The year was 1966 popular songs on the radio included “You Keep Me Hanging On” (Supremes). and “When A Man Loves A Woman” (Percy Sledge). Top Movies of the year included Clint Eastwood’s The Good. The Bad. and The Ugly.
And it was also the year that the AHSAA used a playoff system to determine Alabama’s Official High School Football State Champion.
the Sidney Lanier Poets were coached by Head Football Coach Bobby Wilson the Poets danced their way through the 1966 season unscathed and defeated Shades Valley in the first round of the playoffs by a score of 47-7. All that was standing in the way of Sidney Lanier winning the State Championship was a rematch with Lee a team the Poets had beaten in the regular season by a score of 10-0.
Lanier scored first in the title game as Mike Kelly completed a 5 yard pass to Danny Speigner in the endzone for a second quarter touchdown. Lanier would later capitalize on a Lee mistake as Randy Moore kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 9-0 halftime lead.
the Final score read 9-7 Sidney Lanier. and the Poets were officially Alabama High School Football State Champions. Danny Speigner. Jimmy Speigner. and Sam Gellerstedt were all added to the 1966 Birmingham News first team all-state squad. Lanier Junior running back Jimmy Lowder was selected to the honorable mention team.
The Poets would win the State Championship again in 1967 and 1968 giving the Poets three consecutive State Championships.
THE STRANGE AND GREAT STATE OF ALABAMA 