Reeltown Coach Notches 200th Career Victory
Reeltown coach Jackie O’Neal became the newest member of the AHSAA “200 Win” Club last week when the Rebels beat Tarrant 34-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A state football playoffs.
O’Neal, now 200-89 in a head-coaching career that began in 1988 at Reeltown, was a young assistant coach at when the Rebels clinched the 1987 Class 2A state championship. That win proved to be the last for legendary Reeltown head coach Duane Webster, who retired after that championship with a career 218-93-9 record.
O’Neal took over the next season, and now 23 years later the Reeltown Rebels (12-1) are preparing for their eighth trip to the AHSAA playoff semifinals. Reeltown hosts Region 6 rival Lineville (10-3) Friday night at 7 p.m.
O’Neal, who has two state titles to his credit as a head coach (2009 and 2001), has guided the Rebels to 10 or more wins and only two losing seasons during his 23-year tenure. Reeltown has played in the state finals five times.
A total of 12 games are scheduled this Friday with all winners advancing to the Super 6 State Championships at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium on Dec. 2-3.
The pairings include: Class 1A, Linden (12-1) at Sweet Water (10-3) and R.A. Hubbard (12-1) at Parrish (10-3); Class 2A: Leroy (12-1) at American Christian (12-1) and Lineville (10-3) at Reeltown (12-1); Class 3A: Leeds (13-0) goes to Gordo (12-1) and Hamilton (13-0) travels to defending champion Piedmont (12-1);
Class 4A: Bibb County (12-1) hosts Thomasville (13-0) and Deshler (11-2) hosts North Jackson (13-0); Class 5A: Spanish Fort (11-2) at McAdory (11-2) and Briarwood Christian (12-1) at Hartselle (12-1); Class 6A: Daphne (13-0) hosts Davidson (12-1) and defending champion Hoover (13-0) puts its 20-game winning streak on the line at Regions Park against Region 6 rival Mountain Brook (11-2).
All winners advance to next week’s Super 6 State Championships at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. The action kicks off on Thursday, Dec. 2, with the Class 3A finals at 11 a.m., followed by the Class 1A championship at 3 p.m., and the Class 5A finals at 7 p.m.
On Friday, Dec. 3, the Class 4A championship game kicks off the action at 11 a.m., followed at 3 p.m. with the Class 2A finals and concluding with the Class 6A championship game at 7 p.m.