Alexandria, AL – Alexandria remains young but experienced, and ‘hungry’ players and coaches look to turn last year’s beatings into this year’s blessings.
Alexandria doesn’t go though many seasons like 2023.
Anomalous doesn’t cover it. For various reasons, the Valley Cubs got really young, really quickly, and posted their first one-win season since 1948, Lou Scales’ first season as head coach.
Scales and Larry Ginn made a lot of history after that, winning three Class 4A state titles between them. Frank Tucker and Todd Ginn kept Alexandria winning through most of its 10-year run in Class 5A, with borderline 4A numbers.
If there’s a way, Alexandria has always had coaches who could find it. It’s hard to find a way when five freshmen and four eighth-graders have to play in 5A football.
The good that comes from such a season is, those young players gain experience ahead of schedule.
Then reclassification put Alexandria back in 4A, its historically more suitable level. Suddenly, things feel more normal in The Valley.
The Valley Cubs feel more like grown bears.
“Our mentality has completely changed,” Todd Ginn said entering his seventh year as Alexandria’s head coach. “Last year, I felt like we were the hunted. We constantly felt like, ‘Can we find a way to win the game?’
“I think our mentality has changed to, now, let’s become the hunter.”
That’s Alexandria’s customary place on the food chain.
To understand why 2023 happened the way it did, it started when 2022 Class 4A-6A All-County player of the year Antonio Ross graduated, taking away Alexandria’s top player on offense and defense. T.K. Downie, who would’ve been Alexandria’s top returning talent, transferred to Anniston.
Some players didn’t come back out for football, and defections followed a season-opening loss to Cherokee County.
That left a very young team, and 5A football can be unforgiving.
Then came a 24-17 loss to Lincoln, the game that got away after three blowout losses.
“I still feel like, with the Lincoln game, if we would’ve won that game, a lot of things would’ve changed, as far as the season progressed,” Ginn said. “It’s just one of those years.
“In the long run, I think we’re going to talk, probably at the end of this year and next year, we’re going to be discussing what a blessing that ended up being.”
Alexandria still has a young team, but a lot of this year’s freshmen and sophomores come with experience. Sophomore quarterback Cole Wheeler started nearly every game in 2023. Freshman DB/WR M.J. Morris and sophomore DB/WB J.J. Beason come experienced and with a year’s maturity packed into their frames.
Freshmen twins Royce (6-5, 250, size 19 shoe) and Russell Trantham (6-4, 235, size 16) figure to be problems up front.
Senior running back Elijah Hunter returns after making second-team All-County last season.
Two potential X factors include Ryan Brown’s move to fullback after two years at guard, and All-County basketball forward Quendavion McDowell came back out for football after two years out.
McDowell should team with Morris, Beason and others to give Wheeler intriguing pass targets.
Perhaps the biggest X factor for Alexandria is moving back to its traditional home of Class 4A. Teams there have more two-way players.
Alignment with Anniston, Ashville, Cherokee County, Etowah, Hokes Bluff, Oneonta and White Plains just feels more like home.
History shows that Alexandria’s atypical season’s don’t become atypical trends. The Valley Cubs last had back-to-back losing seasons in 1980 and 1981.
They went 4-5 in 2002 but followed that up with four consecutive seasons with at least 11 wins. They won 12 games each in three of those seasons.
“You never saw the young kids give up,” Ginn said of 2023. ‘You never saw the young kids quit competing, and you can just tell. Our summer has been unreal. Our fall has been unreal.
“The guys are hungry, and the coaching staff is hungry.”
Valley Cubs facts
Things to know about Alexandria football heading into the 2024 season:
— Todd Ginn enters his seventh season as Alexandria’s head coach. He’s 42-25 with two region titles and five playoff berths.
— Alexandria went 1-9 in 2023. The Valley Cubs finished 0-6 in Class 5A, Region 6.
—Key graduation losses from 2023 include the following Class 4A-6A All-Calhoun County players: DL DaMarkus Williams, LS Caleb Folsom.
—The following All-Calhoun County picks return: senior K/CB Cleat Forrest (also All-State). senior RB/LB Elijah Hunter, junior FB/LB Ryan Brown.
— Players to watch: Other returning starters include sophomore QB Cole Wheeler, senior OL/DL Dean Boxley, senior OL Brett Jones, junior OL Gavin Sweet, sophomore OL Parker Nemeth, freshman DB/WR M.J. Morris and sophomore DB/WB J.J. Beason. All-Calhoun County basketball forward Quendavion McDowell is back out for football after two years out, and he should make an intriguing pass target for Wheeler. Brown’s move from G to FB might be an X factor this season. Freshmen twins Royce (6-5, 250) and Russell Trantham (6-4, 235) figure to be problems up front.
— Alexandria was one of the area’s biggest movers in reclassification and realignment. After 10 seasons in Class 5A, the Valley Cubs are back in 4A, where they won state titles in 1985, 1995 and 1997. Alexandria aligns with Anniston, Ashville, Cherokee County, Etowah, Hokes Bluff, Oneonta and White Plains.
