AISA PLAYOFFS: LOWNDES REACHES CLASS A FINALS

By TIM GAYLE

HAYNEVILLE -- Lowndes Academy, proving that the hottest team often turns out to be the best team, jumped on Sparta Academy early and got 159 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries from Jackson Self to defeat the Warriors 35-20 and advance to the Class A finals at Cramton Bowl next week.

The Rebels’ last loss came on Sept. 17 at home in a 30-14 setback to Sparta. Since then, Lowndes has reeled off eight consecutive wins to earn its first trip to the finals since 2008.

Lowndes (10-3) will meet Jackson Academy (10-1) next Friday at noon at Cramton Bowl. The Rebels’ last trip to Cramton Bowl was also in the finals when they defeated Woodland in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class A championship game. 

Since then, Lowndes has made six trips to the finals, beating Shelby 14-9 for the 1997 state championship and losing the other five.

Sparta ends the season at 9-2, it’s only losses coming at the hands of Jackson (34-16 on Oct. 22) and to Lowndes.

Tyler Tyus staked the Rebels to an early lead in Friday’s semifinal matchup, capping a drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak and two-point conversion run, then hitting Clayton Hussey with a 13-yard touchdown pass for a 15-0 lead.

Self added an 18-yard scoring run early in the third quarter and Watters Box added the extra point for a 22-0 lead.

Parker Spears rallied the Warriors, scoring on a 9-yard run and adding the two-point conversion run, then scoring on a 65-yard run to make it 22-14 late in the third quarter. 

The Rebels countered with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach as Self scored on runs of 25 and 47 yards. 

Spears added a touchdown late on a 1-yard run. The Sparta quarterback rushed for 52 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries and completed 6 of 15 passes for 132 yards with one interception. 

Tyus completed 9 of 14 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, along with an interception. Hussey caught three passes for 46 yards and a touchdown while also recording an interception on defense.

Defensively for the Rebels, Cooper Dansby had 11 tackles, including three for loss and a pair of sacks. Parker Lee Harris had six tackles, followed by Self and Trey Thomas with four each. 

AISA STATE PLAYOFFS

SEMIFINAL

CLASS A

Lowndes Academy 35, Sparta Academy 20

Jackson Academy 42, Crenshaw Christian 0

CLASS AA

Autauga Academy 53, Patrician Academy 20

Escambia Academy 37, Chambers Academy 13

CLASS AAA

Pike Liberal Arts 29, Glenwood School 6

Tuscaloosa Academy 26, Lee-Scott Academy 13

FINALS

Friday at Cramton Bowl

CLASS A

Lowndes Academy (10-3) vs. Jackson Academy (10-1), 12 p.m.

CLASS AA

Autauga Academy (12-0) vs. Escambia Academy (10-1), 3:30 p.m. 
CLASS AAA

Pike Liberal Arts (11-1) vs. Tuscaloosa Academy (7-4), 7 p.m.