PREP FOOTBALL RECAP (Week 0): Catholic wins; Pike Road falls on the road; Autauga Academy moves to 2-0

COMBINED REPORTS

Catholic 21, McGill-Toolen 0

MOBILE -- Catholic senior Caleb McCreary ran for three touchdowns to lead the Class 4A Knights to a 21-0 win over Class 6A McGill-Toolen at The Lip on Friday night.

McCreary, a Troy commitment, completed 8 of 18 passes for 128 yards with an interception, but did the most damage with his feet, rushing for 62 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. 

The win over the Yellow Jackets was the 25th consecutive regular-season victory for Catholic dating back to a 2020 loss to Montgomery Academy and was the Knights’ 13th shutout in the last 21 games.

Jeremiah Cobb moved on to Auburn, so the Knights utilized two runners in place of the school’s career rushing leader, with Josh Griffin rushing for 111 yards on 15carries and Giovanni Hayner rushing for 101 yards on 14 carries.

Defensively, Myle Khatri led the Knights with 11 tackles, including three for loss and a pair of sacks. Zay Rudolph had eight tackles, including two for loss, Garrett Sanford had six tackles, including three for loss and a sack, and Rickie Williams had five tackles and an interception. 

Catholic (1-0) returns home for a pair of home games over the next two weeks, playing host to Alabama Christian Academy next Friday before facing Booker T. Washington in the region opener.

Marist (Ga.) 42, Pike Road 14

ATLANTA -- Marist scored on each of its first three possessions in the first quarter and the War Eagles coasted to a 42-14 win over Pike Road at Hughes Spalding Stadium on Friday.

The loss spoiled the debut of Granger Shook, the former Trinity coach who took over as head coach of the Patriots in late March.

The loss also spoiled the varsity debut of freshman quarterback Cason Meyers, who completed 16 of 26 passes for 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Both touchdowns receptions were by senior Jordan King, who had 191 yards on six catches, including scoring receptions of 75 and 85 yards.    

Defensive lineman Malik Blocton, an Auburn commitment, had 10 tackles, a sack and a quarterback pressure. Cody Markham added nine tackles and Trey Caver had eight tackles.  

Marist (2-1) remains home to face Savannah Christian next Friday, while Pike Road (0-1) returns home to play Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in the Patriots’ home opener next Friday.

Thompson 44, Opelika 14 (Kickoff Classic)

Thompson High School’s defense dominated a scoreless first quarter and the Warriors offense posted 23 points in the second period as the three-time defending Class 7A state football champions opened the 2023 football season with a 44-13 win over Opelika at Cramton Bowl on Friday.
    

Freshman quarterback Trent Seaborn completed 20-of-26 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Deuce Oliver grabbed nine receptions for 118 yards and one TD, and running back Michael Dujon rushed for two second-half touchdowns.   

Opelika’s defense rose up, however, and stopped the Warriors on first play of the second quarter on third down, and place-kicker John McGuire kicked a 29-yard field goal at 11:14 of the second period to give Thompson a hard-to-come-by 3-0 lead.


The Bulldogs offense could find no real consistency in the first quarter with minus-7 yards on seven running plays minus-2 passing yards on their only completion – and no first downs. 
After forcing the Warriors’ field goal, however, Opelika finally reeled  two first downs before a personal foul on the Bulldogs stopped the momentum cold.
Thompson took full advantage of the shift with Seaborn connecting on two quick passes, the second one going to Oliver all the way to the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Green ran through a gaping hole to score for a 5-yard touchdown run. McGuire kicked the extra point and the Warriors led 10-0 at 6:43 in the second quarter.
Opelika fullback Calvin Hughley cut the Thompson lead to 10-7 with a 38-yard run.

Hughley, who finished with 76 yards rushing on 15 carries, added a 1-yard TD to cut the Thompson lead to 23-13 with 2:38 left in the third quarter.


AISA

Autauga Academy 33, Edgewood Academy 7

PRATTVILLE -- Cam Wright ran for four touchdowns and Tayden Allen rushed for another as the Generals remained unbeaten with a 33-7 win over the shorthanded Edgewood Wildcats on Friday night at Autauga Academy.

Edgewood, which has scored just two touchdowns in its first two games, struggled through a bout with COVID earlier in the week that left the Wildcats shorthanded for Friday’s game. Quarterback Ethan Evans scored the Wildcats’ only touchdown.

Tailback Parker Shaw had 64 yards on 14 carries, a reception for 19 yards and 12 tackles on defense.

Gabe LeMaster rushed for 57 yards on six carries, caught a pair of passes for 23 yards and added 17 yards on one return.

Brody Whitt added 21 receiving yards on two catches.

Defensively, Cooper Freeman and Zayne Talley led the Wildcats with eight tackles each. Colton Lashley and Landon Smith each had an interception for Edgewood and Brock Whitt had a sack.

Autauga (2-0) opens region play next Friday against Bessemer at home, while Edgewood (0-2) will face region rival Chambers in the Wildcats’ home opener next week.

Before the game, both sides joined forces to recognize longtime headmaster Larry Pickett, who passed away in May. Pickett spent most of his career at Edgewood but came out of retirement to serve as headmaster for Autauga for the last five years.

Lakeside School 48, Macon East Academy 16 

CECIL -- Thaddeus McKinney rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, but the Knights couldn’t keep pace with Lakeside School in the 2023 home opener on Friday.

Carter Hopson had four tackles and an interception for Macon East. Barrett Spaeth added four tackles.

Macon East (0-2) will play host to Wilcox Academy next week. Lakeside (2-0) returns home to host region rival Crenshaw Christian next Friday.

Fort Dale Academy 42, Hooper Academy 20

HOPE HULL -- Lucas Spellman scored a pair of touchdowns and Crist McCoy added another as the Colts fell to Fort Dale in their 2023 season opener at Davis Henry Field on Friday.

Spellman had 109 receiving yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, while McCoy rushed for 109 yards and added 75 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Ellis Fleming led the Colts with six tackles. McCoy added five.

Hooper (0-1) travels to Abbeville Christian Academy to face the Generals next Friday in the region opener for both teams. Fort Dale (2-0) returns home for a region battle with Glenwood School next week.  

AISA SCORES

Autauga Academy 33, Edgewood Academy 7

Banks Academy 40, Bessemer Academy 30

Fort Dale Academy 42, Hooper Academy 20

Glenwood School 38, Brookstone School 17

Monroe Academy 59, Sparta Academy 14

Patrician Academy 37, Morgan Academy 22

Escambia Academy 23, Valiant Cross 7

Jackson Academy 35, Clarke Prep School 34

Wilcox Academy 41, Pickens Academy 6

Crenshaw Christian 58, Abbeville Christian 24

Chambers Academy 48, Heritage Academy 6

Lakeside School 48, Macon East Academy 16

Rocky Bayou 42, Snook Christian 13

Cornerstone Christian 55, Coosa Valley 0

Southern Academy 51, Meadowview Christian 0

Springwood School 54, Southern Prep 27