Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Dec. 4, 1970, the Valley Rams defeated Sylacauga 23-16, claiming the school’s first and only football state championship.

The team, which finished 11-1-1, will be honored before the Rams game Friday against Sydney Lanier.

“We want to recognize those guys and coaches,” Valley head coach and athletic director Adam Hunter said. “Anytime you have a state championship team putting it all together, it’s something special. We want to let those guys know that they haven’t been forgotten. That is something that built the framework for Valley High School football for many years. We just want to recognize them and show them that we love and appreciate everything they did for Valley back in the day.”

Hunter said they are expecting to have roughly 20 members of the team at the celebration.

That 1970 team was led by its defense, finishing the year with seven shutouts. Fifty years later, defense is still the Rams’ strongest areas of play.

“I’m one of those coaches that believes that defense truly wins championships,” Hunter said. “It doesn’t matter how many times you can score, if you can’t stop them, you can’t win. Defense keeps you in ball games. As long as it’s close, you’ve got a chance. That’s obviously what they did. You want to build your team off a tough, physical defense, and I’m sure back in the day they did.”

Friday’s celebration will be about 15 minutes before the Rams are scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m.