PREP RECAP (Week 9): Montgomery Academy clinches playoff bid; Trinity finishes regular season with win
COMBINED REPORTS
Montgomery Academy 55, Geneva 24
DJ Vinson caught nine passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns while recording eight tackles and an interception on defense to lead Montgomery Academy past Geneva 55-24 and into the state playoffs for the 11th consecutive year on Friday night at McLemore Field.
Vinson, who set the school record earlier this season with a 250-yard night, broke his own record on Friday and established another record with four scoring receptions, breaking the school record he shared with Nate Meacham.
Montgomery Academy’s string of 11 consecutive Alabama High School Athletic Association playoff appearances is the longest in the River Region. The Eagles (4-6) captured the fourth seed in 4A Region 2 with the win and will travel to Centreville in two weeks to face Bibb County in the first round of the 4A state playoffs.
Vinson’s incredible performance overshadowed the achievements of several seniors on Senior Night.
Quarterback Parker Cook completed 13 of 16 passes for 378 yards and seven touchdowns, setting two school records in the process. His passing yardage broke the single-game record set by Trey Lindsey in 2018 and his seven scoring passes broke the school record of five set by Lindsey and tied by Britton Kohn.
Will Hardin carried the ball seven times for 80 yards, had one reception for 41 yards and a touchdown and made a game-high 13 tackles on defense.
Chance Wilson carried the ball just four times but had 96 yards and a touchdown while making four tackles and grabbing an interception on defense.
Among the younger players, junior Graham Martin had five tackles and a pair of quarterback pressures, sophomore Mac Benefield had nine tackles and an interception, sophomore Knox Wingate had eight tackles and a sack and freshman Jarrett Friendly had two receptions for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Friday’s meeting was for fourth place in 4A Region 2. Geneva’s loss dropped the Panthers to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in region play, while Montgomery Academy finished with a region record of 4-3.
Alabama Christian 54, Southside 34
Christian Snipes threw four touchdown passes and ran for two more as Alabama Christian Academy grabbed third place in 3A Region 3 with a 20-point victory over Southside-Selma on Friday at Faulkner University’s John Mark Stallings Field.
The Eagles (6-3) posted their third consecutive region victory to take third place in the region at 4-2. ACA will remain home to face Bayside Academy next week at home before traveling to Dothan to play Houston Academy (8-1) in the first round of the 3A state playoffs on Nov. 10.
Southside (6-3) dropped to 3-3 in region play and took fourth place in the region. The Panthers will return home to play Dallas County on Thursday, then will travel to Straughn (8-1) for the first round of the 3A state playoffs on Nov. 10.
Snipes had a 3-yard run midway through the first quarter for the game’s first points before David Ortiz-Ramirez answered a Southside score with a 21-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter for a 14-6 lead.
Snipes took to the air in the second quarter, throwing 10 yards to Jackson Burton for one touchdown and 18 yards to Darrius Gardner for another, but the Eagles’ 28-20 halftime lead disappeared in the third quarter as a pair of Southside touchdowns put the Panthers in front 34-28.
Snipes tied the game with a 52-yard pass to Ortiz-Ramirez and the Eagles added the two-point conversion for a 36-34 lead with 2:51 remaining in the quarter.
ACA pulled away in the fourth quarter as Snipes hit Burton with an 82-yard touchdown pass and added a 3-yard touchdown run before Ortiz-Ramirez scored on a 28-yard run with 2:24 left to give the Eagles a little cushion.
Snipes completed 11 of 18 passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 carries. Ortiz-Ramirez rushed 19 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.
Burton had four receptions for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Gardner had two catches for 25 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, linebacker William Milner led the Eagles with 10 tackles, Burton had five tackles and a sack, Lane Smith had four tackles and a sack and Ari Bowman had two fumble recoveries.
Trinity 49, Greensboro 8
GREENSBORO -- Ross Sanders scored a pair of touchdowns as the Wildcats routed Greensboro in their final regular season game on Friday.
Trinity (9-1) will take a week off before playing host to Providence Christian (5-4) in the first round of the 4A state playoffs on Nov. 10. Greensboro ended its season at 1-9.
