SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Matt Griffith is grateful for the time he served as the director of athletics for Sylacauga City Schools.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be athletic director for the Sylacauga City School system over the last 10 years,” Griffith wrote in a statement. “My love for athletics, all sports and the kids of Sylacauga is very well known across this community. The hard work and dedication of our coaching staff and athletes in all sports has been tremendous.”
During the 10-year stretch few athletics programs have witnessed the consistent success as Sylacauga High School has.
Football, which Griffith still commands, has won 74 games in the last 10 years. That is just one win shy of a school record by a head coach. The class of 2012, which was the 2011 football team, was the last team to miss the postseason.
The varsity girls and boys basketball teams have combined three final four appearances, 10 area titles, two state final appearances and a state title in 2018.
Boys soccer has seen two state semifinal appearances and six region titles, while soccer girls have accomplished four quarterfinal appearances and four region titles.
Volleyball has also gone on a run as of late as the Lady Aggies boast 5 area titles, seven playoff appearances and five trips to super-regionals.
Baseball reached the state semifinal last season and has won four area titles and reached the postseason eight times. Softball won its first ever area championship last season.
In track, over 160 athletes qualified for state. Sylacauga holds two state titles in Boys Long Jump and multiple state titles won by Morgan O’neal. Tennis has six playoff appearances, and golf has 10 while both girls and boys teams have reached the state finals.
“Few 5A programs have enjoyed so much success in all sports,” Griffith wrote. “It is a tribute to the 34 men and women that oversee these programs and the young men and women who play. Their success speaks for itself.”
On Tuesday, Sylacauga’s BOE voted to go in a different direction with the athletics director position.
In the meantime, Debbie Barnett and Bobby Hall are serving Sylacauga City Schools as interim co-athletic directors.
