By Erik Harris, sports editor
PINSON — Two of the top-ranked high school football teams in Alabama are set to encounter this Friday night at Willie Adams Stadium, as Class 7A No. 3 Hewitt-Trussville visits Class 6A No. 3 Pinson Valley for a highly anticipated season opener.
The Huskies enter this contest with veteran head coach Josh Floyd, who will begin his seventh season at Hewitt-Trussville on Friday evening. On the opposing sideline, first-year Indians’ head coach Sam Shade will begin his tenure alongside a new-look PVHS staff that includes offensive coordinator Dillon Griggs and defensive coordinator Cory Lee.
“Coach Shade is a new coach and he’s got a few challenges there just like we did as far as not having spring football and not having competition in the summer,” said Floyd during a virtual media days event on Tuesday. “They have a new staff, but I know a lot of those guys over there and they do a great job.”
Floyd and the Huskies opened up the 2019 season with a hard-fought 40-33 home victory over Pinson Valley, who was under the direction of then-head man Patrick Nix.
“It’s definitely a huge challenge,” said Floyd. “Pinson Valley has been one of the best programs in the state for the past three or four years. It doesn’t matter what classification you’re talking about, those guys have done a great job.”
During his virtual session with the media on Tuesday, Floyd mentioned the challenge his offensive front faces this week.
“They just have so many weapons over there,” said Floyd. “They’re really good on the defensive line — could be one of the best defensive fronts we play all season.”
“Everybody knows about Kool-Aid, who is obviously one of the best players in, not just the state of Alabama, but the entire country,” he continued.
Shade was joined by two of his defensive leaders — Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry and James Perkins — on Monday for virtual media days. McKinstry is a cornerback who is expected to choose between Alabama, Auburn and LSU to close out his recruitment. Perkins, a defensive end/linebacker, recently committed to the Air Force Academy.
“We have mostly seniors on the defense, so there’s really a lot of trust on that side of the ball,” said Perkins. “We feel like if we believe in one another, we’ll all get our jobs done at the end of the day.”
Perkins and Co. will need a strong effort to pull the home upset. Hewitt-Trussville has won seven straight in the series and holds the overall advantage, 23-7.
Pinson Valley’s last win over the Huskies came in 2003 under head coach Wayne Lee. The iPhone was more than three years from existence.
The two programs did not play head-to-head for an eight-year stretch between 2010-18.
“We talk about taking it one day at a time, one game at a time,” said Shade on Monday. “We’re not looking ahead. Obviously with Hewitt-Trussville in front of us, that’s the most important game.”