FRIDAY NIGHT RECAP (Week 10): Greenville gains playoff bid, celebrates with shut out of Park Crossing; ACA tops Maplesville

COMBINED REPORTS

The Greenville Tigers learned that their playoff fate changed for the better and promptly went out and celebrated with a shutout win of Park Crossing at Cramton Bowl on Friday.

Ka’Tyleon Phillips scored three times and rushed for 152 yards to lead the Tigers to a 31-0 win over hapless Park Crossing to close out the 2024 regular season.

The loss ended a winless season for the Thunderbirds, who finished 0-9 and on a losing streak of 13 straight games.

Earlier, Greenville was awarded a playoff spot in Class 5A after the AHSAA office announced that Region 2 foe Charles Henderson had to forfeit five region games due to the use of an ineligible player. The Tigers (6-4) will be the fourth seed and will travel to Central-Clay County next week.

Alabama Christian 32, Maplesville 29

MAPLESVILLE -- Christian Snipes’ pass into the end zone with no time remaining was snared by Bryant Swindle for the game-winning touchdown as Alabama Christian rallied from a nine-point deficit to defeat Maplesville 32-29 on Friday night.

Snipes’ pass covered 21 yards and was the only reception by Swindle in the game.

The Eagles rallied from a 13-0 deficit with big plays, scoring on a 76-yard pass from Snipes to AC Walters and using a 3-yard run by Walters with 1:46 remaining in the second quarter to give ACA a 14-13 lead at the half.

The Red Devils forged ahead with a touchdown early in the third quarter, but ACA regained the lead on a 63-yard run by David Ortiz-Ramirez for a 21-20 lead.

Alabama Christian would trim a nine-point deficit with a pair of Tyson Summers’ field goals, but still trailed 29-26 as the game would come down to the last play.

Snipes completed 12 of 24 passes for 247 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Walters had nine carries for 54 yards and a touchdown and five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Ortiz-Ramirez had 115 yards and a touchdown on five carries, along with five receptions for 97 yards. Jackon Burton added two receptions for 55 yards.

Defensively, Ladarius Walters and Jaydon McElrath each had eight tackles to lead Alabama Christian. Cam Sutton, Levi Summers and Jackson Burton each had seven tackles.

The win assured ACA of a sixth consecutive winning season while snapping a four-game winning streak by the Red Devils.

Alabama Christian (6-4) travels to Glenwood School next week for the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs, while Maplesville (8-2) remains home to play host to Florala in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs.

Tallassee 21, Holtville 14

TALLASSEE -- Jordan King scored all three touchdowns to help the Tigers close out the regular season with a win in a defensive struggle at J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium on Friday night.

King caught an 18-yard pass from Trent Morris for the game’s only points in the first half, then gave his team a 14-0 lead with a 32-yard fumble return for a touchdown. After Daishaun Zeigler put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with a 6-yard run later in the third quarter, King capped a drive with a 1-yard run for a 21-7 lead in the fourth quarter.

Conner Alpin scored for the Bulldogs on a 4-yard run, but Holtville could not come up with another score.

King had 22 rushing yards and a touchdown on four carries and six receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Roderick Green added 97 yards on 21 carries for the Tigers. Morris completed 9 of 14 passes for 121 yards, including two completions to Chase Chumley for 43 yards.

Zeigler led Holtville with 116 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Jacob Burgess completed 7 of 18 passes for 67 yards, with Elijah Headley pulling in three receptions for 33 yards and Zeigler grabbing two for 19 yards.

Tallassee (7-2) will remain home next Friday to play Mobile Christian in the first round of the 4A state playoffs, while Holtville (4-6) will travel to Catholic for the first round of the 5A state playoffs.

Elmore County 36, Chilton County 10

ECLECTIC -- Gage Davis threw a pair of touchdown passes and the Panthers pulled away late to defeat the Class 6A Tigers 36-10 on Friday night.

Davis threw a 31-yard pass to Tate McNeely to wipe out a Chilton County lead and tie the game at 7-7 after McNeely’s extra point.

After Griffin Green’s 33-yard field goal put the Tigers back in front, Caleb Spivey scored on a 16-yard run and ran in the two-point conversion to put the Panthers ahead for good.

In the third quarter, Davis connected with Seth McGhee on a 26-yard pass for a 22-10 lead and the Panthers added fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 12-yard run by Parker Hobbs and a 47-yard run by Jackson Mann.

Davis completed 9 of 12 passes for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns. McNeely had three receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown and Jacob Baker added two catches for 47 yards.

Hobbs led the Panther rushing attack with 72 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Spivey had 43 yards and a touchdown on six carries and Mann had 57 yards and a touchdown on two carries.

Elmore County (7-2) will travel to Andalusia for the first round of the 5A playoffs next Friday. Chilton County ends the 2024 season at 2-8.

Percy Julian 19, Benjamin Russell 13

ALEXANDER CITY - The Phoenix got a 45-yard touchdown run from running back Antwan Barnes and a 6-yard score from Elijah Tarver to finish out the regular season with a win over homesteading Ben Russell on Friday.

Keshun Marbury’s 2-yard score in the third quarter proved to be the difference in the win for Percy Julian (5-4), which will play in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs next week at Hueytown.

Fort Dale Academy 40, Edgewood Academy 13

ELMORE -- Edgewood Academy closed out the 2024 season with a 40-13 loss to Fort Dale Academy on Friday night.

Edgewood quarterback Brock Whitt completed 12 of 22 passes, including a touchdown pass to Landon Smith. He was intercepted once.

Grayson Jones had three receptions for 26 yards, while also accounting for 105 yards on three kickoff returns, including an 88-yard return for a touchdown.

Defensively, Cooper Freeman had 13 tackles to lead the Wildcats (3-6). Jackson Hudson and Parker Shaw each had six tackles.

Fort Dale (8-2) will return home to host Valiant Cross Academy in the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association state football playoffs next week.

Lowndes Academy 44, Morgan Academy 6

SELMA -- Lowndes Academy extended the state’s longest winning streak to 28 games, rallying from a 6-0 deficit with 44 unanswered points in a win at Morgan Academy on Friday.

Crawford Dansby’s 10-yard run, along with a Watters Box extra point, put the Rebels in front after the Senators had taken an early lead. Bradyn Stokes hit Box with a 4-yard pass to give Lowndes a 14-6 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Rebels’ defense recorded a safety to extend the lead to 23-6 early in the third quarter before Stokes connected with Box on another touchdown pass, this one covering 10 yards.

Jeremy Hardy added a 78-yard touchdown run and Dansby had a 5-yard scoring run to make it 44-6. Hardy finished with 141 yards on 11 carries, while Dansby had 60 yards on six carries.

Stokes completed 7 of 10 passes for 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Box had three receptions for 58 yards and scored 18 points in the contest with two touchdown receptions and six extra points.

Defensively, Ashton Yelder had seven tackles, including three for loss and a sack. Dansby and Zach Azar each had five tackles.

Lowndes Academy (9-0) will return home and play host to Jackson Academy in the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association state football playoffs next Friday, while Morgan Academy will travel to Bessemer Academy for a first-round game with the Rebels.