PREP RECAP (Week 10): St. James earns overtime win; Elmore County wins big; Holtville wallops Tallassee
COMBINED REPORTS
St. James 49, Carroll 48 (OT)
KJ Jackson touchdown run followed by Pruitt Conner’s two-point conversion lifted St. James to a 49-48 overtime win over Carroll in the regular-season finale on Friday.
Jackson was responsible for all six of the Trojans regulation touchdowns, with four coming on the ground, and two through the air. Conner finished the game with 16 carries and 92 yards rushing.
The Eagles rushed for close to 500 yards, with Peyton Plott and LaKeith Person each recording better than 200 yards in a losing effort.
"They had a really good team and had some guys that could fly." said St. James coach Neal Posey. "We're going to go back on Sunday and watch this film and learn from it and get ready for whoever we play."
The Trojans had a 41-35 lead late in the game before Person’s game-tying touchdown. But Carroll missed the extra the point with 25 seconds left on the clock. The game was tied at 41-41 at the end of regulation.
The Eagles won the coin toss and elected to play offense first and needed just two plays before Plott scored. The Eagles added the extra point for a 48-41 lead. That led to the Jackson TD and Conner two-point conversion for the win.
With the defeat, the Eagles dropped to 4-6 on the regular season. The Eagles will travel to Demopolis in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs.
The Trojans complete their regular season with an 8-2 record. Opp defeated Ashford, 50-48, to set up a date with the Trojans next Thursday at Carlisle Field.
Bayside Academy 35, Alabama Christian 7
The Admirals got big plays on both sides of the ball to coast to an easy victory over the Eagles at Faulkner’s John Mark Stallings Field on Friday night.
Bayside used an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter and a pair of long touchdown runs in the second half to build a 35-0 lead before the Eagles finally scored.
Alabama Christian (6-4) will travel to Dothan to play Houston Academy in the first round of the 3A state playoffs next week, while Bayside Academy (8-2) will travel to Jacksonville.
ACA got its lone touchdown with 48 seconds left on a 3-yard run by Cooper Milner.
Christian Snipes was 9 for 19 for 61 yards but was intercepted three times. Ari Bowman had three receptions for 24 yards and TJ Merritt had two catches for 21 yards.
Snipes finished as the Eagles’ top rusher, gaining 49 yards on 14 carries. David Ortiz-Ramirez had 33 yards on eight carries and Milner had 32 yards on 10 carries.
Defensively, Jaylan McCovery, William Milner, Blake Shaw and Spenser Meeks each had four tackles to lead the Eagles. Bowman had an interception and Lane Smith and Meeks each recorded a sack.
Elmore County 56, Jemison 6
ECLECTIC -- Cade Everson ran for a touchdown, threw a pass for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass to lead the Panthers to a 56-6 rout of Jemison at Haynie-Burt Stadium on Friday night.
The Panthers (8-2) closed out the regular season with the most wins since 2008 and will travel to Mobile next week to play Faith Academy in the first round of the 5A state playoffs.
Jemison ends the season at 1-9.
Everson opened the scoring with a 65-yard pass to Jabari Murphy for a 6-0 lead. Hayes Fulmer added a 4-yard scoring run in the first quarter and CJ Wilkes ran in the two-point conversion for a 14-0 lead.
Ryles McNeely added a 6-yard run, Wilkes had a 3-yard run and McNeely threw 52 yards to Everson for a 35-0 halftime lead.
Caleb Spivey returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown before Jemison finally got on the scoreboard. Everson answered with a 39-yard touchdown run and Noah Wilmeth added a 1-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring.
McNeely completed 8 of 14 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, with Murphy catching six passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Everson rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown on four carries, completed his only pass attempt for a touchdown and caught his only pass for another touchdown.
Holtville 54, Tallassee 18
TALLASSEE - The Bulldogs unloaded on the Tallassee Tigers Friday in an impressive win for a tune-up heading into the Class 5A playoffs next week.
