A look back – Weaver

By EASportsToday.com
- Tweet
Updated: July 18, 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE: The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside down these past few months and the absence of sports has been tough on avid sports fans. We can only hope the football seasons can go off as scheduled this fall. As we wait, there has been plenty of time to reflect on high school football in Calhoun County.

The following is part of a 14-part series compiled by East Alabama Sports Today contributor Brant Locklier that looks back on the past decade of football for each of the 13 county football-playing schools. The 2020 season that may or may not be will be center stage for the first time at the Calhoun County QB Club Media Day July 24.

Special thanks goes to Ashleigh Jackson, who keyed in all the scores and the website, “The History of Alabama High School Football,” for their information.

Weaver – Tough End to Strong Decade

Summary: The Weaver Bearcats went 0-10 in 2009 and in 2019. In between, head coach Daryl Hamby and his Bearcat teams battled opponent tooth-and-nail in the state’s toughest region. Hamby’s teams made eight play-off appearance as they compiled a 52-49 record. They were 52-34 against teams other than Piedmont and Randolph County under Hamby.

Hamby retired after the 2018 season and Justin Taylor took the helm, but the new coach’s first year was a tough one as the Bearcats went 0-10. They gave up 52 points a game on defense and only scored 7.7 points a game. Both were decade-worst numbers.

In 2016 the Bearcats reached the third round of the state play-offs before losing to Piedmont. They were 34-36 in their region in the decade, with 10 of those losses coming against Piedmont.

Hamby left Weaver as its all-time leader in winning percentage and in wins.

High Point: The high point of the decade came in the 2016 season as the Bearcats went 7-3, winning their last two regular season (44-0 over Pleasant Valley and 34-21 over Saks). They Bearcats then went on the road to shock Fultondale 37-7 and followed it up with a 42-0 home victory over Lexington in the second round.

Low Point: The low point came at the end of the 0-10 2019 season with losses to B.B. Comer (68-13) and to Alabama Christian (52-0). The Bearcats had defeated those two schools the year before by a combined score of 72-28.

Home Record: Under Hamby the Bearcats were tough to beat at home, posting a 28-18 home record (28-11 if you take out games against powerhouses Piedmont and Randolph County). Their best home years were 4-1 in 2011 and 2012.

Away Record: The Bearcats were 23-36 on the road during the decade. They were 5-2 in 2016 and 4-2 in 2018, their best season road records.

Play-Offs: Eight playoff appearances was the story of the decade, going 3-8 in those games, 2-1 in 2016.

Streaks: The decade ended with an 11-game losing streak. There were a couple of four-game win streaks in 2011 and 2016.

Coaches: Two coaches roamed the sidelines during the decade. Daryl Hamby had the first nine years (52-49) and Justin Taylor (0-10) took over in 2019.

Players: The Bearcats had lots of talent in the decade. All-state players included athlete Caleb Allison (2018), Running back Shamar Spinks (2018), defensive lineman Isaiah Woods (2017, 2018), athlete Landon Knight (2017), Riley Benavides (2016, 2017), defensive lineman Matt Elston (2016), wide receiver Maurice Goodman (2016), athlete Tyrik Hall (2016), linebacker Giovanni Mosley and defensive back Timothy Hawkins (2013).

Toughest Opponent: Piedmont was the thorn in Weaver’s side in the last decade. The Bulldogs won all eleven games against Weaver. Randolph County was 4-0 against the Bearcats. Saks (7-3) and Wellborn (7-3) gave Weaver problems.

Easiest Opponent: The Bearcats were a perfect 6-0 against Ashville during the decade, including one that started on Friday and ended on Saturday because of a weather suspension. They were 4-2 also against Pleasant Valley.

Best Offense: The 2016 team averaged 34 points a game. They scored over 40 points four times – B.C. Comer (49), Randolph County (41), Pleasant Valley (44) and (42).

Best Defense: The 2011 Weaver team only gave up 14.8 points a game. They held three opponents to a touchdown or less.

Best Team: The 2016 team put together a 9-4 season averaging 34 points a game and allowing 22 points a game. They made a three-game run in the play-offs before losing to eventual state champion Piedmont.

2020 Weaver Schedule
(Pre-pandemic, opponent 2019 record in parenthesis)
Aug. 21 – at Douglas (1-9)
Aug. 28 – Open
Sept. 04 – at Glencoe (1-9)
Sept. 11 – vs. Pleasant Valley (5-5)
Sept. 18 – at Piedmont (14-1)
Sept. 25 – at Armuchee, Ga. (0-10)
Oct. 02 – vs. Hokes Bluff (7-4)
Oct. 09 – at Saks (4-5)
Oct. 16 – at Wellborn (12-2)
Oct. 23 – vs. Ohatchee (10-1)
Oct. 30 – vs. Ashville (2-8)