CLASS 6A, REGION 2: Second-half surge lifts Pike Road to win; Carver shuts out Park Crossing

Wetumpka tailback Michael Dillard attempts to elude Malik Blocton and the Pike Road defense in Friday’s game at Wetumpka Municipal Stadium. (Ryan Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

WETUMPKA -- Wetumpka and Pike Road, a pair of winless teams with plenty of potential, were locked in a heated 6A Region 2 battle late in the first half at the Wetumpka Sports Complex.

The Patriots took a gamble that paid off, then got a crucial kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half on the way to a 41-18 win over the Indians on Friday night.

“The last drive (of the first half) was huge,” Pike Road junior Jordan King said. “We had the momentum going in at halftime, we came out with the same momentum and we just executed and played a great game.”

It was King that would put the finishing touches on the rout. Evan Dillard’s 90-yard kickoff return had pulled the Indians within 20-12 with 77 seconds remaining in the first half, a momentum swing that could propel Wetumpka to victory.

Just as quickly, Pike Road grabbed the momentum back, moving the ball 60 plays in three yards to put the ball on the Wetumpka 15-yard line. Four plays later, Kaleb Foster caught a bubble screen, fought off three tacklers and got to the 1-yard before he was knocked out of bounds with one second left.

Pike Road coach Granger Shook elected to go for the touchdown and the gamble paid off as Ja’michael Jones bulled into the end zone to give the Patriots a 27-12 halftime lead.

“Last year, we were up big at halftime and we had to come back and win it on a last-second play,” Shook said. “We challenged them at halftime and our boys took the challenge. I can’t brag on this team enough. We had a chance, 0-2 to start the season, to shut it down and we didn’t.”

That’s because King would return the second-half kickoff for a touchdown, picking up the ball after he dropped the kickoff on the right sideline, beating a pair of Wetumpka defenders to the left sideline and turning upfield on a sprint for the end zone and a 34-12 lead.

“Coach had a middle return, but after I dropped the ball, everything was clogged up in the middle, so I tried to use my speed and get to the outside,” King said. 

Wetumpka quarterback Nate Rogers, who had burned the Patriots on a pair of 36-yard touchdown runs, would be relatively effective in the second half as the Pike Road defense held the Indians to a pair of first downs and 74 total yards in the last 24 minutes. 

Rogers finished with 152 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. 

“He’s one of the best players in the state of Alabama, there’s no doubt about it,” Shook said. “I was very proud of our defense. I got in their grill a little bit after that last touchdown run he had and our defense responded very, very well. There were times when we didn’t read our keys at ‘backer. We locked back in and read our keys and our DBs were able to get off blocks. Any time you play that quality of an athlete, it takes all 11 on defense.”

Pike Road freshman Cason Myers completed 15 of 21 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, the last a 21-yard screen to Jones, who had 94 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries before adding a third on the screen pass.

“Our coach had a great game plan,” King said. “He trusted me, Ja’michael and the rest of my teammates. Stick to the game plan, we came out with a ‘W.’”

Wetumpka countered with a good game plan of its own, but the execution wasn’t quite as solid, with two passes dropped in the end zone on its first three possessions and a touchdown reception negated by a penalty, along with two missed field goals. 

“We have to do better in every single phase of football,” Wetumpka coach Bear Woods said. “I’ve been in this spot as a player, I know what it feels like to be in their shoes and I’m motivated to let them know this is just another step in the process, to respond to adversity in a positive way and this game of football allows you to do that.

“Here in Wetumpka, we’re building something that’s really a mentality. I saw a lot of good things tonight with some really young players. Hats off to Pike Road for coming in, on the road, and winning a region game. But that’s my message to the guys, I believe in them and no one’s going to outwork us.”

Wetumpka (0-3) travels to Montgomery on Thursday to play Park Crossing at Cramton Bowl.

Pike Road (1-2), meanwhile, returns home to play host to Sidney Lanier in a region game on Friday, its confidence restored after beating the Indians. 

“From the outside, looking in, people said Pike Road went downhill, won state (in 2021) and now we’re 0-2, but we played two really good teams the first two weeks and everybody is still bought in,” King said. “Nobody was crying about it, nobody quit, everybody stuck together. I think we’ll have a great year.”

G.W. Carver 27, Park Crossing 0

Pass-happy G.W. Carver earned its first Class 6A, Region 2 victory on Friday, shutting out city-rival Park Crossing, 27-0, at Cramton Bowl.

Quarterback Terrell Russell threw for three touchdowns to three different receivers, finishing with 312 yards passing on 23-of-34 attempts.

Channing Cargill, Niking Patterson and Laquenton Underwood each caught a touchdown pass for Carver, which improved to 2-1, 1-0 in region play.

Harry Welch was 3-of-4 on PATs.

Carver scored its first points with Jamyran Bell recovering a fumble and scoring from 3 yards out in the opening quarter.

The Wolverines held the Park Crossing offense to 76 yards in total offense, including eight yards on the ground.

Patterson led Carver receivers with 109 yards on four receptions. Kenyon Phelps had 86 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Carver travels to Seale to face Russell County next Friday while Park Crossing (2-1, 0-1) plays Wetumpka next Thursday at Cramton Bowl.

Stanhope Elmore 24, Russell County 21

MILLBROOK - Running back Arthur McQueen rushed for two touchdowns to lead the Mustangs to a region win at Foshee-Henderson Stadium on Friday.

Jacob Bryant added a score and Colby Beyer had a field goal for the Mustangs’ points.

Stanhope Elmore (2-1, 1-0 6A/R2) has a week off before playing host to G.W. Carver on Sept. 22.