The Wildcats had no trouble in their final region game, rolling up a 28-0 halftime lead before turning the game over to the reserves. Sanders scored the game’s first two touchdowns, Chase Lashlee added a third and Webber McClinton added another for a 28-point lead at the half.
Thompson McNees hit Luke Hall with a touchdown pass for a 42-0 lead before Greensboro finally got on the scoreboard.
Ashley Allen closed out the scoring with a short touchdown run for the Wildcats.
Trinity’s 9-1 regular season is the best for the school since the 2010 team went 9-1 in the regular season and finished 11-2, losing to Gordo in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
Elmore County 28, Holtville 21
HOLTVILLE -- Cade Everson ran for a pair of touchdowns and scored another on a reception to lead the Panthers to a 28-21 win over Holtville on Friday night.
Everson’s 4-yard reception from Ryles McNeely with 16 seconds remaining in the first half broke a 21-21 tie and proved to be the game winner as neither team scored in the second half.
Everson rushed for 87 yards on 13 carries, scoring the game’s first touchdown midway through the first quarter for a 7-0 lead, then scoring on a 52-yard run with 5:01 left in the first half to break a 14-14 tie. After Holtville returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to tie the game once more, Everson broke the tie once again to give the Panthers the victory.
C.J. Wilkes rushed for 81 yards on 13 carries for Elmore County, including a 4-yard run with 5:38 remaining in the first quarter to give Elmore County a 14-0 lead before the Bulldogs scored twice to tie the game.
Keiland Baker, Dashaun Zeigler and Elijah Headley all had touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Holtville was held to just 133 yards in total offense.
Elmore County (7-2) will return home to play host to Jemison next Friday before traveling for the first round of the 5A state playoffs on Nov. 10.
Holtville (6-3) will travel to Tallassee to play the Tigers next Friday before returning home to host a first-round playoff game on Nov. 10.
Lowndes Academy 56, Hooper Academy 0
HAYNEVILLE -- Scott Stinson returned the opening kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown and the Rebels rolled from there, closing out the regular season with their sixth shutout of the season in a 56-0 victory over Hooper Academy at Mac Champion Stadium on Friday night.
Two-time defending state champion Lowndes Academy (10-0), the only unbeaten team in the Alabama Independent School Association, will open defense of its title next Friday at home against Sparta Academy (1-9) in the first round of the Class A state playoffs.
Hooper Academy (4-6) will travel to Patrician Academy (7-3) next Friday for the first round of the AA state playoffs.
Stinson’s kickoff return spurred the Rebels to five first-quarter touchdowns and a 42-0 halftime lead.
Clayton Hussey completed 3 of 5 passes for 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 53-yarder to Andrew Myers for the Rebels’ first offensive touchdown.
Cooper Dansby added a 6-yard scoring run later in the first quarter and led the defense with 11 tackles.
Huston Hampton led the Rebels with 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 10 carries. Jase Howard added a 5-yard touchdown run.
Autauga Academy 31, Macon East 7
CECIL -- The Knights were no match for the Generals in the regular season finale for both teams as Autauga defeated Macon East 31-7 on Friday night.
Autauga Academy (7-3) will return home to play Bessemer Academy in the first round of the AAA playoffs next Friday, while Macon East Academy (1-9) will travel to Birmingham to play Banks Academy (9-1).
Sam Wallace completed 8 of 16 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown to Keegan Roney. Roney had four receptions for 51 yards.
Defensively, Barrett Spaeth led the Knights with 12 tackles. Carter Hopson had eight tackles and an interception.
Lee-Scott Academy 35, Edgewood Academy 6
ELMORE -- Brock Whitt threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Brody Whitt, but Lee-Scott closed out the regular season with a 35-6 win over the Wildcats on Friday.
Edgewood (4-6) will remain home to play Clarke Prep in the first round of the AA playoffs next week. Lee-Scott (9-1) will draw a first-round bye and will be home for the semifinals on Nov. 10.
Brock Whitt completed 6 of 16 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, but threw two interceptions. On defense, he had three tackles and an interception.
Parker Shaw led the Edgewood offense with 10 carries for 39 yards. Gabe LeMaster added three receptions for 52 yards. LeMaster also had eight tackles, an interception and a pass breakup on defense.