CULLMAN, Ala. – Football is officially back this Friday night. 2026 looks to be a fun year for the Cullman-area high schools, with teams like Fairview and Addison fighting to return to the playoffs, and up-and-coming programs like Holly Pond, West Point and Cullman attempting to take steps forward. Here’s a look at all of our matchups this Friday.
Addison @ Winston County, 7 p.m. : Mark Hastings’ Bulldogs start their 2026 season on the road against a Yellowjacket team that defended their home well last season, going 4-1 on their turf (5-6 overall finish). Addison’s defense will get an early opportunity to show what it’s made of, facing off against a Winston Co. offense that scored 40+ points eight times last season.
On the matchup, Hastings says, “The Winston County game is one that our team looks forward to playing. We know they are well coached, talented and play very physical. We will have to match their physicality to have a chance to win.”
Meek @ Curry, 7 p.m. : Looking to start off hot in 2026, the Meek Tigers will head to Curry High to take on a squad that faced a 1-6 slide in their last seven games. Veteran quarterback Evan McCay and the rushing attack will look to take advantage of a defense that allowed 37.0 points per game in 2025.
“We are excited about the opportunity to play Curry this week. Our team has bad taste in our mouth from our poor performance last week against Lynn and we can’t wait to get back on the field and put that game behind us. In terms of Curry, these two teams have not played in a very long time, and both communities are excited to watch the game. Curry is a very big and physical team, and we will have to work hard to win the game. It should be a great game!” Meek head coach Daniel Evans said.
Hanceville vs. Carbon Hill, 7 p.m. : In his first game as head coach, Cody Sellers’ Bulldogs will face another team that struggled to find its footing in 2025. Carbon Hill’s lone win came against the winless Bulldogs in Hanceville, giving Sellers and the team a chance to truly start anew with a win.
“Carbon Hill is a well-coached team that plays hard every snap. They will provide a great challenge for our team and give us an opportunity to see where we are at this point in our journey. We embrace the challenge and look forward to competing this Friday,” Sellers said.
Holly Pond @ J.B. Pennington, 7 p.m. : The Broncos kick off head coach Will McDaniel’s third season at the helm with a tough road contest against a Tigers team that finished 6-4 last season. Holly Pond will get a chance to see what they have in their fresh group of playmakers, including freshman quarterback Grayson Baggett, against a defense that allowed 24.5 points per game last season.
“‘JBP’ is coached by one of my closest friends, Jordan Cantrell, and they’ll be well coached, disciplined, and will be a tremendous challenge,” McDaniel said.
Vinemont vs. Falkville, 7 p.m. : Heading into year 10 under Stephen Robinson, the Eagles start their 2026 campaign against a Falkville team coming off an 8-3 record and a playoff appearance. Vinemont’s linebackers, which Robinson called the strength of the team, will face an offense that finished the season strong, putting up 34.5 points per game in their final four.
“Falkville is always tough and it seems like our games are always close. They’re well coached by a great guy and are physically tough and don’t mind battling it out. A very physical team that you can’t make mistakes against or they will make you pay for it,” Robinson said.
Good Hope vs. Plainview, 7 p.m. : After falling to the Bears in the playoffs last season, Good Hope has a chance to start off 2026 with some vengeance. The Raiders’ home-field advantage is real, going 5-0 last season at home, and they’ll look to keep alive a near-22 month streak of going without a home loss.
“Plainview is a really good team. They are well coached and have all the pieces to make a State Championship run this year. We will find out a lot about ourselves this Friday,” head coach Alan Scott said.
Fairview @ West Point, 7 p.m. : The most intriguing Cullman-area matchup comes in the 10th annual Brandin’ Iron Bowl between Fairview and West Point. After the departure of longtime head coach George Redding, Brian Simmons and his squad are looking to prove Fairview’s still the same Fairview, while West Point, in Kevin McCravy’s third season, are looking to take another step forward.
On facing West Point, Simmons said, “We are excited to start the season against a county rival. This game means a lot to both communities, so it brings even more excitement to the start of a season.”
Ahead of the game, McCravy says he thinks it will be “It’ll be a good test against a very good, well-coached football team.”
Cullman @ Boaz, 7 p.m. : Looking to build off Trent Walker’s first season as head coach, the Bearcats head to Boaz to take on the Pirates, who made a trip to the playoffs last season. The Pirates pose a balanced attack, averaging 27 points last season and allowing just over 20.
“We’re excited to get the 2026 season underway on the road at Boaz with such a quality non-region opponent. It’s a tough week one matchup against a physical, well-coached team, and we know we’ll have to play well for every minute of all four quarters to get the result we want. Our guys have worked hard all summer and they’re excited to go compete in a series that hasn’t been played in 25 years. They have things they want to accomplish this season and this is where it starts,” Walker said.
