Montgomery Academy gets in a groove to upend Prattville Christian

Action from Friday’s battle between Montgomery Academy and Prattville Christian at McLemore Field. The Eagles won to increase their streak of nine games over the Panthers (Tim Gayle)

BY TIM GAYLE

It wasn’t like the outcome was ever in doubt.

But coaches at both Montgomery Academy and Prattville Christian Academy wanted to see how their teams would perform, for different reasons, in Friday’s 3A Region 3 matchup at McLemore Field on Friday night.

For unbeaten Montgomery Academy, the Eagles needed to get back into the groove of playing football after an unexpected week off following Southside-Selma’s forfeit for coronavirus reasons.

“I think we played fine,” MA coach Robert Johnson said. “I thought our focus was fine. I wouldn’t say it was awesome, but I thought it was fine. We played good, physical ball and (PCA) did a good job of picking up a few first downs and running clock, which was really smart by them. They’re much, much improved from last year’s team.”

For PCA, it was the third tough region game in a row for the Panthers, who still have hopes of earning a spot in the state playoffs when they face a similar array of region opponents that include Southside, Monroe County and Greensboro in October.

“We moved the ball, we just shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and bad snaps,” PCA coach Jeremy Carter said. “You’ve just got to overcome those things and we dug ourselves a hole too early. But MA is a great team with starters who have been there for three years. They’re big, strong and physical. And we’re just trying to get there.”

The Eagles churned out 328 yards, all on the ground, while holding the Panthers to minus 33 rushing yards in a 38-7 win that gave Johnson a 5-0 start and a 3-0 record in region play with a huge non-region battle with Catholic at home next week. 

“That’s going to be a heck of a ballgame,” Johnson said. “They’ve got a great team. We’re going to just try and make it competitive.”

That’s all Carter was after, a competitive battle to show his team how far it has come in a year. But after a couple of quick first downs by the Panthers’ offense, PCA would go almost another quarter before their next first down and only picked up one in the second half before their final possession against the MA reserves.

Bad snaps resulted in at least nine fumbles by PCA quarterbacks, not to mention an equal number that affected the rhythm of the team. 

“That’s what happens when you start a freshman at quarterback and a freshman at center,” Carter said. “They’re just young and inexperienced. That’s the price you pay for trying to build a program.”

Johnson used the opportunity to work on his team’s offensive arsenal. Freshman tailback Chance Wilson scored the game’s first touchdown on a 32-yard run (he had another negated by a penalty) and senior Carter Wallis had 63 yards on seven carries, including a touchdown (and another negated by a penalty).

“Carter’s earned a lot of attention and has performed really well,” Johnson said. “The biggest thing is for him and Jamal (Cooper) to be fresh when they’re in there because that makes a big difference. They’re both really talented running backs.”

Britton Kohn had 67 yards and a touchdown on four carries, followed by Jamal Cooper with 65 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Jashawn Cooper added 60 yards on six carries and Ben Harris scored a touchdown as well. 

Carter’s team never found much of an offensive rhythm, although Tanner Byrd completed 5 of 9 passes for 70 yards before leaving with a twisted ankle late in the third quarter after he was sacked for the sixth time. James Chancey took over in the fourth quarter and completed 3 of 4 passes for 75 yards, including a 24-yard strike on a fourth-and-22 pass to Stillman Davis with 79 seconds remaining.

“It’s confidence,” Carter said of the late touchdown. “It’s a building block. To score right there, no matter who’s out there, builds some confidence with our kids that we need.”

Johnson’s been there. He was there last year at Lee-Scott Academy. He knows the challenges facing Carter as the second-year coach tries to build confidence with a group of underclassmen.

“He’s in the process of doing that,” Johnson said. “I’ve been in those shoes before and he’ll get it done. I’m just glad nobody got hurt.”

PCA (1-4) returns home for a three-game homestand beginning with Thorsby before resuming region play.

“The kids are competing and that’s what we want,” Carter said. “We’re getting better offensively and defensively. The defense stayed out there a little too long tonight but I was still proud of the effort they showed.”