A few years ago, I covered a football team that always set an unusual goal each year. They wanted to be practicing on Thanksgiving Day.

That team, Class 1A’s Maplesville, usually found a way to make it happen. When that happens, that means you’re making a deep run in the playoffs.

After being here through the first 11 games of the season, I’m convinced Hartselle has that same goal every year.

The Tigers have put together an amazing season. Many folks doubted that Hartselle could improve on last year’s 9-1 regular season. Hartselle proved them wrong by going 10-0 and obtaining a No. 1 seed in the region. Now, the Tigers are 11-0 and could still have a lot more football to play.

From here, the road is only going to get tougher. Usually the first week is when most of the pretenders are eliminated. There were some huge upsets, including 10-0 teams who lost to No. 4 seeds. Thankfully, Hartselle wasn’t one of those teams.

I really don’t know whether the Tigers will win it all. There are just so many things that can happen between now and then. To go through a regular season undefeated, you have to be good and you have to have some luck with injuries and other factors.

When you extend that and try to go 15-0, it’s very hard, especially in Class 5A. The parity in this classification is difficult. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the No. 1 team in the state or unranked. You can win or lose on any given Friday night.

I wish the Tigers good luck again at Pinson Valley. I hope you will be able to continue to the journey all the way to Tuscaloosa.

Brent Maze is the managing editor of the Hartselle Enquirer.