Holtville finished with 430 yards in total offense led by quarterback Keiland Baker’s three touchdowns.
Luke Strength led the defense with 12 tackles while Josh Jeminez had a sack and an interception.
Trent Norris had a touchdown run and touchdown pass to Jaden McKenzie for the Tigers.
The loss ended the worst season for Tallassee (1-9) since 2003.
Holtville (7-3) will play host to Headland next week in the Class 5A playoffs.
Vigor 46, Sidney Lanier 8
PRITCHARD - Jacques Thompson’s return wasn’t enough as the Poets finished the season with a loss to the Wolves on Thursday.
Thompson had the lone touchdown for the Poets, who suffered from three turnovers in the loss.
Lanier (5-5) will travel to Alexander City to face Benjamin Russell in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs next Friday.
Enterprise 55, P. Julian 13
ENTERPRISE - The Wildcats earned a No. 2 seed in Class 7A, Region 2 with a win over the Phoenix on Friday at Wildcat Stadium.
Bryson McGrew’s touchdown pass to Keshun Marbury in the first half proved to be the only offensive points for Julian. Zavien Simpkins had the other score for the visitors with a fumble recovery and return.
Julian ended its season with a 5-5 record. Afterwards, coach DreQuay Everett announced that he would be stepping down as the Julian coach.
Enterprise (8-2) will face Daphne in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs next week.
AISA Playoffs
Lowndes Academy 47, Sparta Academy 0
HAYNEVILLE -- The Rebels recorded their seventh shutout of the season, cruising past Sparta Academy 47-0 in the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association’s Class A state playoffs on Friday at Mac Champion Stadium.
Kasen Dismukes rushed for 79 yards and three touchdowns as the Rebels built an early lead and played conservatively throughout the contest, leading 27-0 at the half and 40-0 after three quarters.
Lowndes (11-0) will play host to Jackson Academy (9-2) next week in the Class A semifinals, a rematch of the 2021 and 2022 state finals, both won by Lowndes.
Clayton Hussey scored on a 13-yard run and Cooper Dansby added a 3-yard touchdown run as the Rebels took a 13-0 lead into the second quarter.
Dismukes scored on runs of 12, 17 and 3 yards and Hussey added a 7-yard touchdown run to finish the night for the starters.
Huston Hampton added a 59-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the game’s final points and finished as the game’s leading rusher with 87 yards on five carries.
Defensively, Dansby had nine tackles, including two for loss, to help the Rebels to their second consecutive shutout. Lowndes opened the season with five shutouts before allowing four touchdowns over the next four games.
AISA PLAYOFFS
First-Round Results
CLASS AAA
Autauga Academy 29, Bessemer Academy 20
Fort Dale Academy 49, Monroe Academy 7
CLASS AA
Chambers Academy 55, Escambia Academy 18
Patrician Academy 52, Hooper Academy 13
Banks Academy 40, Macon East Academy 0
Clarke Prep School 21, Edgewood Academy 14
CLASS A
Lowndes Academy 47, Sparta Academy 0
Jackson Academy 46, Crenshaw Christian 28
Wilcox Academy 23, Lakeside School 16
Southern Academy 36, South Choctaw Academy 22
EIGHT-MAN
Evangel Christian Academy 68, North River Christian 26
Southern Prep 82, Meadowview Christian 56
Semifinal Pairings (All Games on Nov. 10)
CLASS AAA
Autauga Academy (8-3) at Glenwood School (9-1)
Fort Dale Academy (9-2) at Lee-Scott Academy (9-1)
CLASS AA
Patrician Academy (8-3) at Chambers Academy (10-1)
Clarke Prep School (8-4) at Banks Academy (10-1)
CLASS A
Jackson Academy (9-2) at Lowndes Academy (11-0)
Southern Academy (7-4) at Wilcox Academy (9-3)
EIGHT-MAN
Evangel Christian Academy (3-7) at Cornerstone Christian (9-1)
Southern Prep (7-5) at Springwood School (8-2)