FRIDAY NIGHT RECAP (Week 1): Tallassee wins in a comeback; Pike Road falls; Marbury gets first win
COMBINED REPORTS
Marist School 33, Pike Road 22
PIKE ROAD -- Marist scored a pair of touchdowns on turnovers to defeat the Patriots 33-22 in Pike Road’s 2022 home opener on Friday night.
Anthony Rogers rushed for 156 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 carries, scoring on runs of 80 and 1 yard. He finished the game with 214 all-purpose yards.
Kaleb Foster completed 8 of 12 passes for 71 yards, throwing an 18-yard touchdown pass to DJ Williams while throwing another touchdown on an interception return by the War Eagles.
Mac Ceman and Stephon Andrews each had eight tackles to lead the Patriots, followed by DJ Tolliver with six.
Pike Road (0-2) lost its first two games for the first time in the school’s five-year history and will face unbeaten Wetumpka next week in the region opener. Marist (1-1), which opened its season with a 35-23 loss to Gainesville (Ga.), will play host to Eagles’ Landing next week.
Tallassee 21, Booker T. Washington 12
TUSKEGEE -- It took the Tallassee defense a few minutes to figure out how to corral opposing quarterback E.J. Hall, but the Tigers found the solution in the second half and rallied from a 12-point deficit to defeat Booker T. Washington 21-12 on Friday.
The win lifted Tallassee to 2-0, the first time the Tigers have won their first two games since 2018.
It didn’t start out that way as Hall threw 28 yards to Tyrike McCullough in the first quarter and 28 yards to Elijah McCray in the second quarter to stake the Golden Eagles to a 12-0 halftime lead.
Tyler Ellis brought the Tigers back, running 18 yards for the Tigers’ first touchdown midway through the third quarter, then adding another on a 3-yard run and a two-point conversion run for a 14-12 lead.
Ellis added another touchdown with 5:33 remaining on a quarterback sneak to finally put BTW away.
Ellis finished with 124 yards on 18 carries and completed 7 of 12 passes for 85 yards. Cade Everson added 52 yards on 10 carries and had 55 receiving yards on three catches.
Hall finished with 59 yards rushing on 19 carries and was 7 of 17 for 93 yards. McCullough led the Golden Eagles in rushing with 118 yards on 12 carries.
Both teams open region play at home next week. Tallassee plays Central-Clay at J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium next Friday, while BTW (0-2) plays host to Catholic.
Marbury 38, John Carroll 36
MARBURY -- Baylor Cannon kicked a 27-yard field goal with seven seconds left to lift Marbury to a 38-36 win over John Carroll on Friday in the home opener for the Bulldogs.
Marbury had a 14-point lead late in the third quarter, but Carson McFadden ran for a touchdown and threw two more in the fourth quarter to bring the Cavaliers back. Trailing 36-35 with 53 seconds remaining, the Bulldogs drove down the field to set up Cannon’s game winner.
Carsyn Cobb scored on runs of 3 and 1 yards and Sean Cheeks added another scoring run to put Marbury up 21-7 with 3:38 remaining in the third quarter, but the final 15 minutes of the game featured an incredible 46 points between the two teams.
Mitchell Nutter’s halfback pass to McFadden for 36 yards and McFadden’s 7-yard run tied the game at 21-21 before Jackson Bryson ran 61 yards for a Marbury touchdown and a 28-21 lead with 7:54 left. After McFadden hit Nutter with a 23-yard touchdown pass, Bryson countered with a 45-yard run with 5:25 to put the Bulldogs back on top.
McFadden would bring the Cavaliers back one final time, throwing a 13-yard pass to Max Plaia with 53 seconds remaining, then hitting CJ Wyatt with the conversion pass for a 36-35 lead.
McFadden was 14 of 27 for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 carries.
Bryson led Marbury with 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns on six carries, while Cobb had 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 22 carries.
Both teams open region play next week at home. John Carroll (0-2) plays Fairfield, while Marbury (1-1) plays Jemison.
