PREP RECAP: MA, Pike Road advance to semis; Pike Liberal repeats
Compiled by TIM GAYLE
It was hard to figure out which was more impressive, Jamal Cooper’s performance at quarterback for Montgomery Academy or the Eagles’ 28-0 shutout of T.R. Miller in the quarterfinals of the 3A state playoffs at McLemore Field on Friday night.
Head coach Robert Johnson was quick to praise Cooper, the senior running back turned quarterback.
“Jamal played a sensational game at quarterback,” Johnson said. “He creates such another dimension because, not only is he really poised back there, but he’s fast, sharp and he reads things so well.”
Cooper, who moved from running back to quarterback on a full-time basis at the beginning of the playoffs, recorded 78 yards passing along with 118 rushing yards and a touchdown.
It was also easy to praise the defense, which handed one of the state’s best-known playoff teams a rare shutout. In a rich tradition of 128 playoff games over the last 51 years, T.R. Miller has been shutout just four times in the school’s history. Since the last postseason shutout, a 10-0 loss to Lanett in 1987, T.R. Miller has been shut out just once (a 25-0 loss to Andalusia in 2015) in 437 games before Friday’s loss.
“Our defensive line played outstanding and they dominated the ballgame from start to finish,” Johnson said. “I was so proud of our defense for shutting out T.R. Miller, which is one of the best offenses in the state.”
The Eagles got the scoring started after Jashawn Cooper, who had 104 yards and three touchdowns, ran in his first touchdown of the night about midway through the first quarter to take a one-score lead.
Early in the second quarter, Jamal Cooper scored his lone touchdown of the game to take a two-score lead.
The Tigers couldn’t convert a fourth-down play near midfield with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half and the Eagles capitalized on the good field position with another Jashawn Cooper touchdown run for a 21-0 halftime lead.
Jashawn Cooper added another touchdown midway through the third quarter for the game’s final points.
The win sets up a rematch between Montgomery Academy (11-3) and Catholic in the 3A semifinals. Last year, at McLemore Field, the Knights handed MA their only loss of the season in overtime in the semifinals. This year’s rematch marks the first time for back-to-back semifinal playoff appearances for the Eagles since 1987-88.
“We have a 24-hour-rule,” said Johnson. “But after that, we’re going to get back to work and try to do our best against the number one team in the state.”
This time, the game will be at Catholic. The Knights defeated Montgomery Academy 42-0 at home on Sept. 24.
Pike Road 42, Faith Academy 0
MOBILE -- Pike Road handed Faith Academy its worst playoff loss ever, shutting out the Rams 42-0 in the quarterfinals of the 5A state playoffs on Friday night.
Anthony Rogers rushed for three touchdowns and Quinshon Judkins added two more as the Patriots advanced to the semifinals of the state playoffs for the first time in school history.
Pike Road (12-0) will play host to Region 2 rival Andalusia (9-4), a 20-14 winner over UMS-Wright, on Friday. The Patriots defeated the Bulldogs 28-14 in Pike Road on Sept. 10.
Friday’s win was the fifth shutout for the Patriots, setting a school record, and the second most lopsided playoff win in history behind a 2019 win over Carbon Hill (45-0) in the first round of the 3A playoffs.
Judkins rushed for 145 yards -- and added 25 more yards on a pair of receptions -- and scored a pair of touchdowns, while Rogers had 15 carries for 125 yards and scored three times. Quarterback Iverson Hooks added 95 yards on seven carries.
Hooks completed 4 of 5 passes for 68 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jeremaine Abner.
Defensively, DJ Tolliver had an interception, Jaylan Jarret had four tackles, a forced fumble and a quarterback pressure and Khurtiss Perry had three tackles, a quarterback pressure and a tackle for loss.
The loss was the worst ever for Faith Academy to a non-Mobile school since joining the Alabama High School Athletic Association in 2008.
AISA Class AAA Championship
Pike Liberal Arts 41, Tuscaloosa Academy 21
Zakevin Pennington rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Patriots to the AISA Class AAA championship against pesky Tuscaloosa Academy on Friday at Cramton Bowl.
It is the second-straight title for Pike Liberal, which beat Glenwood in the finals a year ago.
