Last high school football season was unlike any other I’ve experienced in my 28 years of sports reporting.

I did much of last year’s coverage behind the scenes instead of from the sidelines.

No, it wasn’t me being lazy. I was recovering from a broken left fibula. I suffered the injury during the second week of the season, during the fourth quarter of the Arab at Cherokee County game.

It took me months of rehab, but I’m finally back on my feet again. I returned to the sideline last week for the first time since the injury. Ironically, it was the same field in which I suffered it – Bobby Joe Johnson Field at Warrior Stadium.

I made it through the Warriors’ scrimmage with North Jackson healthy, although I did have to bat down a Tatum Perry pass coming right at me. Tatum was just making sure I was ready for the season, which I hope I am.

I may have been on injured reserve last season, but that didn’t stop me from having a good year picking. I went 54-13 through 12 weeks for an 81 percent accuracy rating.

Not bad for an armchair quarterback, but I’d much rather do my picks from a more personal standpoint in 2026.

Gaston (1-9 in 2025) at Spring Garden (6-5 in 2025)

We’ve got what should be a great battle to kick off the season Thursday night on The Foothills Tractor Mahindra Game of the Week.

Zyien Dupree, the younger brother of Bulldog head coach Randy Dupree, transferred to Gaston during the offseason from Lake Belton High School in Texas. The 6-foot, 210-pound sophomore should bolster the Bulldog running attack. He already holds offers from Pittsburgh and Southern Methodist and has also drawn interest from both Alabama and Auburn.

Spring Garden has a pretty dynamic playmaker of its own in senior quarterback Brady Ruark. Ruark ran for 1,250 yards on 174 carries with 17 touchdowns. He also connected on 49-of-81 pass attempts for 827 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Ruark also has a solid running back in which to hand the ball off in junior tailback Ben Baker. Baker ran for over 800 yards and 12 scores last season.

Look for Spring Garden’s dynamic duo to be a little tougher for Gaston’s defense to stop than Dupree is for the Panther ‘D’.

The pick: Spring Garden.

Cedar Bluff (3-7 in 2025) at West End (2-8 in 2025)

Cole Murphy makes his official debut for Cedar Bluff on Friday night. Being physical is what he’s known for, and that’s what he wants the Tigers to get back to.

While I think Murphy will get them there soon, it’s a lot to ask of him to get a win on the road in the first week of the 2026 season.

The pick: West End.

Collinsville (8-3 in 2025) at Sylvania (3-7 in 2025)

Look out for the Panthers this season. They have a boatload of talent returning at the skill positions, led by senior quarterback Mason McAteer.

I think the Panthers have too many playmakers for the Rams’ defense to stop on Friday night.

The pick: Collinsville.

Jacksonville (6-6 in 2025) at Piedmont (13-1 in 2025)

Piedmont is celebrating the 10^th anniversary of its 2016 Class 3A state championship on Friday night. The Bulldogs defeated Mobile Christian that year 22-12.

The past two years, the Bulldogs have fallen just short of having the potential to add to the five state championship trophies the program has earned.

I feel like this 2026 team is hungry to do just that.

The Bulldogs lost a dynamic playmaker in Rollie Pinto, but I expect Piedmont will be just fine with what it has returning, especially with a talented quarterback like Cole Austin.

Austin threw for almost 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for almost 500 yards and 10 scores last year. I expect Austin will utilize his talent, as well as that of other Bulldog playmakers, to get the season started with a win over a tough Golden Eagle squad and make it a happy reunion for the 2016 team.

The pick: Piedmont.