FOX10 Big Friday Kickoff

The public versus private debate in Alabama high school sports just took another major turn and Sports Director Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo are breaking it all down on this week’s Big Friday Kickoff Podcast. From the AHSAA’s decision to separate championship play… to the possibility of private schools gaining representation on the Central Board… and what the CHOOSE Act ruling means for athlete eligibility — this story is far from over. 

Area tournament time is almost here. On this week’s Big Friday Kickoff, Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo dive into high school basketball, sizing up contenders, key matchups, and the storylines you need to know heading into next week’s area tournaments.

This week on the Big Friday Kickoff Podcast, Emily and Robert recap the FOX10 Player of the Year Banquet where we celebrated some of the best players in our area before diving into the splitting of public and private schools in the latest reclassification.

This week, Sports Director Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo reveal part two of their All-Region One Teams, featuring 4A-1A.

Throughout the season, we kept a running list of the best players in region one from 1A to 7A.

Here are our picks for the 5A, 6A, and 7A All-Region teams and our All-Freshman teams. We will release 1A-4A next week along with our honorable mention list.

St. Michael senior running back Noah Moss joins Big Friday Kickoff to reflect on a historic season with the Cardinals. From a No. 1 ranking and a record-setting performance in the first round of the playoffs, to national attention from ESPN, Pat McAfee, and Jon Gruden, Moss walks us through the moments that defined his year. He also opens up about playing for Philip Rivers, watching his coach return to the NFL, flipping his commitment from South Alabama to NC State as he prepares for the next level, and finding his love of football again here on the Alabama Gulf Coast. 

Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo break down a busy week across college and pro football, starting with Alabama’s trip to Pasadena and what to watch in the Rose Bowl. The duo also dives into Auburn’s portal questions, Riley Leonard earning his first NFL start with the Colts, and a look at Senior Bowl rosters as they continue to take shape in Mobile.

Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo talk all about Philip Rivers’ historic return to the NFL, breakdown of his performance against the 49ers, and what it means to the St. Michael Cardinals; plus a full look at the College Football Playoff — it’s all on this week’s episode of The Big Friday Kickoff Podcast.

This week on The Big Friday Kickoff Podcast, we’re joined by Baldwin County High School alum, Alabama standout, and former NFL defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry. Gilberry stops by to talk all things 68 Ventures Bowl, the ever-changing landscape of high school football, and the elite talent continuing to come out of Mobile and Baldwin County. He also shares stories from his playing days — including lining up against Philip Rivers — and weighs in on the College Football Playoff and the future of the game.

This week on the Big Friday Kickoff Podcast, Emily and Robert recap the Super 7.
Then, Meteorologist and Co-Host of Big Friday Kickoff, Nicholas Herboso, joins the podcast to talk about the highlights and best moments from the season of Big Friday Kickoff.

It all comes down to this. Big Friday Kickoff breaks down championship week with four Region 1 teams headed to the state finals. Emily Cochran, and Robert Ristaneo dive into each matchup, what to expect, and the players who could swing the title games. Plus, it’s Early Signing Day, and we run through all the local standouts who put pen to paper and made their college dreams official. It’s a packed week—finals, future stars, and everything in between.

We are one round away from the state championship and seven region one teams are competing. 

We have rematches between Vigor vs Williamson and Jackson vs St. Michael, undefeated Saraland taking on Benjamin Russell, Bayside hosting Southside-Selma and their 8th grade quarterback Kole Moody who is on a record-breaking tear, and Leroy travelling to Maplesville.
We have previews of all those matchups.   

Nine teams are still in the hunt for the Blue Map trophy as we head into the quarterfinals. Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo break down every matchup this week — what’s at stake, who’s heating up at the right time, and which teams have the best shot at punching their ticket to the semifinals.

Round one is in the books — 28 of our teams hit the field, and 17 are still standing as we head into round two. It was a historic night for 7A Region 1, with all four teams advancing to the next round for the very first time. Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo break down this week's matchups and what to expect as the playoff push continues.

On this week’s episode, Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo break down Round One of the high school football playoffs. Twenty-eight Region 1 teams are in the hunt for a Blue Map Trophy, and we’ve got a full preview of every matchup from 7A to 1A. Follow us on YouTube and visit our FOX10 page for more playoff coverage. 

This week on The Big Friday Kickoff Podcast, Emily Cochran and Robert Ristaneo break down a wild Week 10 in high school football — full of upsets and surprises across Region 1. They also look ahead to this week’s matchups, talk postseason outlook, and dive into some 1A social media beef you don’t want to miss.