High School Football Kicks off this weekend with the SECIS Kickoff Classic

Montgomery, AL – For the third year in a row the Alabama high school football season will kickoff in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl.  The Southeastern Commission of Independent Schools (SECIS) will hold it’s third annual Kickoff Classic, pitting squads from Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina, in the capital city Friday and Saturday evening.  

This year’s classic will feature in-state powers Bessemer Academy, who are making their third appearance at the event, and Tuscaloosa Academy who will be playing in in the early season showdown for the first time. 

 

Joining Bessemer and Tuscaloosa Academies will be Brookwood School (Thomasville, GA), Lawrence Manning Academy (Manning, SC), Thomas Heyward Academy (Ridgeland, SC), Lamar School (Meridian, MS), Brookhaven Academy (Brookhaven MS) and Copiah Academy (Gallman, MS). 

The SECIS was rumored to be considering moving the event from Montgomery to Atlanta until officials from the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools stepped in to serve as hosts for the classic, keeping it in the capital city.  The Alabama Independent School Association served as hosts for the event in 2016 and 2017. 

Josh Wright’s Bessemer Academy Rebels are coming off an 8-6 run in 2017 which included an AISA Class AAA runner-up finish.  The Rebels will be replacing their starting quarterback and top receiver from last year’s squad, they should be lead by returning starters Justin Jones, Judson Hogeland and Braxton Griffin.  

Tuscaloosa Academy closed out 2017 at 8-2, falling to Bessemer Academy 23-20 in the AISA semi-finals.  Robert Johnson’s Knights will be lead on offense by running back Cameron Chambers and lineman Seth Fuller.  

Checkout the schedule for this year’s SECIS Kickoff Classic

Day | TimeTeamTeam
Friday | 4PM Lawrence Manning (SC)VSLamar School (MS)
Friday | 7PMBessemer Academy (AL)VSBrookwood School (GA)
Saturday | 4PMThomas Heyward (SC)VSBrookhaven (MS)
Saturday | 7PMTuscaloosa Academy (AL)VSCopiah Academy (MS)

The Southeastern Commission of Independent Schools (SECIS) was formed in 2016 and is an academic and athletic collaboration of the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA), the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS), the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) and the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA).  The SECIS serves its member state associations by providing leadership management for interscholastic activities that promote academic achievement, good sportsmanship and regional cooperation.  

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