Ardmore vs. West Limestone: History of the rivalry

Published 7:00 am Thursday, August 18, 2022

Ardmore and West Limestone renew their rivalry on Friday, August 19, from James Kennemer Stadium, home of the Wildcats. 

The rivalry is one that is filled with defensive showdowns, meaningful matchups and good, old-fashioned beatdowns.

According to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society, West Limestone leads the overall series 42-29, with one tie.

Here is a look back at some of the games decorating the 2000s.

2021: Brody Dunn’s time to shine

Last season’s game saw Ardmore win by a final score of 7-3. The play of the game was made by Brody Dunn, leading an injured Tigers team to a victory thanks to his pick-six off West’s quarterback Collin Patterson with the Wildcats pinned back deep.

It was the last regular season game of the year for both teams, with Ardmore moving on to the first round of the playoffs under first-year coach Jonathan Snider.

2017: Tale of two halves

Ardmore and West Limestone would find themselves tied 14-14 going into halftime, a tightly contested match that is the story of this rivalry time and time again.

However, the second half would be a different ball game. Ardmore would outscore the Wildcats 20-0 in the second half, with the Tigers winning by a final score of 34-14.

Running back Chase Lay started off the second half with a 1-yard touchdown run thanks to some big completions by quarterback Noah Barnett earlier on the opening drive of the second half. Ardmore would use that momentum to propel them to a 20-point victory.

2013: “West runs Wild”

Two playoff-bound teams met in the final week of the regular season, with the Tigers and Wildcats both having successful seasons.

However, West Limestone would “run wild,” as reported in The News Courier, in a contest they were leading from the very start.

Wildcats running back Dillon Miller would start the game with an 86-yard touchdown run and end the game with 164 total yards and three touchdowns.

West, coached by David Arnsparger, led 28-0 at halftime and would win by a final score of 54-16, scoring on every possession of the second half.

Ardmore would advance to take on Munford in the first round of the playoffs.

West would advance to take on Oneonta in the first round of the playoffs.

2008: Six seniors, zero problems

The two rivals would face off in 2008 with West Limestone hosting Ardmore on senior night, sending their six seniors off in style with a 28-20 Wildcat victory.

West’s seniors had endured hard times, two years removed from a 2-8 season. However, against a big rival, they put on a show in a win that coach Arnsparger wanted badly for his leaders playing their final game.

“I guess if you could pick to win two games, it would be homecoming and the last one,” Arnsparger said to The News Courier in 2008.

Alex White scored on the second play of the game for West Limestone on a 57-yard touchdown run. Ardmore would answer, but fall behind the rest of the contest. A late touchdown from the Tigers’ Owen Kilmury would bring the game within one score, with the final going in favor of the Wildcats by 8 points.

2007: Homecoming spoiled by Tommy Reyer

The proverbial insult of being scheduled for the opposing team’s homecoming game made its way into the rivalry storylines for Ardmore’s hosting of West Limestone in 2007.

The Wildcats’ QB Tommy Reyer would use one of the few instances in the 2000s of the two schools playing mid-season (as opposed to the end or the beginning) as well as the homecoming game sleight to lead West Limestone to a 27-13 victory over the Tigers.

Reyer would score all four touchdowns for West in what he called “a great bounce-back win.”

2006: Ardmore continues dominant season

The once-beaten Ardmore Tigers would need to look no further than running back Derrick Green to defeat the Wildcats, totaling 268 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in a 32-6 victory.

Ardmore’s 19 straight points in the fourth quarter would put the game out of reach, as the Tigers would march on to a 8-2 record and playoff berth.

Before the 2000s

90s: 4 wins to 2 in favor of West.

80s: 7 wins to 3 in favor of West.

70s: 5 wins to 4, 1 tie, in favor of Ardmore.

60s: 9 wins to 1 in favor of Ardmore.