AISA ROUNDUP: Edgewood holds off Patrician to advance; Macon East moves on to semis
Quarterback Alex Johnson passed for 323 yards and five touchdowns to lead Edgewood to a first-round win on Friday. (Tim Gayle)
Edgewood Academy 35, Patrician Academy 34
BUTLER – The Edgewood defense turned away Sammy Lewis on a two-point conversion run with 1:31 remaining to escape with a 35-34 victory over Patrician Academy in the first round of the AISA Class AA playoffs on Friday night.
Edgewood became the only AISA visiting team to win a first-round playoff game, earning a rematch with region rival Chambers in the second round. The Wildcats defeated the Rebels 40-36 on Oct. 8 in Elmore, becoming the only team to defeat Chambers this season.
The matchup between the pass-happy Wildcats and the run-oriented Saints was every bit as entertaining as the final score indicated. Edgewood rolled up 392 total yards, including 323 in the air, while Patrician earned 261 of its 398 total yards on the ground.
Alex Johnson led the Wildcats to victory, completing 13 of 26 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns. Connor Bailey had 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns on three receptions, Bradley Boone had 77 yards and a touchdown on four receptions and Carson Peevy had 71 yards and a touchdown on three catches.
For the Saints, Tyler Lewis completed 6 of 15 passes for 119 yards, with Tate Boykin catching all six passes. Cecil Perry led the rushing attack with 189 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 11 carries.
After the two heavyweights fought through a scoreless first quarter, Johnson hit Bailey with a 12-yard touchdown pass and Sam Williams added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Back came the Saints two minutes later as Lewis scored on a 9-yard run and Perry ran in the two-point conversion to give Patrician an 8-7 lead.
The two teams would trade touchdowns the remainder of the first half as Johnson threw 37 yards to Boone; Perry ran 11 yards for a score; Johnson threw 51 yards to Dawson Owens; and Lewis ran 2 yards for a touchdown with one second remaining in the half.
Perry was stopped short on the two-point conversion run, leaving Edgewood clinging to a 21-20 lead.
Late in the third quarter, Johnson threw 48 yards to Peevy, but 86 seconds later, Lewis scored on a 4-yard run and added the two-point conversion run to tie the game at 28-28 entering the fourth quarter.
Two minutes into the final period, Johnson connected with Bailey on a 46-yard touchdown pass and Williams added the extra point for a 35-28 lead, setting the stage for the Saints’ final drive. With time running out, Perry suddenly got free on a 37-yard scoring run, only to see Lewis stopped short on the potential game-winning conversion attempt.
Edgewood (7-3) will travel to LaFayette next week, while Patrician ends the season at 8-2, its only other loss coming in early September to Escambia.
Defensively for the Wildcats, Blane Guthrie had nine tackles, followed by Boone with eight, JT Brazell with seven and Bailey with five.
Crenshaw Christian 64, Pickens Academy 14
LUVERNE – Demetric Toney passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more to lead Crenshaw Christian to an easy victory over the Pirates in the opening round of the A state playoffs on Friday.
Crenshaw Christian (8-3) will play host to Sparta in the A semifinals next week. Pickens Academy ends the season at 5-6.
Toney scored on a pair of 57-yard runs, finishing with 215 yards on 16 carries. He was 5 of 8 passing for 132 yards and also had a fumble recovery on defense.
Jack Dillon Hewitt had two receptions for 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns covering 65 and 18 yards. John David Taylor added a touchdown run and a pair of two-point conversions along with an interception on defense. Chandler Mitchell also scored a touchdown and made six tackles on defense, while Christian Holloway added a touchdown run and five tackles on defense. Austin Archie had two receptions for 36 yards, with one of them going for another touchdown.
Defensively, Drake Mills led the Cougars with seven tackles and added a touchdown on a 68-yard punt return, while Alex Hooper also had seven tackles and a fumble recovery, Logan Owens had seven tackles and Coleman Owens had six tackles. Reid Compton finished with seven tackles, including one for a safety, and Gage Young had five tackles and a fumble recovery.
Chambers Academy 43, Autauga Academy 3
LAFAYETTE – The Rebels handed Autauga its third worst loss in postseason history and the worst ever in Bobby Carr’s 24-year coaching career with a 43-3 rout of the Generals in the opening round of the AA state playoffs.
Chambers (10-1) will play host to Edgewood Academy next week in the AA semifinals, while Autauga ends the season at 2-7, its worst showing since going 0-10 in 1991. The Generals made four consecutive appearances in the AA finals before this season.
Autauga quarterback Will Traywick completed 12 of 30 passes for 145 yards but was intercepted three times. Anden Hilyer led the Generals’ receivers with 64 yards on four receptions. Britton Worrall led the Autauga rushing attack with 45 yards on nine carries.
Defensively, Tucker Cousins had seven tackles to lead Autauga, while Donte Henry had five tackles and a pass breakup. Jaquon Cohen also had five tackles.
Macon East Academy 28, Wilcox Academy 25
CECIL -- Carlos Carter rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries as the Knights held off Wilcox Academy 28-25 in the opening round of the AA state playoffs on Friday.
Macon East (8-4) will travel to Canoe to play Escambia Academy in the AA semifinals next week. The Knights’ last postseason meeting with Escambia ended with a 50-13 loss in 2017. Macon East has never defeated Escambia in five previous meetings.
Kirkland Pugh completed 4 of 11 passes for 55 yards but was intercepted twice. He added 10 rushing yards and a touchdown and had a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Eric Lawson added a 2-yard scoring run on an end-around and Gabe Spencer helped the Knights offensively with 55 yards on five carries.
Defensively, Tyson Amaya had 15 tackles and a sack, Teron Wright had 10 tackles and a sack, Wade Demarus and Parker Strickland each had nine tackles and Stone Yarnell had five tackles and a fumble recovery.
AISA PLAYOFF RESULTS - 1st Round
CLASS AAA
Glenwood School 55, Clarke Prep 20
Morgan Academy 56, Hooper Academy 16
Bessemer Academy 34, Lee-Scott Academy 14
Pike Liberal Arts 45, Monroe Academy 7
CLASS AA
Chambers Academy 43, Autauga Academy 3
Edgewood Academy 35, Patrician Academy 34
Escambia Academy 48, Springwood School 8
Macon East Academy 28, Wilcox Academy 25
CLASS A
Crenshaw Christian 64, Pickens Academy 14
Sparta Academy 41, Lowndes Academy 2
Jackson Academy 54, Lakeside School 14
Abbeville Christian 63, South Choctaw Academy 21
AISA PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
Semifinal Games on Nov. 13
CLASS AAA
Morgan Academy (8-2) at Glenwood School (9-0)
Pike Liberal Arts (8-2) at Bessemer Academy (8-2)
CLASS AA
Edgewood Academy (7-3) at Chambers Academy (10-1)
Macon East Academy (8-4) at Escambia Academy (9-1)
CLASS A
Sparta Academy (6-3) at Crenshaw Christian (8-3)
Abbeville Christian (9-2) at Jackson Academy (11-0)