This is an opinion piece.

Joe Downey spent 25 years of his professional life as a coach and administrator at Theodore High School.

Now, the Bobcats are rewarding his time and effort.

The school will dedicate and name its football fieldhouse for Downey tonight when Theodore hosts Spanish Fort in a key Class 6A, Region 1 game.

“It’s well deserved,” current Theodore coach Steve Mask said. “I didn’t know coach Downey until I got to Theodore. After talking to him, I can see why he is revered around here.

“He is Theodore through and through. Joe Downey is absolutely a class act. There are two things I know he loves – his Florida State Seminoles and his Theodore Bobcats. I’ve never heard anyone say an unkind word about him. He gave his all to Theodore, and now Theodore is giving back to him.”

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Downey graduated from Theodore in 1970, played quarterback and punter for Florida State from 1971-1975 and returned to his alma mater as head baseball coach and assistant football coach in 1977.

He took over as head football coach after Curt Douglas stepped down in 1987. Downey went 101-66 in 15 years as Theodore’s head coach, leading the team to the playoffs 13 times.

“I got a call from coach Mask, and he told me the committee got together and wanted to name the fieldhouse after me,” Downey said this week. “I was tickled to death. We had such good times there. I love the Bobcats and always will. It’s a great honor.”

Downey had a pair of 11-win seasons while coaching at Theodore. In 1995, the Bobcats went 11-2, losing only a 7-6 game to Foley in the regular season before falling at Jeff Davis in the Class 6A quarterfinals. In 2000 – his second to last year as head coach – Theodore went 11-1, ultimately suffering its only loss to Central-Phenix City in the second round.

“We had a good region record (47-10),” Downey said. “We were almost always in the running. We had great athletes and great assistant coaches. We had pretty much the same staff for 10 or 12 years. It was more like a family than anything else. My wife, Debbie, was a teacher and counselor. My son played for me. My daughter was younger but always at the games. It was a fun time in my life.”

Downey and Debbie celebrated their 50th anniversary this summer. They have four grandchildren – one of whom is on the dance team at Spanish Fort.

“That will make it even more special since that is who Theodore is playing,” Downey said.

Downey left Theodore in 2002 and spent three years each as head coach at Mobile Christian (2003-2005) and Cottage Hill (2011-2013) before retiring for good. He also spent time as an administrator at Cottage Hill and aided the school in its move from the Alabama Independent School Association into the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

He said he still keeps track of each of those teams on Friday nights.

“They all had a big part in my life, and I hope I had at least a small part in their lives,” he said.

Downey spends most of his life these days with his family and also attends most home game weekends at his alma mater Florida State.

“I’ve really been enjoying that,” he said. “For the home games, all the old guys get to do the victory walk with the team on Friday before the game. We get to talk with the team and kind of introduce ourselves. It’s really a special time.”

Since his Seminoles play at Clemson on Saturday, Downey can enjoy a special time at his high school alma mater tonight.

Congratulations on a well-deserved honor, coach. Thank you for nearly four decades of pouring into the lives of the young people in the Mobile area.

No. 250 for Freeman

Thompson head coach Mark Freeman earned career win No. 250 last week when the Warriors defeated Spain Park 55-14.

Freeman has a 250-55 overall record in 25 years as a head coach.

He spent 10 years at Bessemer Academy in the AISA, two years at Gulf Shores, four years at Spanish Fort and is now in his ninth year at Thompson.

Freeman won 101 games at Bessemer Academy, 13 at Gulf Shores, 50 at Spanish Fort and now has 86 at Thompson. He’s also won 10 state titles – six in the AHSAA and four in the AISA.

Congrats, coach Freeman. The top-ranked Warriors host Chelsea tonight.

An AHSAA note

In last week’s win over Oneonta, Cherokee County senior Jacob Cornejo became just the third player in the AHSAA to rush for more than 400 yards this decade when he ran for 420 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns.

Ironically, one of the other two players to accomplish the feat was Oneonta’s Da’Marion “Fluff” Bothwell, who faced Cornejo last week. Bothwell ran for 436 yards on 23 carries and six touchdowns in a win over Good Hope last fall. Handley’s Jay Haynes ran for 476 yards and five touchdowns on 30 carries in a 54-41 win over Jacksonville last season.

The state record for yards rushing in a single game is 531 yards set by Tony Dixon of Parrish High School in 2003 in a game won 81-53 over Hubbertville.

Thought for the Week

“What challenges are you facing today? Don’t give up. If you quit, you will never know where that breakthrough was going to be. Yes, it’s hard, but know you don’t have to deal with it alone.” – Tim Tebow, Mission Possible Devotion.

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.