The Patriots held off numerous Knights’ charges with big plays. Ian Foster had a 73-yard kickoff return for a score to extend Pike Liberals’ lead to 21-7 in the second quarter. But that was followed by Jordan Evans’ own kickoff return of 78 yards for a score to pull Tuscaloosa Academy back to within a touchdown at 21-14.
On the next play from scrimmage, Pennington raced 80 yards for a score to push the Pike Liberal lead back to 14.
Markelis Hobdy and Kam Baker added late TD runs as the Patriots pulled away for the win.
TA quarterback Preston Lancaster led of the offense with 170 yards passing and two touchdowns but he also threw four interceptions.
The Patriots finished 12-1 for the season for their four championship in school history.
AHSAA 2021 FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Third-Round Results
CLASS 1A
SOUTH
Brantley (12-0) 20, at Keith (11-2) 14
Sweet Water (12-0) 41, Maplesville (11-2) 7
NORTH
Wadley (12-1) 27, Woodland (5-8) 0
Pickens County (11-2) 60, Decatur Heritage (10-3) 46
CLASS 2A
SOUTH
Clarke County (11-2) 14, B.B. Comer (10-3) 7
Highland Home (8-5) 15, Lanett (10-3) 14
NORTH
Cleveland (11-2) 39, Southeastern (8-5) 8
Mars Hill Bible (10-3) 42, Spring Garden (12-1) 19
CLASS 3A
SOUTH
Montgomery Academy (10-3) 28, T.R. Miller (10-3) 0
Montgomery Catholic (13-0) 41, Hillcrest-Evergreen (7-6) 6
NORTH
Saks (12-1) 14, Fyffe (10-2) 7
Piedmont (11-2) 43, Winfield (12-1) 14
CLASS 4A
SOUTH
Vigor (12-1) 26, American Christian (11-2) 10
Jackson (11-2) 24, Handley (9-3) 23
NORTH
Madison Academy (12-1) 35, Good Hope (9-4) 28
Oneonta (12-1) 56, Brooks (12-1) 28
CLASS 5A
SOUTH
Andalusia (9-4) 20, UMS-Wright (11-2) 14
Pike Road (12-0) 42, Faith Academy (7-5) 0
NORTH
Pleasant Grove (12-1) 49, Center Point (9-4) 21
Fairview (12-1) 44, Parker (11-2) 27
CLASS 6A
SOUTH
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (11-2) 24, Saraland (10-3) 16
Hueytown (12-1) 46, Opelika (9-4) 10
NORTH
Mountain Brook (12-1) 30, Pinson Valley (9-4) 0
Clay-Chalkville (13-0) 50, Gardendale (10-3) 44 (OT)
CLASS 7A
SEMIFINALS
SOUTH
Central-Phenix City (13-0) 28, Auburn (10-3) 17
NORTH
Thompson (12-1) 35, Hoover (12-1) 10
Semifinal Pairings
CLASS 1A
SOUTH
Sweet Water (12-0) at Brantley (12-0)
NORTH
Wadley (12-1) at Pickens County (11-2)
CLASS 2A
SOUTH
Highland Home (8-5) at Clarke County (11-2)
NORTH
Mars Hill Bible (10-3) at Cleveland (11-2)
CLASS 3A
SOUTH
Montgomery Academy (10-3) at Montgomery Catholic (13-0)
NORTH
Piedmont (11-2) at Saks (12-1),
CLASS 4A
SOUTH
Jackson (11-2) at Vigor (12-1)
NORTH
Oneonta (12-1) at Madison Academy (12-1)
CLASS 5A
SOUTH
Andalusia (9-4) at Pike Road (12-0)
NORTH
Fairview (12-1) at Pleasant Grove (12-1)
CLASS 6A
SOUTH
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (11-2) at Hueytown (12-1)
NORTH
Clay-Chalkville (13-0) at Mountain Brook (12-1)
CLASS 7A
Super 7 Championship, Dec. 1
Central-Phenix City (13-0) vs. Thompson (12-1), Protective Stadium, 7 p.m.
GIRLS’ FLAG FINALS, Dec. 1
Hewitt-Trussville vs. Smiths Station, Protective Stadium, 3 p.m.