PREP RECAP (Quarterfinals): Catholic advances to play MA; Playoff run for Alabama Christian ends

STAFF REPORT

Jeremiah Cobb rushed for 265 yards on 20 carries as Catholic amassed 547 yards of offense in a 24-15 win at Thomasville on Friday night.

The Knights (11-2)  advanced to the semifinals for the second time in school history and will face Montgomery Academy next Friday at McLemore Field. 

“We put together a really outstanding team effort tonight,” Catholic coach Aubrey Blackwell said. “We’ve jelled really well. We’ve got guys in the right spot and are starting to get continuity, especially in the trenches on both sides of the ball. We played an outstanding football game tonight.”

Catholic jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead with a 40-yard pass from Caleb McCreary to DJ Carter and a 70-yard run by Cobb, who established a career high with his performance on Friday night.

“He played really well,” Blackwell said. “They were intentional on trying to take away the passing game to Myles (Butler) and DJ. We were able to block up front and block well. That’s what we’ve been needing the whole year. That extra presence in the running game paid off well for us tonight.” 

Judd Osten booted a 33-yard field goal with 10:31 remaining in the game to put Catholic on top 17-0 before the Tigers finally broke loose with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Carter Hankins to Javian Johnson. 

Thomasville (10-2) was held to 90 yards rushing on 32 carries, while Hankins completed 10 of 23 passes for 157 yards, most on it coming on the one long pass to Johnson. 

Catholic responded with a touchdown drive of its own as McCreary connected with Butler on a 27-yard scoring toss with 7:17 left in the game. McCreary completed 9 of 16 passes for 242 yards, with Carter and Butler combining for 217 yards on eight receptions. 

Thomasville took advantage of four major-distance penalties on its ensuing drive as Hankins threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Chandler Guerra. Quez Jackson ran in the two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 24-15, but Catholic recovered the onsides kick and ran out the clock.  

“We played excellent up front on defense,” Blackwell said, “and Pat Ryan had 15 or 16 tackles. He had a big night. The defense played extremely well.”

The win marked the second time Catholic has advanced to the semifinals, reaching that point in 1989 before losing to Georgiana. This year’s semifinal game is a rematch of a game won by Montgomery Academy (32-21) on Sept. 25.

American Christian 38, Alabama Christian 7

Finally, a team built for the playoffs found a way to hold Jalen Clark in check.

American Christian and Alabama Christian traded blows for a half before the Patriots pulled away for a 38-7 victory, managing to control the Eagles’ offense by controlling its senior quarterback.

Clark completed 14 of 19 passes for 90 yards, but most were short passes while the quarterback was never really a factor in the Alabama Christian rushing attack on Friday.

American Christian made its fourth consecutive trip to the quarterfinals, stepping over an area team in the process each season – Montgomery Academy in 2017, Catholic in 2018, Holtville in 2019 and now Alabama Christian. 

American Christian (13-0) returns to Northport to host Handley in the 4A semifinals next Friday as the Patriots advanced to the semifinals for the seventh time in their relatively short history.

Alabama Christian ends its season at 10-3, losing in the quarterfinals for the third time in school history and the second time in four years.

Sawyer Deerman scored on a 1-yard run for the Patriots, but Otasowie Dion answered for the Eagles with an 8-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 with 54.1 seconds left in the first quarter.

American Christian tacked on a field goal late in the second quarter, then delivered the fatal blow with a screen pass to Kamari Lassiter that turned into a 50-yard touchdown play with 22.4 seconds left in the first half for a 17-7 lead.

Brandon Waller added touchdown runs of 25 and 12 yards in the second half to break open the game. 

Corey Landers led the Alabama Christian rushing attack with 64 yards on 14 carries, followed by Dion with 54 yards on six carries and Demari Moore with 15 yards on two carries.

Landers also had 19 yards on three receptions. T.J. Silmon led the Eagle receivers with 25 yards on three receptions and Preston Hicks had three receptions for eight yards.

Defensively, Miller McCarthy led Alabama Christian with nine tackles, followed by Jack Thomas with seven tackles and Moore with four tackles.

AHSAA 2020 State Football Playoffs
Quarterfinal Results
CLASS 1A
Linden (13-0) 35, Sweet Water (8-3) 6
Brantley (13-0) 21, Maplesville (9-4) 19
Berry (11-1) 42, Brilliant (7-6) 21
Pickens County (10-3) 40, Hubbertville (9-3) 24

CLASS 2A
Abbeville (11-1) 38, Isabella (11-2) 20
Leroy (11-1) 28, Lanett (10-3) 21
Spring Garden (12-1) 21, North Sand Mountain (11-2) 0
Mars Hill Bible (11-2) 55, Aliceville (7-5) 14

CLASS 3A
Montgomery Academy (13-0) 42, Trinity Presbyterian (10-3) 21
Montgomery Catholic (11-2) 24, Thomasville (10-2) 15
Fyffe (13-0) 26, Ohatchee (11-2) 7
Piedmont (12-1) 38, Saks (8-4) 20

CLASS 4A
American Christian (13-0) 38, Alabama Christian (10-3) 7
Handley (11-1) 35, Bibb County (10-3) 21
Etowah (10-2) 49, Northside (10-3) 14
Gordo (12-1) 48, West Limestone (11-2) 13

CLASS 5A
Faith Academy (12-1) 37, UMS-Wright (8-5) 16
St. Paul’s Episcopal (13-0) 27, Central, Clay County (11-2) 13
Pleasant Grove (10-2) 35, Alexandria (11-2) 7
Ramsay (12-0) 54, Russellville (10-3) 14

CLASS 6A
Saraland (11-2) 46, Opelika (9-3) 27
Spanish Fort (10-3) 24, Blount (8-5) 14
Pinson Valley (10-2) 34, Oxford (11-2) 2
Mountain Brook (12-1) 21, Clay-Chalkville (11-2) 10

CLASS 7A
Auburn (11-1) 35, Central-Phenix City (8-5) 17
Thompson (13-0) 52, Hoover (11-2) 14

AHSAA 2020 State Football Playoffs
Semifinal Pairings
Friday, Nov. 27
CLASS 1A
Brantley (13-0) at Linden (13-0)
Pickens County (10-3) at Berry (11-1)

CLASS 2A
Abbeville (11-1) at Leroy (11-1)
Spring Garden (12-1) at Mars Hill Bible (11-2)

CLASS 3A
Montgomery Catholic (11-2) at Montgomery Academy (13-0)
Piedmont (12-1) at Fyffe (13-0)

CLASS 4A
Handley (11-1) at American Christian (13-0)
Gordo (12-1) at Etowah (10-2)

CLASS 5A
Faith Academy (12-1) at St. Paul’s Episcopal (13-0)
Pleasant Grove (10-2) at Ramsay (12-0)

CLASS 6A
Saraland (11-2) at Spanish Fort (10-3)
Mountain Brook (12-1) at Pinson Valley (10-2)

CLASS 7A Championship
Wed., Dec. 2, Bryant-Denny Stadium, 7 p.m.

Thompson (13-0) vs. Auburn (11-1)