5A SEMIS: Pike Road smashes Andalusia to gain berth in state title game
Quinshon Judkins breaks the goal line for the first of his two touchdowns in Pike Road’s win over Andalusia on Friday. (Staff Photo)
By GRAHAM DUNN
Surreal.
It was the best way to describe the feelings of Quinshon Judkins and the Pike Road Patriots after breaking through to the 33-0 win over Andalusia in the semifinals of the Class 5A playoffs on Friday.
“Yeah, it’s a little surreal,” stated Judkins, who has been with the program since its inception. “I’ve been on this team and been through it all. We had motivation. Drive. This is how I am. (I) push through it and run as hard as I can and we all played our best the last few week.”
The Pike Road program is still considered an infant as football powers go.
Yet, it has dealt with high expectations all season after faltering in the second round in the last two tries.
They broke that barrier two weeks ago.ow they are a win away from a state title in next week’s Super 7.
They will take their perfect 13-0 record into next Thursday’s final to face Pleasant Grove at Birmingham’s new Protective Stadium.
“It's unbelievable, what these kids are doing right now, they are making history,” Pike Road coach Patrick Browning said after the win. “Being new like we are and playing so well, it’s how hard they’ve worked that has created this amazing run. I’m very proud of them.”
The two teams met in region play back on Sept. 10 and the Bulldogs gave Pike Road all it could handle in a 28-14 loss.
“They were tough on me last time. I had to keep my head up,” stated Pike Road quarterback Iverson Hooks. “The running backs played incredible. They carried us to the win."
The backs – Judkins the senior and freshman Anthony Rogers – combined for 348 yards and five touchdowns.
“We feel like we can run any time but this is probably the most we’ve run all year. I was ready to tote it,” Judkins said.
Pike Road’s varsity football program has been in existence since 2018 and has made the playoffs each year. They had perfect records heading into the second round the last two seasons only to be eliminated by Mobile Christian and UMS-Wright in succession.
"They’ve bought in that they have to get better each week. I think tonight showed we’ve gotten better since we’ve last played them, but hats off to Andalusia and coach (Trent) Taylor," Browning said.
The Patriots did all they needed in the second quarter with Judkins scoring from a yard out. The extra point was missed. But the special teams made up for it on Andalusia’s next possession with a blocked punt by Dalen Henderson to set up a 23-yard Judkins run to give Pike Road a 13-0 lead with just over four minutes left until halftime.
Punting problems continued for the Bulldogs on the next possession, giving the Patriots great field position at the 49 and leading to a 37-yard run for a score by Rogers to make it 20-0.
In that first half, the Patriot defense held Andalusia to a total of 62 yards.
“We made some small tweaks schematically but this is about the kids getting better and doing the assignments,” Browning said. “We told them that if you continue to get better at what you do, you will have more success. They’ve bought into the philosophy.”
That momentum carried into the second half where the Patriots scored two more times with Rogers adding to his total on runs of 68 and 7 yards.
Andalusia threatened to score just once, driving to the Pike Road 12-yard line only to be denied. The Bulldogs finished with just 171 yards in total offense with two turnovers.
Rogers finished with 176 yards and three scores on 14 carries to lead Pike Road. Judkins had 172 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries while Hooks had 97 yards in total offense.
Mac Ceman and Lacedric Foster each had five tackles while Khurtis Perry added six tackles, a pass deflection for the Patriots defense.
Freshman Jamarion Burnett led the Andalusia offense with 79 yards on 12 carries. Michael Hourel added 79 yards rushing for the Bulldogs, who finished the season 9-5 and lost in the semifinals for the fifth time in the last six years.
Pike Road will play next Thursday at 7 p.m.
AHSAA 2021 FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Semifinal Results
CLASS 1A
SOUTH
Sweet Water (13-0) 21, Brantley (12-1) 18
NORTH
Wadley (14-1) 41, Pickens County (11-3) 36
CLASS 2A
SOUTH
Clarke County (12-2) 42, Highland Home (8-6) 21
NORTH
Cleveland (12-2) 21, Mars Hill Bible (10-4) 13
CLASS 3A
SOUTH
Montgomery Academy (11-3) 10, Montgomery Catholic (13-1) 7
NORTH
Piedmont (12-2) 52, Saks (12-2) 44 (OT)
CLASS 4A
SOUTH
Vigor (13-1) 42, Jackson (11-3) 21
NORTH
Oneonta (13-1) 28, Madison Academy (12-2) 24
CLASS 5A
SOUTH
Pike Road (13-0) 33, Andalusia (9-5) 0
NORTH
Pleasant Grove (12-1) 47, Fairview (12-2) 17
CLASS 6A
SOUTH
Hueytown (13-1) 44, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (11-3) 16
NORTH
Clay-Chalkville (14-0) 24, Mountain Brook (12-2) 18
SUPER 7 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
PROTECTIVE STADIUM, BIRMINGHAM
Wednesday, Dec. 1
GIRLS’ FLAG FINALS, Dec. 1
Hewitt-Trussville (10-0) vs. Smiths Station (10-2), 3 p.m.
CLASS 7A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Central-Phenix City (13-0) vs. Thompson (12-1), 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 2
CLASS 3A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Montgomery Academy (11-3) vs. Piedmont (12-2), 11 a.m.
CLASS 1A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Wadley (13-1) VS. Sweet Water (13-0), 3 p.m.
CLASS 5A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Pleasant Grove (12-1) vs. Pike Road (13-0), 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 3
CLASS 4A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Vigor (13-1) vs. Oneonta (13-1), 11 a.m.
CLASS 2A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Cleveland (12-2) vs. Clarke County (12-2), 3 p.m.
CLASS 6A SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Clay-Chalkville (14-0) vs. Hueytown (13-1), 7 p.m.