BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FOR THE OBSERVER
BEULAH — 2025 is a year of new beginnings for the Beulah Bobcats of AHSAA 3A.
They are aiming for their third playoff appearance in three seasons, and they’ll do it with a new head coach – Michael Courson. Courson was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach on April 15. He has served as an assistant football coach at Beulah for seven years and was previously the head baseball coach at Beulah.
Not to mention, Courson and his squad will break in the brand-new Bobcat Stadium to open the campaign.
“Really excited about being here and getting to lead these guys. We know kickoff is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to represent our school,” Courson said.
Although excitement is abundant, Beulah is also focused in on its main goal: to escape the first round of the playoffs. The Bobcats have made back-to-back playoff appearances the past two seasons for the first time since 1994-95, but it has gotten blown out in the first round both times.
Last year, Beulah lost to Houston Academy, the 3A runners up, in the first round – 62-13. In 2023, it fell to Mobile Christian in the opening round – 52-7. It’s aiming to change that pattern this year by getting deeper in the playoffs.
The last time Beulah won a playoff game was 1994, but Courson feels like the program has enough momentum to end that drought.
“Our goal is to figure out what we need to do as a team to get through that first round hurdle,” Courson said. “We want to be in the playoffs every year, we want to win the area, but how can we progress as a football team? How can we work harder to get out of that first round and do something that hasn’t been done in quite a while at Beulah?”
Beulah has a 40-man roster that has some key returning leaders along with a lot of newcomers. The team consists of 12 seniors, seven juniors, 12 sophomores and nine freshmen.
Leadership of several veteran players will be crucial with a young roster. One of the guys Beulah will depend on is senior quarterback/defensive back, Hunter Duval.
“I’ve been around coach Courson my whole football career growing up,” Duval pointed out. “My goal this season is to get over the first-round playoff hump, and just to grow as teammates and as men.”
In addition to building up the team’s wins on the field, Courson has been intentional about finding opportunities to address the team culture. He complimented Beulah’s former coach, Matthew Johnson, for instilling the values of hard work and dedication. Instead of changing that, Courson hopes to amplify those same messages.
One example he gave of that was a book he read over Father’s Day weekend this year called “Men Don’t Run in the Rain” by Rick Burgess. He told his team about the book’s theme of standing strong in the midst of adversity.
The culture he wants to build is one that lasts through the hard times and the good ones without giving up.
“We want to inject that (message) into our team devotions, what that means to be men who don’t run in the rain and to be steady and not fret when those storms come,” Courson explained. “Having those conversations with our guys and creating those atmospheres in practice to create some adversity for them and allow them to push through that… We want to be men that don’t panic when bad things happen.”
Perseverance might be just what it takes for Beulah to reach its goal. It will endure a tough schedule, including 3A Region 4 foes Lee-Scott and Glenwood back-to-back in September, an attempt at redemption against Randolph County and Autauga after losing to them to end last season and road trips to region rivals Childersburg and Dadeville.
It all starts with the debut of Bobcat Stadium in the season opener against Abbeville on Aug. 22.
Offense preview
This unit put up nearly 30 points per game last season. It is also returning its biggest offensive threat in senior running back, 5-foot-8, 153-pound Khamoni Lindsey. Lindsey went off for 1,049 rushing yards on 186 carries (5.6 yards/carry) for 15 touchdowns. He accounted for half of the team’s TDs in 2024.
While Lindsey will ensure a strong rushing attack, Beulah will be without last year’s starting QB, Demarion Foreman, who threw for 1,353 yards and 10 scores and ran for 423 yards with 11 TDs. The Bobcats will also have to replace Drew Duval, who was the team’s top pass catcher with 32 receptions for three TDs last season.
At QB, Hunter Duval – Drew’s brother – will take over. He’s a dual-threat QB with impressive athleticism. Duval is a 6-foot, 167-pound multisport athlete who also plays baseball.
Duval’s top weapons include senior Cam Baker, junior Qua Frazier and junior athlete Tristen Robinson. Those wide outs, along with the tight ends – junior Montana Williford and senior Luke Rybacki – will also need to fill the production of since-graduated athlete Reed Maloof, who recorded 968 all-purpose yards in 2024.
Returning starters stack the offensive line, led by 5-foot-8, 175-pound senior Stone Williamson and 6-foot, 205-pound senior Brayden Tapley at the tackle spots. Five-foot-11, 185-pound senior Tiago Pedro will line up at center, and sophomores Hunter Maes, Zach Bryant and Robert Jones will all see time at the guard spots.
Defense preview
This unit allowed 27.4 points per game last year in the regular season before getting run over by Houston Academy’s 62-point performance in the playoffs. It was a strength in some games, such as holding Childersburg to eight points and Dadeville to 14. However, it was shredded by Glenwood for 62 points and Randolph County for 56.
Leading the defense is the linebacker corps. Tapley is a returning starter, registering 46 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss last season. Sophomore Brody Peacock is a first-year starter that will line up alongside Tapley at inside linebacker. Rhybacki and Frazier will protect the edges at outside linebacker.
The strength of the defense is the secondary, according to Courson. All returning two-way players: Baker, Robinson, Lindsey and Duval will lead the defensive backs. At corner, Robinson led those guys with two interceptions and 45 tackles a year ago.
The defensive line looks like a replica of the offensive line. Williamson and Pedro will anchor that group.
Special Teams
In the kicking game, Maloof is a profound loss for Beulah. He did kickoffs and punts last season and even went 6-for-7 on field goals and 39-of-41 on extra points. Extraordinarily, he averaged 50.9 yards per kickoff, with several 60-yarders.
The Bobcats do not have a kicker listed on their roster this season.
Returning kicks, Beulah will count on the sure hands and agility of Lindsey, as well as Robinson and Baker. With that, expect another 1,000+ – perhaps even 1,500+ – all-purpose yard season from Lindsay.
Final analysis
Returning standouts on both sides of the ball will certainly help this team make a push at a second straight winning season. Whether they can be a competitive playoff team will depend on its ability to get a top two seed in the region.
Glenwood is going to be hard to stop from taking the top seed for the second year in a row, but matchups with Lee-Scott and Randolph County will be crucial in deciding that two seed. Beulah has Randolph County at home this season, and a new stadium is sure to be a boost in morale for this team that seems to take a step forward each year. Lee-Scott should return to form after an injury-riddled 2024 season, so they could be a dangerous team come Sept. 12.
There’s a lot to be excited about concerning Beulah football this year. If Cinderella seasons really do exist, this team might be primed for one.
2024 Record (6-5, 3-3)
Aug. 23 at Abbeville – W 39-14
Aug. 30 vs. Lanett – W 38-21
Sept. 5 vs. Dadeville* – W 28-14
Sept. 13 at Lee-Scott Academy* – L 7-24
Sept. 20 vs. Glenwood* – L 38-62
Sept. 27 vs. Loachapoka – W 28-15
Oct. 3 at B.B. Comer* – W 43-40
Oct. 11 vs. Childersburg* – W 48-8
Oct. 25 at Randolph County* – L 27-56
Oct. 31 at Autauga Academy – L 14-20
Nov. 8 at Houston Academy** – L 13-62
2025 Schedule
Aug. 22 vs. Abbeville
Aug. 29 at Lanett
Sept. 5 at Dadeville*
Sept. 12 vs. Lee-Scott Academy*
Sept. 19 at Glenwood*
Sept. 26 at Loachapoka
Oct. 3 vs. B.B. Comer*
Oct. 10 at Childersburg*
Oct. 17 OPEN
Oct. 24 vs. Randolph County*
Oct. 30 (Thurs.) vs. Autauga Academy
