Catherine Academy was a force to be reckoned with in high school football

Former Catherine Academy head coach Robby James.

Last week in this space, I wrote about a recent trip that I made to the Catherine community, and that column generated a lot of interesting feedback from readers. Most of this feedback had to do with Catherine Academy’s storied football program, which at one time was one of the most dominant programs in the Alabama Independent School Association. Through my affiliation with the Alabama High School Football Historical Society, I have always had a special interest in Catherine Academy football, and I enjoyed hearing from some of the school’s former supporters.

According to AHSFHS records, Catherine fielded its first team in 1969 with its first official game apparently being played against Lowndes Academy’s “B team” in early September 1969 in Hayneville. Catherine Academy, under head coach Jimmy Nettles, won that game 24-6. Newspaper accounts of that historic game say that Catherine quarterback Travis Martin scored two rushing touchdowns and passed to Leo Allen for a third. Peter McGilberry scored Catherine’s fourth touchdown on a long 83-yard run, and Donald Lee Thompson was recognized for being Catherine’s top defensive player in that game.

Fast-forward to 1976, when first-year head coach Lee Jones led the Colts to their first-ever playoff appearance. Catherine went 4-7 during the regular season that year and faced McIntosh Christian in the opening round of the playoffs. McIntosh Christian won that game, 27-0, in McIntosh, but the Colts had gotten their first taste of post-season play.

In 1983, Catherine won the first of its four all-time state football titles, and the 1983 team was no doubt one of the best in school history. The 1983 team went 11-1 overall with its only loss coming in the regular season against Grove Hill Academy, 21-14. Seven weeks later, Catherine defeated Dixie Academy in the Class A state title game, 20-18.

In 1985, Catherine ran the table, posting a perfect 12-0 record on its way to the Class A title. The state championship game that season wasn’t even close. Under head coach Robby James, the Colts blasted Dixie Academy, 49-6.

In 1991, again under head coach Robby James, the Colts posted a perfect 13-0 record and won the Class A state title. The state title game that season was also a runaway affair. Catherine dominated Sparta Academy of Evergreen in that game, 41-0. (My late father, who served as a high school football referee for 25 years, and I actually went to this game because my cousin Richard Weaver was a standout running back and defensive back on Sparta’s team that season.)

Catherine won its final state title in 1992, again under head coach Robby James. Catherine went 13-0 that season, defeating Crenshaw Christian, 6-0, in the state finals. That game also wrapped up the longest winning streak in school history, an amazing 26-game winning streak that began on Sept. 5, 1991. Catherine lost its season-opener in 1993, ending their long streak of victories.

Catherine Academy had many fine coaches during its heyday, and Robby James was arguably the best. In 14 seasons, from 1980 to 1993, he went 113-52-1 with an 18-7 record in the playoffs. On average, his tough-nosed teams held their opponents to less than two touchdowns per game.

In the end, it should be noted that the AHSFHS is still seeking information on Catherine Academy’s football history. When you get a chance, please visit the society’s website at www.ahsfhs.org and search for Catherine Academy under “Find a Team.” If you can fill in any of the blanks that you see there, please let me know, and I will forward the information to AHSFS President David Parker of Foley, who will happily update the society’s records and website.