Ellwood Christian football ahead of schedule
Published 3:55 pm Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Michael McCants scores a touchdown against Linden during the Southside 7-on-7 camp. (Doug Horton | Special to The Selma Times-Journal)
Kendrick Munford looks for an open receiver during the Southside 7-on-7 camp Thursday. (Doug Horton | Special to The Selma Times-Journal)
Michael McCants of Ellwood Christian runs a route against Linden during the Southside 7-on-7 camp. (Doug Horton | Special to The Selma Times-Journal)
Kendrick Munford looks for an open receiver during the Southside 7-on-7 camp Thursday. (Doug Horton | Special to The Selma Times-Journal)
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The Ellwood Christian Eagles are much farther ahead of where they were at this point last season. The Eagles football program was just getting its reboot off the ground in 2024, but this year, head coach Ray Blanks said he sees a big difference from last season.
“We actually played a spring game this year in Marion, and we did pretty well in the game,” Blanks said during the Southside High School 7-on-7 tournament Thursday. “We got started a whole lot earlier this year than we usually do, and it’s helping the kids to improve a whole lot, and you can see that out here today. It’s a big improvement from last year, and we’re gonna continue to build from there.”
One thing that they may also be giving the program a boost is having a new home. Ellwood Christian Academy purchased the property of the former Meadowview Christian Academy, which shuttered its doors after 55 years at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
This summer, they have been transitioning to that new campus, which has its own football field on campus. It’s given the program some new energy.
“Last year, they were just getting started,” Blanks said. “So we worked all throughout the whole winter and the spring. Right now, we’ve got the kids to buy into the program, and they actually want to play football. So it’s a new atmosphere with the whole team.”
The energy was evident against Wilcox Central in their opening 7-on-7 game. The Eagles won 13-6. They also got a chance to play teams including host Southside, fresh off of their Class 3A semifinal appearance, along with Park Christian, Georgiana and Class 1A Linden, a team they could face down the road if they make the playoffs.
“Being out here today, they get a chance to showcase their skills, and we also get a chance to see what we need to work on,” Blanks said.
The Ellwood Christian Academy Eagles will tentatively begin its season on Aug. 22 against Lafayette followed by Zion Chapel on Aug. 29 and 2024 Class 1A runner-up Maplesville on Sept. 6.
They will play region opponent Keith on Sept. 12. Verbena will take the Eagles on Sept. 19.
They take on Central-Hayneville on Sept. 26 to round out September.
October sees the Eagles take on Billingsley on Oct. 3, Notasulga on Oct. 10, Autauga Academy on Oct. 17 and Fayetteville on Oct. 24. They are scheduled to have a bye on Oct. 31.
