On this day in sports history
BY COLIN “BIG C” MACGUIRE
The Greenville Standard
This is the third in a series of high school teams in Butler County who won State Championships. Today I will discuss the 2010 Fort Dale Eagles. The old saying third time is the charm. For Fort Dale the fourth time was the charm.
In 1979 FDA lost to South Montgomery 19-6. In 2000 they lost to Morgan 21-7. In 2008 they lost to Pike Liberal 20-17.
The 2010 season for Fort Dale opened vs Glenwood School with them winning a close game 22-20. Fort Dale was 5-0 entering the Monroe game on Oct. 1. The Volunteers spanked Fort Dale 40-14.
Their record was now 5-1. The next week they edged Pike Liberal 27-26. On Oct. 15-they lost to Clarke Prep 36-28.
On Oct. 22 they beat Escambia 42-20 and entered the Edgewood game with a 7-2 record but lost to them 24-14. FDA finished the regular season at 7-3 and qualified for the state playoffs.
With new life the Eagles went into overdrive. In the first round on Nov. 5 they beat Morgan at Morgan 30-13. In the second round game on Nov. 12 they scolded Bessemer at Bessemer 38-7.
The Eagles now an opportunity to get rid of being the bridesmaid. The opponent Monroe who beat Fort Dale decisively seven weeks earlier was in the way. Fort Dale took Monroe to the woodshed winning 49-21.
Fort Dale finally made it to the top of the mountain and were claimed State Champions. What is amazing is Fort Dale in its last five games in the regular season went 2-3.They then turned around to go 3-0 when it counted the most.
Three Fort Dale senior players were named 1st team All-State by the ASWA, offensive lineman Chance Williams, Athlete Hunter Armstrong, and defensive lineman Sawyer Reeves. Fort Dale finished at 10-3, scored 412 points to average 31.7 per game.
They gave up 252 points for an average of 19.4. Their opponents’ record was 91-59. When the team returned from Troy, at least one of the goalposts was carried around the field. Winning a championship does that.
Next week the 1978 South Butler Raiders.
