ARITON, Ala. (WDHN)—The Ariton Purple Cats have known nothing but success under head coach Steven Kilcrease, making the playoffs in every season under his leadership. After making it to the second and third rounds on numerous occasions, Ariton is hungry for a state championship. But can this team finally get it done in what could be their toughest season in recent memory? "Our region has been extremely tough since I've been here," Kilcrease said. "This is probably going to be the toughest schedule we've had since I've been here." Ariton will kick off its 2026 season, once again competing in the Class 2A Region 2. This time around, they will face off against their mainstay opponents, Cottonwood, G.W. Long, and Zion Chapel, while also taking on newcomers Highland Home and Goshen. What do all of those teams have in common? They all made last year's playoffs. Luckily, the Purple Cats have a secret weapon across their team that many others don't: experience. "Last year we graduated nine seniors, which was a small group, but all of them played... This year we've got 15 seniors; one of our largest groups of seniors we've had...we're leaning heavily on those guys; we've got a good group of juniors. I would say we're more top-heavy right now as far as seniors and juniors." The Purple Cat offense is loaded with talent across the board, with guys like running back Jacarrie Hammock, wide receiver Connor Davidson, and tight end Asa Thompson all making their return. But the team's biggest and most important weapon is the gunslinger, and Troy baseball commit Addison Senn, who will be commanding this group at quarterback. As someone who's been behind the center since his freshman year, Kilcrease said the continuity he has with his quarterback is a huge advantage heading into 2026. "Having that guy, he's another coach on the field. I trust him, and he sees things out there that maybe I can't see from the sideline, and he lets me know that...I've been on teams with uncertainty at the quarterback position, but we feel good about him, and we feel good about the guys behind him." Kilcrease said he would like to see his team's speed improve before the opening kickoff and to finalize the offensive and defensive lines. Beyond the already challenging regional schedule, Ariton will face quality opponents outside its region, including Dale County, Wicksburg, and the Florida-based Blountstown. But Kilcrease believes facing teams of such a high caliber will better prepare them for what's to come this season. "Our schedule is extremely difficult; we're playing those guys to help us prepare for our region...I want to see our guys compete. There's not going to be any cupcakes on the schedule." 2026 Ariton Purple Cats Football Schedule (* denotes region game)
Aug. 21st - Blountstown (FL) Aug. 28th - @ Wicksburg Sep. 4th - @ Zion Chapel * Sep. 11th - Houston County * Sep. 18th - @ G.W. Long * Sep. 25th - Dale County Oct. 2nd - @ Cottonwood * Oct. 9th - Goshen * Oct. 16th - @ Highland Home * Oct. 23rd - Geneva County * Oct. 30th - OPEN Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.