Northside's Chris Hilliker To Retire At End Of School Year

SAMANTHA, AL — Northside High School football coach and Athletic Director Chris Hilliker has confirmed to Patch that he plans to retire at the end of the school year. When he steps down, he will do so as the winningest football coach in the school's history.

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First reported by WVUA 23's Gary Harris Tuesday night, Hilliker also responded to the revelation when asked by Patch, saying simply that "It's time." It is unclear who will replace the longtime coach.

A graduate of Hillcrest High School, Hilliker left his head coaching role at Hale County High School in 2012 to take over a historically unsuccessful Northside football program. At the time when Hilliker first got on campus, the Rams boasted only a handful of playoff appearances since 1959 and not a single postseason win.

He would go on to post a career mark of 77-27 for the Rams, making the playoffs each year.

Even in his first season, Hilliker led the Rams to a 5-5 record and the first round of the playoffs, securing the school's best record since 2003 and its first playoff appearance since 1991.

But it would be 2019 that would see the program break through, shattering records and winning the school's first region title in nearly three decades. Northside finished the season undefeated in 4A Region 5 play, winning a playoff game for the first time in school history with a 35-21 home victory over Hokes Bluff. The Rams capped off the historic 2019 season with a 11-2 record and an appearance in the quarterfinals.

During the 2021 campaign, the Rams finished undefeated in region play on its way to a 10-2 season, including a win over 3A power and rival Gordo.

An avid golfer, Hilliker is likely to spend more time on the links after he retires, especially considering he sank a hole-in-one at Ol' Colony Golf Complex in March.

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