December 7, 2021
East Alabama Sports Today
Saks head coach named Class 3A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Football Coaches Association
Jonathan Miller had been waiting for this football season for a long time. He had a roster loaded with seniors and a three-year starter at quarterback for the first time in a while.
If there ever was going to be a year for his Saks Wildcats, this was it.
The Wildcats’ bid to reach the state championship game came down to the last play of the season, an incomplete pass in the end zone on fourth down of overtime against the eventual state champions.
They had such an impressive season, though, Miller has been recognized as the Alabama Football Coaches Association’s Class 3A Coach of the Year.
“It’s a reflection of your players and coaches, and in this case your peers,” Miller said. “It’s a neat thing because it highlights your team and coaches and it usually means you’ve had a good season. Obviously, that’s a good thing.”
The Wildcats went 12-2 with their only two losses coming to Piedmont. They won 10 in a row between the setbacks and were the No. 1 seed out of Class 3A Region 5. Their 541 points were the second most in school history.
“It’s still too early (to reflect on the season) because it hurts,” Miller said. “Just the way everything happened, the overtime situation, things like that, it still hurts.
“At some point we’ll all be able to look back on this season and realize what a special year it was, what a special team it was. At this point it’s early, but it was an outstanding group of kids and that was the thing for us as coaches. We were excited to have this group because of who they are — good football players, but more importantly good people. That’s one of the reasons we were excited about this season.”
It might be a while before he can reflect on that success. He also is the Wildcats’ basketball coach and that teams opens its season Thursday night, the last team in the county to hit the hardwood.
Spring Garden’s Barrett Ragsdale was named Class 2A Assistant Coach of the Year.
All the honorees will be recognized Jan. 29 in Montgomery.
AFCA COACH OF THE YEAR
1A: Anthony Lumpkin, Keith
2A: Gardner Gilliland, Cleveland
3A: Jonathan Miller, Saks
4A: Phil Phillips, Oneonta
5A: George Redding, Fairview
6A: Greg Patterson, Hueytown
7A: Eric Collier, Theodore
ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
1A: Errol Jones, R.A. Hubbard
2A: Barrett Ragsdale, Spring Garden
3A: Doug Leffard, Bayside Academy
4A: Drew Tranchina, Jackson
5A: Mike Atkins, Pike Road
6A: Matt Glover, Clay-Chalkville
7A: Shawn DeFoor, Thompson
This story will be updated. [**read more]
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