PREP RECAP (Week 4): Pike Road tops Lanier; Elmore County loses key region game
COMBINED REPORTS
Pike Road 52, Sidney Lanier 33
PIKE ROAD -- Sophomore Ja’michael Jones rushed for 201 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries as the Patriots survived a shootout with Sidney Lanier on Friday night.
The Poets, in their final year of football, fought evenly through the first quarter and trailed just 35-27 at the half, but couldn’t match the firepower of the Patriots in the second half.
Jones rushed for four touchdowns and added a fifth on a 9-yard reception from quarterback Cason Myers. The freshman was 14 of 22 for 202 yards with an interception and a pair of touchdown passes.
Senior Kaleb Foster also had a 9-yard touchdown reception from Myers, one of seven receptions for 76 yards in the game.
Junior Patrick Carter added five carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Malik Blocton, an Auburn commitment, had eight tackles. Trey Caver and Cody Markham had interceptions to help turn back the Poets.
Pike Road (2-2) improved to 2-0 in region play and will remain home next week to play Eufaula. Sidney Lanier (1-2) dropped its region opener and will face Park Crossing next Friday in Cramton Bowl in another region game.
Central-Clay 48, Elmore County 6
ECLECTIC -- LaDamion Boyd rushed for 254 yards and five touchdowns on 16 carries, scoring the first time he touched the ball as the Volunteers handed Elmore County its first loss of the season in a 48-6 defeat.
For the second consecutive year, the Panthers (3-1) opened the season with three impressive victories before running into their region rivals from Clay County and suffering their first loss.
Ryles McNeely completed 6 of 16 passes for 66 yards but was intercepted three times. C.J. Wilkes led the Panthers with 50 yards on 14 carries and Cade Everson scored Elmore County’s only touchdown while rushing for 47 yards on eight carries.
Jabari Murphy led the receivers with five catches for 63 yards.
Elmore County remains home next week to play St. Clair County.
St. James 49, Greensboro 14
St. James celebrated homecoming with a 49-14 defeat of Greensboro at Carlisle Field on Friday night as the defense stole the show by holding the Raiders to less than 100 total yards.
“They were able to focus in for homecoming,” coach Neal Posey said after the win. “It’s been a long week with powder puff and parades and the homecoming pep rally but we were able to focus and do our job and get a victory.”
While the Trojans’ defense was at full force causing havoc for the Raider offense, the Trojan offense had some new faces score their first career touchdowns
Pruitt Conner finished the night with three rushing touchdowns.
“Well, first off, I want to thank God and everything he does for me,” Conner said. “I want to thank my offensive linemen. They did all the work. I just got the ball and ran it. They made the holes and made it easy for me.”
Evan Richardson scored on a 59-yard touchdown reception from KJ Jackson, his first touchdown of his career.
The Trojans (3-1, 2-0 3A, Region 3) travel to Selma next week for another region game against Southside.
Montgomery Academy 57, Dale County 42
MIDLAND CITY -- Montgomery Academy got four touchdowns from tailback Chance Wilson to win a shootout with Dale County 57-42 in an important 4A Region 2 game against the Warriors.
The Eagles scored 43 points in the second half to earn their second consecutive region victory and used three turnovers from its defense to hold on to the victory.
Wilson had 148 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries to lead the MA offense, while Parker Cook completed 13 of 20 passes for 325 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes to DJ Vinson.
Vinson had eight receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns on offense and had six tackles, a forced fumble and an interception on defense.
Will Hardin led the defensive effort with 15 tackles, including three for loss, along with a pair of quarterback pressures. Graham Martin added 12 tackles, including two for loss.
Montgomery Academy (2-2 overall) improved to 2-0 in region play and will travel to Andalusia to face the defending 4A state champions next Friday in a region game.
Catholic 42, Slocomb 0
SLOCOMB -- Catholic quarterback Caleb McCreary surpassed the 10,000-yard career mark on Friday, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another as the Knights cruised to a quick and decisive shutout of the Red Tops on Friday night.
The Troy commitment completed 5 of 9 passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns and ran the ball four times for 141 yards and a touchdown to give the Knights their 28th consecutive regular-season victory dating back to 2020 and their 29th consecutive region victory dating back to 2019.
McCreary became just the 11th player in Alabama High School Athletic Association history to reach the 10,000-yard plateau, passing former Hueytown quarterback Jameis Winston, who had 9,853 yards.
Jayden Phifer caught two of McCreary’s passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Tailback Josh Griffin had 73 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
Kam Miller led the Catholic defense with seven tackles, including three for loss. Harrison Rodgers added five tackles, including two for loss and a sack along with a fumble recovery.
Catholic (4-0) travels to Geneva for another 4A Region 2 game next Friday.
Holtville 21, Selma 0
HOLTVILLE - Three different players scored for the Bulldogs in their second win in region play Friday at Boykin-Chapman Field.
Kieland Baker, Caleb Blackmon and Hunter Chavis each had touchdowns in the win. Baker finished with 129 yards in total offense while Blackmon had 84 yards receiving. Luke Strength led the defense with 11 tackles.
The Bulldogs (3-1, 2-0 Class 5A, Region 3) take next week off before facing West Blocton on Sept. 29.
Beauregard 35, Tallassee 14
TALLASSEE - The Tigers finally broke their scoreless streak in the first half and led the Hornets 14-0 before Beauregard scored 35 unanswered points.
Freshman Trent Morris scored on a 15-yard run three minutes into the game and Joseph Hooks added to the lead later in the first half before Beauregard took the lead for good.
The Tigers (0-4, 0-2) venture outside of the Class 5A, Region 4 play next Friday with a visit to Marbury, looking for their first win of the season.
Auburn 46, JAG 0
The Tigers scored on the second play from scrimmage after a JAG turnover and did the same in the opening of the second half on the way to an easy win over the homestanding Jaguars at Cramton Bowl on Friday in Class 7A, Region 2 play.
Auburn quarterback Henry Allen rushed for two touchdowns and added a TD pass to Tyler McKinnell in the first half.
JAG (0-4, 0-2) had minus-28 yards of total offense and did not have a play of more than 6 yards.
The Jags go to Central-Phenix City next week while Auburn (3-1, 2-1) faces P. Julian (Lee).