PREP PREVIEW: Lighter schedule for Cramton Bowl in '24 with one less MPS school

New coaches Bobby Carr of Carver and Kenneth White of Julian discuss the upcoming season at the recent RRS Prep Media Day at Garrett Coliseum. Both teams open play the week of Aug. 23. (File photo)

By GRAHAM DUNN

Thanks to one less high school in the Capital City, the annual schedule for Cramton Bowl is a little lighter.

With the closing of Sidney Lanier High School, less games are on the docket for the upcoming season. One week, Sept. 20, currently has no games scheduled, a first in nearly two decades for a mid-season weekend.

There is also one less game slated for the AISA championships since the association went to three classifications instead of four (including 8-man football).

Many of the regular dates do return including the first week of games on Aug. 22-24 with the Alabama High School Association’s Kickoff Classic. Thursday’s game features Reeltown and T.R. Miller. The Rebels reached the Class 2A championship game a year ago.

On the following Friday, the Bobby Carr era at G.W. Carver opens when the Wolverines face Vestavia Hills.

On Saturday, the FCS Kickoff Classic is slated for a 6 p.m. start featuring North Alabama and Southeast Missouri State.

The following weekend begins the regular fare of games through the final week of the prep season, Nov. 1.

A few other items are missing from the Cramton Bowl docket, such as annual rivalries between JAG and Percy Julian (formerly Jeff Davis and R.E. Lee) and a few other city-wide battles that have normally graced the schedule. Park Crossing, which originated in 2014, does not face JAG or Carver while only JAG faces Prattville.

There is a logical explanation for the subtraction. The two teams in Class 7A - Carver and JAG - are in an eight-team region, which is actually one less team than the last two years, but still limits non-region games. Ironically, 7A, Region 2 does not include Prattville, which will play in Region 3 the next two seasons.

This will be the first season the Lions will not play a regional game against a team from Montgomery since the system originated in 1974. But they do play JAG in the final non-region game of the season. The game is scheduled to be in Prattville.

Wetumpka and Pike Road also are absent from the Cramton Bowl schedule but will be included in the same region as the MPS schools along with Pike Road.

This year, there are 17 high school games on the docket (not including the AISA championships), compared to 23 a year ago.

The number of home games for MPS schools is lower for all teams. Park Crossing will play five games at Cramton Bowl while Carver plays six. JAG plays just four games in Cramton Bowl, which is the smallest number of home games for the school since regions expanded in 2000.

Julian will play four games at Cramton Bowl this season.

AHSAA playoffs will begin on Nov. 7. The AISA championships will be played Thursday, Nov. 21.

The Camellia Bowl is slated for Saturday, Dec. 14.

2024 CRAMTON BOWL SCHEDULE

(Subject to Change)

Games are Friday and begin at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise

Week 0

Aug 22 (Thu.).  AHSAA Kickoff Classic: Reeltown vs. T.R. Miller

Aug. 23   AHSAA Kickoff Classic: Vestavia Hills vs. G.W. Carver

Aug. 24 (Sat.)  FCS Kickoff: Southeast Missouri at North Alabama (6 p.m.)

Week 1

Aug. 29 (Thu.) Bullock Co at Park Crossing

Aug. 30   P. Julian vs. G.W. Carver

Sept. 1 (Sun.)  Red Tails Classic: Johnson C. Smith at Tuskegee (6 p.m.)

Week 2

Sept. 5 (Thu)  Stanhope Elmore at P. Julian

Sept. 6  G.W. Carver vs. JAG

Week 3

Sept. 12 (Thu)  Russell Co at P. Julian

Sept. 13 Stanhope Elmore at Park Crossing

Week 4

No games scheduled

Week 5

Sept. 27 Center Point at JAG

Week 6

Oct. 3 (Thu) Enterprise at G..W. Carver

Oct. 4 Smiths Station at JAG

Week 7

Oct. 10 (Thu) Rehobeth at Park Crossing

Oct. 11 Dothan at JAG

Week 8

Oct. 18 Auburn at G.W. Carver

Week 9

Oct. 24 (Thu) Ophelia at G.W. Carver

Oct. 25 Park Crossing at P. Julian

Week 10

Nov. 1 Greenville at Park Crossing

Other Games/Events

Oct. 23 (Wed.) Middle School Championship

Nov. 9 (Sat.) YMCA Day of Football (All Day)

Nov. 21 (Thur) AISA State Championships (12 p.m./3:30 p.m./7 p.m.)

Dec. 4 (Wed.) AISA All-Star Game (6 p.m.)

Dec. 14 (Sat.) Camellia Bowl (8 p.m.)