“It was sheer magic.”

That’s how Ricky Vinson described his three years of playing football at Andalusia High School as the former defensive linemen will be inducted into the AHS Football Hall of Fame on Friday night.

“It was indescribable the three years that I was involved with Andalusia football,” Vinson said by telephone. “We played for the state championship every year I played. We lost the first year to Athens (in 1975), tied my junior year against Athens (in 1976) and for my senior year, we won outright against Walter Wellborn (in 1977).”

The 1976 AHS state championship team will also be inducted in the the school’s HOF this week.

Vinson starred as a defensive lineman for AHS in 1975, 1976 and 1977. He was named First Team All-State by the Alabama News Journal in 1976 and was named First Team All-State by the Birmingham News and Montgomery Advertiser in 1977. The Montgomery Advertiser named him defensive lineman of the week after Andalusia’s 33-6 win over Ozark in 1976, and recognized him as a member of the defensive team of the week after Andy’s 8-3 win over Enterprise the same year.

That win over Enterprise is a memory Vinson said he’ll never forget.

“We went to Bates Memorial Stadium and beat them on their home turf,” he said. “That was the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of.”

Vinson was Andalusia’s Most Valuable Defensive Lineman in 1976 and 1977, and was elected permanent team captain in 1977.

He started 42 games at AHS, and enjoyed a team record of 40-1-1.

Playing on the DL wasn’t all that bad for Vinson.

“It was great, and I had the advantage,” he said. “I’d rather hit somebody than rather somebody hit me. We weren’t the biggest in the world. We were very agile and we were fast, and weren’t scared to hit people.”

Vinson said he learned a lot under his former coaching staff.

“I learned that one man can’t do it by himself,” Vinson said. “It’s got to be a team effort, take pride in what you do, you’ve got to be honest and do everything with class.”

Vinson is married to Ginger, and they have two daughters, Shelbee Jo and Leana.

Doors open at 5:30 and the HOF event begins at 6:15 p.m.

Tickets are available at Harold’s, Advantage Realty and from members of the Quarterback Club.