AISA AAA: Lee-Scott repeats with win over Glenwood
Lee-Scott Academy defeats Glenwood to win the AISA Class AAA state title at Cramton Bowl. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for Lee-Scott coach Buster Daniel.
The Warriors and Glenwood School, longtime rivals in every Alabama Independent School Association sport, had played each other back in September at Glenwood, with the Gators winning 42-31.
“I tell you what it was, it was the difference of making mistakes,” Daniel said. “you can’t make mistakes and turn the ball over against a good football team and that’s what we did. They took advantage of it. The biggest thing was taking care of the football and cutting out the silly mistakes.”
On Thursday, Lee-Scott and Glenwood would face each other again, this time in the AISA Class AAA finals at Cramton Bowl. The Warriors eliminated the mistakes and methodically grinded out a 24-14 win over the Gators to win their second consecutive state championship in their final season as an AISA team.
Next year, both the Warriors and the Gators will be competing in the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
“These guys have worked their tails off to get back here,” Daniel said. “When we left the field last year, that was our goal, to get back.”
Lee-Scott (11-1) got a pair of touchdowns from Jake White to take a 17-0 lead over the Gators, but Glenwood coach Ryan Nelson pointed to a controversial ejection of star Cam White in the second quarter when the Warriors were clinging to a 3-0 lead.
“It’s been an uphill battle since we lost to Chambers (in the final regular season game),” Nelson said. “We had several guys get injured in that game (and) we’re down five starters tonight. We’re just trying to battle and then our best player gets thrown out of the game in the second quarter. It’s tough to overcome.”
A 3-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Meyers made it 24-0 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, but another key injury to Glenwood, a recurring ankle injury by Dallas Crow, led to backup quarterback Levi Pinder’s appearance in the fourth quarter.
Pinder completed 7 of 13 passes for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns, connecting with Thet Morris on a 30-yard pass and Mason McCraine on a 49-yard pass, the last one coming with 66 seconds left that trimmed the Lee-Scott lead to 24-14.
The two-point conversion pass by Pinder was intercepted and the ensuing onside kick was recovered by Lee-Scott to finish off the Gators.
Glenwood (10-2) was held to 39 rushing yards on 28 carries, limiting the Gators’ effectiveness.