Wetumpka is entering Year 3 of the Bear Woods with a plethora of new teams lining the football schedule. From start to finish, Woods and his team will face teams he has never seen before. Six of the 10 teams currently slated for games this fall are teams Woods has not played yet and are different from last season.
The opponents in Wetumpka's schedule were either really good last year or very mediocre. Five of the 10 teams had winning records, but three of those teams all had at least 10 wins and reached the third round of the playoffs.
On the flip side, six teams on the schedule were left out of the postseason including five of the seven region opponents.
Wetumpka’s opponents had a combined record of 58-54 last season with four teams having three or less losses.
TRENDS
Wetumpka will face two teams this year for the first time, with both coming in the first five weeks. The Indians open up the season against Class 5A Beauregard and then face Rehobeth on Sept. 20.
Following Week 1, Wetumpka will face Chelsea and Russell County in back-to-back weeks. Both teams went 2-8 last year and Wetumpka has a winning record against both teams.
Following that three-game stretch comes the toughest stretch of the season for the Indians. Wetumpka will face Pike Road (11-3), Rehobeth (6-4) and Eufaula (10-4) before its bye week. Both Pike Road and Eufaula reached the fourth round of their playoffs last season.
To wrap up region play late in the season, Wetumpka will face Park Crossing and Stanhope Elmore in consecutive weeks. Wetumpka is a combined 5-0 against the two teams since 2021.
GAMES TO WATCH
Wetumpka vs. Pike Road, Sept. 13
It’s very possible that Wetumpka and Pike Road both enter this game with a 1-0 record in region play as they’re both the favorites in their first region matchups. This game has served as a testing ground for Wetumpka the last two seasons. Two years ago, Pike Road walked away with a 35-33 win. Last year, the Patriots won 41-18. Pike Road will have former Wetumpka offensive coordinator Jonathan Chandler on staff, so the teams will likely know much about each other.
Wetumpka vs. Stanhope Elmore, Oct. 25
The two rivals play their annual game in Week 9 this season. It was requested by both coaches to play it as the final region game, and it will certainly mean a lot to both schools. In the last three seasons, this game has decided which team makes the playoffs and which team is at home come November. Wetumpka has won all three of those matchups, but they have been decided by a combined 20 points.
Wetumpka vs. Percy Julian, Oct. 11
Percy Julian is coming down from Class 7A and replacing both Sidney Lanier and Montgomery Carver in the region. By the time these two teams play in Week 8, they will likely know which direction their teams are going. The game comes after a bye week for Wetumpka and is the start of the second half of region play. If Woods and his team want to host a playoff game at Wetumpka Sports Complex, this will likely be a must-win.
OPPOSING PLAYERS TO WATCH
Dyllon Williams, Demopolis safety
Williams is one of the most dynamic defensive players in the state of Alabama this year. The three-star safety is the No. 30-ranked player in the Class of 2025 in Alabama. He recently committed to Missouri after a junior season where he recorded 62 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble and 2 defended passes.
Ja’Michael Jones, Pike Road running back
Jones lit up Wetumpka’s defense last year, much like he did a handful of teams, and he has garnered national attention for his skills. The four-star junior running back has offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Texas. He rushed for 1,166 yards and 19 touchdowns last year. Against Wetumpka, he had 146 yards and three touchdowns.
Bryson Riggins, Russell County quarterback
Riggins has jumped onto the quarterback scene over the last 12 months. After a stellar season where he earned All-Region honors alongside former Wetumpka quarterback Nate Rogers, he is primed to take a big step during his junior season. Last year, he passed for 2,067 yards and 25 touchdowns. Against Wetumpka, he passed for 353 yards and five touchdowns.
SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 – Beauregard at Wetumpka
Aug. 30 – Wetumpka at Chelsea
Sept. 6 – Russell County at Wetumpka*
Sept. 13 – Wetumpka at Pike Road*
Sept. 20 – Rehobeth at Wetumpka*
Sept. 27 – Wetumpka at Eufaula*
Oct. 4 – BYE
Oct. 11 – Percy Julian at Wetumpka*
Oct. 18 – Park Crossing at Wetumpka*
Oct. 25 – Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore*
Nov. 1 – Wetumpka at Demopolis
* denotes region competition
