AHSAA 2ND ROUND: Pike Road, Catholic advance; Lee, St. James eliminated

PIKE ROAD -- A lot of attention is focused on a pair of highly touted offensive performers, Iverson Hooks and Quinshon Judkins, but it was a pair of defensive stops by Pike Road that advanced the Patriots into the quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

A fumble recovery by Pike Road’s Jer’tarrian Hailes and a 91-yard interception return by Hooks proved to be the difference in a 29-17 win over St. Paul’s Episcopal in the second round of the 5A state playoffs on Friday night.

“Our defensive staff and defensive players did a great job in executing the game plan,” Pike Road coach Patrick Browning said. “They played extremely hard and it was a great team effort.”

After setbacks in the second round of the 2019 and 2020 playoffs, Pike Road (11-0) will make a quarterfinal appearance for the first time in school history, traveling to Mobile next Friday to play Faith Academy (7-4). 

“It’s a great accomplishment, and it's the first time in school history we’ve gone to the third round,” said Browning. “But I know our kids aren’t satisfied with that, and they’re still hungry.” 

The two running backs traded scores early with Judkins scoring the game’s first touchdown and Tyjuan Able answering for the Saints to tie the game. Early in the second quarter, with the Saints pinned deep in their territory by a punt, Khurtiss Perry dropped the St. Paul’s runner for a safety and Hooks scored the first of his two touchdowns on the ensuing possession to give Pike Road a 16-7 lead midway through the second quarter.

It didn’t last. A field goal and a touchdown pass from J.W. Holladay to receiver Charles Marston gave the Saints a 17-16 lead at the half.   

The game settled into a defensive struggle before the Saints threatened to take control of the game with a drive into the Pike Road red zone. At that point, a fumble by the Saints resulted in a Hailes’ recovery in the end zone to end the threat. 

Pike Road scored to take a five-point lead but was threatened again by the Saints. Another promising drive, helped by two Patriots’ defensive pass interference penalties, put St. Paul’s in the red zone again. This time, it was Hooks who stepped up big time during a must-make fourth and goal for the Saints, returning the interception 91 yards for a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining.

A block-in-the-back penalty brought the ball back to the St. Paul’s 20, where Hooks ran in his second touchdown of the night to seal the victory.

“I think we played, not perfect, but with perfect effort in all three phases, and our kids gave it everything they had,” said Browning. “Did they make mistakes? Absolutely, but good football teams are going to make plays and our kids weathered the storm, they didn’t get frustrated, and they kept fighting all night.”  

Hooks finished with 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 26 carries, while Judkins had 102 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. 

Perry had five tackles, including a sack, in addition to his safety. LaCedric Foster had eight tackles and forced a fumble.

Catholic 31, Bayside Academy 0

DAPHNE -- Jeremiah Cobb rushed for two touchdowns and caught a pass for another as Catholic shut out Bayside Academy 31-0 in the second round of the 3A state playoffs on Friday.

Catholic (12-0) tied the school record for most wins in a season and now has the second longest winning streak in school history (14 in 1978-80) as the Knights return home to face Hillcrest-Evergreen (7-5 ) in the 3A quarterfinals next Friday.

The Knights reached the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year and only the fourth time in school history.

Cobb had 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 19 carries, while pulling in a reception for a 40-yard touchdown as well. 

Caleb McCreary completed 7 of 11 passes for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

Defensively, the Knights set a school record with their seventh shutout of the season, breaking the mark set in 1946 and again in 1947. Senior defensive end Javen Augustus led the way with 10 tackles, including three for loss.

Linebacker Pat Ryan added nine tackles, including two for loss, and Zach Underwood had eight tackles, including one for loss. Linebacker T.J. Dudley had six tackles, including two for loss, while recording his team-leading fifth interception.   

Saraland 35, R.E. Lee 7

SARALAND – Lee’s bid for a Class 6A state title came to an end on Friday.

The Generals fell behind 21-0 before scoring their first and only points of the game in the second quarter on a Jakel Wiliams 31-yard pass to Christopher Dillihay.

Lee finishes the season at 8-3 while Saraland improves to 10-2 and will travel to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa next week.

Jackson 45, St. James 33

Cosner Harrison rushed for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 30 carries, but the Trojans couldn’t find enough defense to hold off Jackson in a wild 45-33 victory by the Aggies in the second round of the 4A state playoffs on Friday at Carlisle Field.

Jackson (10-2) returns home to host Handley (9-2) in the 4A quarterfinals next week. St. James ends the season at 10-2, its fourth 10-2 finish since 2016 and one win shy of the school record set by the 1985 team.

The Aggies had 597 total yards (334 rushing and 263 passing), the most ever by a St. James’ opponent, and the Trojans couldn’t close the gap after Jackson scored twice in the second quarter to take a 17-point lead.

St. James opened the scoring with a 9-yard pass from K.J. Jackson to Clint Houser on the game’s opening possession, but Jackson tied the game on the next play from scrimmage as Tychius Caves sprinted 77 yards to the end zone. 

The Aggies forged ahead on a halfback pass from backup quarterback James Jackson to Tylen Campbell for 65 yards, but St. James tied the game on a 4-yard run by K.J. Jackson. 

 A field goal by the Aggies gave them a three-point lead entering the second quarter and they extended the lead with an 85-yard pass from Walter Taylor to Campbell and a 30-yarder from Taylor to Jalen Pickens for a 31-14 lead.

Harrison scored on an 11-yard run to trim the halftime deficit to 31-21, but Jackson came out of the locker room with a strong possession to open the second half, scoring on a 12-yard run by Davion Woulard. 

K.J. Jackson scored on a 1-yard run and the Trojans followed up with a successful onside kick but the drive stalled and they were forced to punt. After trading punts and interceptions, the Aggies scored again on a James Jackson run to put the game out of reach.

St. James cut into the lead when Bradley Thomas caught a pass from K.J. Jackson and lateraled to Harrison, who went the final 59 yards with a little less than three minutes remaining, but the Aggies recovered the ensuing onside kick. 

K.J. Jackson completed 8 of 17 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown with one interception. 

The Trojans set another school record on Friday with a touchdown in each quarter, extending the streak to 16 consecutive quarters. The last time St. James failed to score in a quarter was against Ashford when the third and fourth quarters were shortened to six minutes each.