Elmore County 42, Autaugaville 0
AUTAUGAVILLE -- Payton Stephenson ran for a touchdown, threw a touchdown pass and caught a pass for a touchdown as the 5A Panthers stormed past 1A Autaugaville on Friday.
Elmore County improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2018. The Panthers play host to Sylacauga next week in the region opener in an attempt to go 3-0 for the first time since 2015.
Elmore County used a safety by the Eagles and a fumble returned for a touchdown for an 8-0 lead in the first quarter, building their confidence as they scored a pair of touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters to post their largest margin of victory since beating Holtville 50-6 in the 2000 season opener.
Ryal McNeely threw a 15-yard halfback pass to Stephenson for a 15-0 halftime lead, extending the lead in the third quarter on a 4-yard scoring run by CJ Wilkes and a 65-yard run by Stephenson. Stephenson added a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jabari Murphy in the fourth quarter and the Panthers closed out the scoring on a 15-yard run by Seth McGhee.
Stephenson was 7 of 14 for 88 yards and a touchdown and added 98 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries. Garrett Allen led the Panther receivers with 38 yards on four receptions.
Rodney Deramus led Autaugaville with 34 rushing yards on eight carries while completing 11 of 21 passes for 101 yards.
Autaugaville opens region play at Notasulga next week.
Handley 48, St. James 35
The Trojans took an early 14-0 lead before Handley roared back with four unanswered touchdowns to defeat St. James 48-35 at Carlisle Field on Friday night.
It was the most points surrendered by a St. James team since losing at Tallassee 49-17 in 2013.
KJ Jackson threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more but it wasn’t enough as the Trojans’ defense wilted in the second half. Jackson completed 13 of 25 passes for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while rushing for 79 yards and two more touchdowns on 12 carries, scoring on runs of 58 and 4 yards.
One of his touchdown passes was a 42-yard strike to Ethan Beard, who finished with 104 yards on five receptions. The other touchdown pass was a 12-yard throw to Ziggy Holloway.
Cosner Harrison rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
Both teams open region play next week. Handley (2-0) travels to Jacksonville, while St. James (1-1) plays host to Prattville Christian.
Alma Bryant 35, Holtville 29
HOLTVILLE - The Bulldogs had nearly 300 yards of total offense but was unable to top the Hurricanes in the program’s first-ever game against a Class 7A school on Friday.
Shawn Bracket rushed for two touchdowns and Keiland Baker threw for another as the Bulldogs fell for the first time in 2022.
Bracket finished with 92 yards rushing and added 68 yards in receptions. Quarterback Tanner Potts passed for 129 yards for Holtville (1-1). Conner Hackett led with defense with 10 tackles while Josh Jimenez and Luke Strength each had a fumble recovery.
Holtville begins region play next week at Chilton County.
Greenville 25, Park Crossing 19 (OT)
The Thunderbirds fell in overtime Friday in new coach Ty Lockett’s debut.
Park Crossing built a 19-0 lead before the Tigers stormed back, winning on a 4-yard run by Katyleon Phillips in the extra period. Park Crossing suffered a fumble on its first play from scrimmage in the overtime period.
Solomon Beebe had two runs for touchdowns and Chase Ford added another from 22 yards out for the Thunderbirds. Terry Ware finished with 100 yards on 13 carries.
Park Crossing (0-1) opens region play next week against G.W. Carver on Thursday at Cramton Bowl.
AISA
Macon East Academy 33, Lakeside School 18
EUFAULA -- Gabe Spencer rushed for 229 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries as the Knights improved to 2-0 with a win over Lakeside on Friday.
The Knights were scheduled to play Lakeside at home, but field conditions forced the teams to play at Lakeside. Spencer’s running, along with the passing of quarterback Deonte Powell, was enough to hold off the Chiefs.
Powell completed 11 of 16 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns, throwing two to Jacob Wilson and another to Sanders Manning. Wilson had nine receptions for 105 yards, while Manning had two catches for 57 yards.
