AISA FIRST ROUND: Lowndes, Edgewood advance
COMBINED REPORTS
Edgewood Academy 14, Banks Academy 7
ELMORE -- This time, the Edgewood defense was up to the challenge of grounding the Banks Academy Jets.
In the first meeting, on Sept. 29, the Jets ran wild as Josh Bonner ran for three touchdowns and Anthony Ruffin threw for two more in a 47-19 rout of the Wildcats. On Friday, in a first-round playoff rematch, Bonner was held out of the end zone as was Ruffin’s passes as the Wildcats rallied with two touchdowns to win 14-7.
Edgewood Academy (6-5) will travel to Butler to play Patrician Academy (11-0) in the AA semifinals. Banks Academy ends the season at 6-5.
In the regular season meeting, Bonner ran for 236 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries and both of Ruffin’s completions went for touchdowns. On Friday, Bonner had 141 yards on 24 carries but couldn’t find the end zone, while Ruffin completed 4 of 11 passes for 12 yards.
The Banks quarterback did score the Jets’ only touchdown, running 2 yards for a score with 5:31 remaining in the first half to break a scoreless tie. He finished with 45 yards on nine carries.
Edgewood quarterback Austin Champion answered Banks’ touchdown with one of his own, throwing a 90-yard touchdown pass to tailback Gabe LeMaster late in the first half to tie the game at 7-7.
Champion and LeMaster teamed up again, this time for 86 yards, with 8:26 remaining for the game-winning points.
Champion was 7 of 17 for 240 yards. LeMaster had just 26 rushing yards on 10 carries, but accounted for 180 yards on three receptions and led the Wildcats with 10 tackles.
Wes Reeves had nine tackles, followed by Parker Shaw with eight and Cooper Freeman and Logan Mooney with seven tackles each.
Lowndes Academy 68, Snook Christian 12
HAYNEVILLE -- The Lowndes Academy defense returned three interceptions for touchdowns, including a 99-yard return by Luke Lovell, in a 68-12 rout of Snook Christian in the first round of the Class A state playoffs at Mac Champion Stadium on Friday.
The defending state champs (9-2) will play host to Southern Academy (5-5) next week, with the winner advancing to the finals in Cramton Bowl on Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.
Snook Christian ends the season at 1-10.
Noah Smith threw a pair of touchdown passes, one to Scott Stinson for 38 yards and another to Lovell for 13 yards, and returned an interception for a touchdown to give the Rebels a quick 21-0 lead.
Riley McGregor, who had 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns on seven receptions, scored for Snook early in the second quarter, but the Rebels answered with touchdown runs by Stinson and Smith and a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown by Will Brasell for a 41-6 lead.
After McGregor scored again, this time on a 25-yard reception, Lowndes scored four times in the fourth quarter. Chase Rudder, Smith and Andrew Myers had touchdown runs before Lovell closed out the scoring with his interception return.
Kasen Dismukes rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries to lead the Lowndes offense and had nine tackles to lead the Rebels defensively.
Clarke Prep School 35, Macon East Academy 19
GROVE HILL -- Gabe Spencer rushed for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 25 carries, but the Knights’ defense had trouble containing the Gators in a 35-19 loss to Clarke Prep in the first round of the AA playoffs on Friday.
Macon East, which ended its season at 7-4, continued its struggles on the road in the postseason, losing for the 12th time in 14 road playoff games since winning the championship in 2000.
Clarke Prep (8-3) will travel to LaFayette next week to play Chambers (8-3) in the AA semifinals.
Macon East quarterback Deonte Powell completed 11 of 25 passes for 80 yards, including a touchdown pass to Sanders Manning. Powell was intercepted once.
Defensively for the Knights, Dalton Nickles had 12 tackles, followed by Zach Brown with eight tackles and Wade Desmairis with seven tackles and a sack.
AISA PLAYOFFS
CLASS AAA
First Round
Valiant Cross Academy 30, Monroe Academy 20
Morgan Academy 40, Autauga Academy 30
Semifinals
Valiant Cross Academy (4-6) at Lee-Scott (10-0)
Morgan Academy (7-4) at Glenwood School (7-3)
CLASS AA
First Round
Chambers Academy 56, Escambia Academy 12
Clarke Prep School 35, Macon East Academy 19
Patrician Academy 55, Abbeville Christian 13
Edgewood Academy 14, Banks Academy 7 (OT)
Semifinals
Clarke Prep School (8-3) at Chambers Academy (8-3)
Edgewood Academy (6-5) at Patrician Academy (11-0)
CLASS A
First Round
Lowndes Academy 68, Snook Christian 12
Southern Academy 21, South Choctaw Academy 14
Jackson Academy 58, Lakeside School 0
Crenshaw Christian 32, Wilcox Academy 6
Semifinals
Southern Academy (5-5) at Lowndes Academy (9-2)
Crenshaw Christian (8-3) at Jackson Academy (11-0)