FRIDAY NIGHT PREPS: Carver keeps rolling with easy win; Pike Road records first victory; Holtville, Elmore County win
COMBINED REPORTS
G.W. Carver 46, JAG 0
Carver needed less than a minute to get on the scoreboard and cruised to the easy win in the Class 7A, Region 2 opener for both teams.
The Wolverines pounced on an opening-kickoff fumble by the Jaguars and promptly scored the first points on a TJ Russell touchdown pass to Anthony Rogers with less than a minute off the clock. They would score 40 points in the half.
Russell added two more touchdown passes in the half, one to Zion Crumton for 20 yards and another to Rogers with less than two minutes remaining.
Russell completed 8 of 11 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns while Rogers and Zion Crumpton each had a rushing and receiving touchdown.
Rogers rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown on three carries and added two receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. Crumpton had four carries for 60 yards and a touchdown and made the most of his one reception, scoring on a 20-yard pass from Russell.
TK Norman added three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown, while Tre Berry rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown on seven carries as the Wolverines rolled up 340 total yards.
JAG had minus-25 yards in total offense plus two turnovers. The Jags longest play from scrimmage was 10 yards.
Carver was led defensively by Rashad Walker, who had four tackles and an assist, including three tackles for 12 yards in losses. Labrain Dixon had two tackles, including two for 12 yards in losses, while Noah Maye had three tackles, including one for a five-yard loss. Kendariuous Reynolds had an assist and a fumble recovery.
Carver (3-0, 1-0 in region play) will travel to Smiths Station for a region game next Friday, while JAG (0-2, 0-1 in region play) will travel to Opelika for a region game at Bulldog Stadium next Friday.
Pike Road 40, Rehobeth 19
REHOBETH -- Pike Road scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to break open a tight game and earn their first win of the 2024 season with a 40-19 win over Rehobeth at Andrews Field on Friday night.
Pike Road scored on a 12-yard pass from Cason Myers to Omari Smith, but missed the extra-point attempt, leading the Rebels clinging to a 7-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Three minutes into the second quarter, the Patriots took the lead for good when Jhaylon Smith recovered a Rehobeth fumble and Myers delivered a 40-yard strike to Omari Smith for a 12-7 lead.
In the third quarter, the Patriots drove to the end zone to take a two-touchdown lead, converting a fourth-down play along the way to set up Ja’Michael Jones’ 5-yard touchdown run.
Jones reached the end zone again, this time on a 6-yard run as the Patriots extended their lead. Zavion Johnson countered for the Rebels, scoring on a 5-yard run to make it 26-13, but Jordan Holmes helped the Patriots grab back the momentum with a 75-yard return for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff.
Patrick Carter capped a Pike Road scoring drive with a 1-yard run for a 40-13 lead. Austyn Robinson pulled in a 25-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds left for the Rebels.
Pike Road (1-2) improved to 1-0 in 6A Region 2 play and will return home to host Wetumpka in a region game next Friday.
Rehobeth (2-1) dropped to 0-1 in region play and is idle next week.
Holtville 35, Sylacauga 13
HOLTVILLE -- Daishaun Zeigler ran for a pair of touchdowns to help the Bulldogs defeat Sylacauga 35-13 and present first-year coach Cory Lee with his first victory on Friday night.
Holtville (1-2) won its 5A Region 4 opener while also handing the Aggies (2-1, 0-1) their first loss in the region opener for both teams.
Zeigler rushed for 129 yards and added another 52 receiving yards for the Bulldogs.
Quarterback Jacob Burgess passed for 83 yards and ran for another 78 yards in the win.
Defensively, Anthony Chunn had eight tackles and a fumble recovery for Holtville, while Arkavious Turner and Connor Aplain added sacks.
Holtville travels to Eclectic for an area game with Elmore County next week, while Sylacauga returns home to host Beauregard in an area matchup.
Elmore County 31, Carroll 7
ECLECTIC -- Eli Thames scored a pair of touchdowns and the Panthers’ defense dropped Caroll tailback Holden Pawlik in the end zone for a pair of safeties to give Elmore County a 31-7 win on Friday night.
Elmore County outscored Carroll 19-0 in the second half to break open a tight game.
Thames scored on a 7-yard run and Caleb Spivey added a 2-yard touchdown run to put Elmore County in front 12-0, but the Eagles answered with a 2-yard run by Pawlik to make it 12-7 at the half.
Thames added a 26-yard touchdown run in between a pair of Pawlik safeties that extended the Panthers’ lead to 23-7. Gage Davis added a 7-yard touchdown pass to Seth McGhee.
Davis led the rushing attack with 83 yards on six carries, followed by Tyler Payton with 71 yards on seven carries, Parker Hobbs with 59 yards on 14 carries and Thames with 52 yards on seven carries.
Defensively, Connor Pike and Jackson Mann led the Elmore County defense with four tackles each.
Elmore County (2-0) remains home to host Holtville in the 5A Region 4 opener next week. Carroll (0-3) travels to Charles Henderson next Friday to open play in 5A Region 2.
Tallassee 35, Munford 14
MUNFORD - Rod “Tiny” Green scored three times and quarterback Trent Morris added two touchdown passes to lead the Tigers to their first Clas 4A, Region 3 win on Friday.
Green scored twice in the first quarter on runs of 10 and 1 yard. His third touchdown in the second quarter gave the Tigers a 28-7 lead.
Chase Chumley and Jordan King each had touchdown receptions from Morris, who finished 13 of 21 for 195 yards
Rush Wright added an interception for the Tigers defense.
Tallassee (2-0, 1-0) will continue region play next week in Tuskegee as coach LA O’Neal returns to face his former team, Booker T. Washington. Munford (1-1, 0-1) travels to Bullock County.
St. James 7, Bullock County 6
The Trojans’ defense converted two crucial fourth-and-one stops, one on the opponent’s goal line, and recovered a fumble on a muffed punt in the final minutes to earn Aubrey Blackwell his first victory as the Trojans’ head coach Friday at Carlisle Field.
Chase Perry threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Tabor Offord and Dylan Hines’ extra point in the first quarter.
Perry completed three passes, all to Offord, for a total of 60 yards. He was intercepted once. Grant Phillips rushed 14 times for 71 yards.
Bullock County quarterback Ty Wallace had 72 yards rushing on 23 carries and was 3-of-9 passing for only 2 yards.
St. James (1-2, 1-0) will face Handley next Friday.