Zach Brown led the Macon East defense with 11 tackles, including three for loss. Dalton Nickles had eight tackles, including two for loss, and forced a fumble. Wilson and Wade Desmarais had six tackles each.
Macon East travels to Camden next week to play Wilcox Academy, while Lakeside (1-1) will travel to Luverne to play Crenshaw Christian in the region opener.
Patrician Academy 48, Morgan Academy 26
SELMA -- The Senators fought back from an early deficit to grab the lead on the final play of the first half, only to watch the Saints rally with three touchdowns and a safety in the third quarter to pull out a 48-26 win.
Carson Coody rushed for 197 yards and five touchdowns on 20 carries to lead the Saints (1-0) to a season opening win on the road.
Coody opened the scoring with a 3-yard run, but Morgan tied it up in the second quarter with a 12-yard run by T.B. Clements. After Coody scored on a 6-yard run, Rhyne Williams threw a 13-yard pass to Allen Lightfoot on the final play of the first half to tie the game. John Allen Ingram ran in the two-point conversion to give the Senators a 14-12 halftime lead.
Coody scored on a 7-yard run and ran in the two-point conversion, then scored again following a William Etheridge interception for a 26-14 lead. After Clements scored on a 1-yard run, Coody answered with a 42-yard run and the Saints blocked a punt for a safety and a 34-20 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Augustus Lewis scored on runs of 5 and 12 yards to put the game out of reach before Clements came back with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Lightfoot.
Clements completed 19 of 29 passes for 185 yards, running for two touchdowns and throwing for another. Williams had 11 receptions for 103 yards.
Defensively, Walter Gilmore led the Senators with 13 tackles.
Morgan (0-1) opens region play at home next week with Valiant Cross Academy, while Patrician returns home for a region game with Banks.
Autauga Academy 22, Edgewood Academy 7
ELMORE -- Autauga Academy struck for a pair of long touchdown runs to build a 20-0 lead before the Wildcats got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter in a 22-7 loss to the defending AA state champions.
Autauga’s defense was the difference in Friday’s game, allowing 293 total yards, but not giving up a touchdown until Austin Champion finally connected with Bradley Boone on a 54-yard pass with 8:41 remaining.
Champion completed 13 of 29 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. Boone, in his first action since suffering a season ending injury early last year, had 44 yards on nine carries.
Autauga (1-0) will travel to Bessemer Academy for a region game next week, while Edgewood (0-1) will travel to Chambers for an area game.
Fort Dale Academy 45, Hooper Academy 14
GREENVILLE -- Alan Alvarez returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, setting the tone as the Eagles jumped out to a quick lead in a 45-14 win over Hooper Academy in the season opener for both teams on Thursday night.
The Eagles played their first game in their renovated stadium and entertained fans with a strong first half in building a 31-0 lead before an R.J. Coker interception set up a Ron McGinty quarterback sneak for a touchdown just before the half to make it 31-7.
Coker led the Colts’ offense with 53 yards rushing. Lucas Spellman had an 8-yard touchdown reception for the Colts’ other touchdown late in the game.
Defensively, Coker led the Colts with 10 tackles, including a sack, with Spellman adding nine tackles, Petty with eight and Kadyn Lumley with six tackles, including a sack.
Hooper (0-1) returns home to play host to Abbeville Christian in a region matchup next week.
Fort Dale (1-0) travels to Glenwood School next week to open region play.
AISA SCOREBOARD
Autauga Academy 22, Edgewood Academy 7
Banks Academy 21, Bessemer Academy 9
Brookstone School 25, Glenwood School 23
Patrician Academy 48, Morgan Academy 26
Crenshaw Christian 59, Abbeville Christian 21
Macon East Academy 33, Lakeside School 18
Jackson Academy 22, Clarke Prep 14
Cornerstone 16, Coosa Valley 6
Southern Academy 46, Meadowview Christian 6
Fort Dale Academy 45, Hooper Academy 14 (Thursday)
Springwood School 40, Southern Prep 0 (Thursday)