Oct. 1—TRINITY — When the lights come on this Friday night, Trinity will be rockin’ in more ways than one.
The Rock the South country music festival is set to take place this weekend at the Fields at Decatur, a new 150-acre outdoor event venue. But as the sounds of Jason Aldean’s music fills the night air, just a few miles away, another venue will be having its own crazy atmosphere.
Rebel Stadium is set for a massive Class 4A, Region 7 showdown as West Morgan hosts Deshler. This game has decided the region champion three of the last four years, and the stakes are high once again, as the winner will take over first place in the region.
And while having a massive festival that will attract thousands of people just a hop and a skip away might be a distraction to most, the Rebels believe it’ll just add to what promises to be a wild night.
“This is a game where when you look around the entire state, you circle this one and say, ‘That game is going to be a lot of fun,’ and I’ve got the best seat in the house for it,” said West Morgan head coach Drew Phillips. “The best part as a coach is seeing the work these guys have put in to make this game against one of the most respected programs in Alabama so meaningful. Throw in Rock the South, and it’s going to be a crazy atmosphere.”
While festivalgoers may be rockin’ out to music on Friday, West Morgan, more specifically, the Rebels’ powerful and experienced offensive line, is hoping to rock some heads.
West Morgan returned all five of its offensive line starters from last season: Marek Jankowski, who’s playing through a torn ACL; Ben Alexander; Camryn Harris; Colton Lowery; and Ben Brown. So far, that experience has paid off in a big way. The offensive line has paved the way for a relentless rushing attack that is averaging 326 yards per game.
“Our coaches always say that the offensive and defensive line is the heartbeat of the team, and that’s something we pride ourselves in,” said senior left guard Ben Alexander. “We love making holes for our running backs to make big plays through, or protecting our quarterback to allow him to throw a big pass. A good offensive line can make or break a team, so we’re constantly pushing ourselves every day.”
Since Phillips took over as head coach in 2021, the Rebels have gone 54-12, and a consistently strong offensive line has contributed to that success. In 2024, after losing multiple All-State players from the previous year’s 12-1 team, the Rebels went 13-1, and it was thanks to four returning starters on the offensive line.
This year’s line however, might be the best as the Rebels believe six years in Phillips’ weight program has allowed them to gain the size and strength to compete with not just any team in Class 4A, but any team in the entire state.
“When Coach Phillips got here they just worked on stretching the first week because the guys didn’t even know how to warm up properly,” senior left tackle Marek Jankowski said. “(Phillips) is a mastermind and even without us realizing it, you can tell after six years in the weight program that we’ve gotten stronger and stronger each year.”
West Morgan’s offensive line will be put to the test this Friday when it hosts the No. 9 Deshler Tigers. Deshler is averaging 45 points, while the Rebels are averaging 40. If Friday’s contest turns into a shootout, the Rebels feel confident in their ability to keep punching.
“If it were to become a shootout, I think the thing that will keep us going is our leadership. And it doesn’t even have to be us seniors leading, our quarterback is an eighth grader and I think he’s already one of the best leaders on the team,” Jankowski said. “When you get in these types of big games, you need great leaders and we have a lot of them. We’re going to do our best up front to keep the team rolling.”
And while Jason Aldean entertains people close by with hits like “Big Green Tractor,” West Morgan is hoping to send Deshler back to Tuscumbia in their big yellow school bus with a loss which would be the fourth win in a row for the Rebels in the series.
“I remember before Coach Phillips got here when Deshler would come and stomp our faces in. Now we’re playing them with a potential region championship on the line with a chance to win four in a row against them, which is just unheard of when you think about how good their program is,” Alexander said. “It shows you the growth of where our program has come and the great thing is, our season isn’t just about this one game. We have bigger goals that we’re trying to reach and winning this one would help us reach those goals.”
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