sept. 2 when it hosts Fruitdale. The Pirates, who were 3-7 in 2015, are winless against the Patriots in six tries and have been outscored 339-18 in those efforts.

Linden stays in region play Sept. 9 when it travels to McIntosh. The Demons finished 1-7 a season ago and last beat the Patriots in 1994. Linden is 6-2 overall in the series and has outscored McIntosh 200-8 in the four games during the Andro Williams era.

10-30-15 -- Linden, Ala. -- Linden's Christopher Robinson (3) runs the ball against Dora during he 2015 season. (WAW | Stewart Gwin) — 10-30-15 — Linden, Ala. — Linden’s Christopher Robinson (3) runs the ball against Dora during he 2015 season. (WAW | Stewart Gwin)

The Patriots are set to host region foe Millry Sept. 16 Millry was 7-4 in 2015 and bowed out early in the Class 1A state playoffs. The two schools have not met since the second round of the 2007 Class 1A playoffs. That was a 43-6 Linden win. Overall, Millry leads the series 3-2.

The Patriots are slated to travel Sept. 23 to Washington County, which went 10-3 last season. The perennial Class 2A power, lost 13-12 to the Patriots in 2015 before embarking on a run that ended in the 2A quarterfinals. The series is knotted at 2-2 overall with each Linden win coming by a single point.

Region play resumes Sept. 30 when Linden renews an old rivalry against Sweet Water. The teams have not played since 2011 but Linden leads the lifetime series 34-27-3. The Bulldogs return to Class 1A after four seasons at the 2A level. Sweet Water finished 5-6 in 2015 and lost to Elba in the first round of the state playoffs.

Linden continues the Marengo County portion of its schedule Oct. 7 when it travels to Thomaston to face region rival A.L. Johnson. The Eagles finished at 3-7 last season, falling to Brantley in the first round of the state playoffs. The schools have played every season since 1982 and Linden leads the lifetime series 30-7, last losing in 2004.

The Patriots host region rival Marengo Oct. 14. The Panthers were 7-5 in 2015, picking up their first playoff win in 15 years. Linden, however, leads the lifetime series 19-9 and last lost to MHS in 1997.

Linden finishes region play Oct. 21 when it travels to J.F. Shields, which finished 0-8 last season and enters 2016 riding a 16-game losing streak. Linden has not played Shields since 1997 and is a meager 1-8 in the overall series.

The Patriots wrap the regular season Oct. 28 when they host Class 2A Choctaw County. Linden leads the overall series 16-15-1 but the schools have not met since 1981. Choctaw County finished 2015 at 4-6.

LINDEN HIGH SCHOOL

2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT 2015 RECORD

Aug. 26 @ Hillcrest-Evergreen 8-6

Sept. 2 vs. Fruitdale 3-7

Sept. 9 @ McIntosh 1-7

Sept. 16 vs. Millry 7-4

Sept. 23 @ Washington County 10-3

Sept. 30 vs. Sweet Water 5-6

Oct. 7 @ A.L. Johnson 3-7

Oct. 14 vs. Marengo 7-5

Oct. 21 @ J.F. Shields 0-8