THURSDAY FOOTBALL: Carver wins over Opelika to keep playoff hopes alive; Prattville flag beats Opelika
Anthony Rogers has a pass knocked away by an Opelika defender during Carver’s win Thursday at Cramton Bowl. (Tim Gayle)
By GRAHAM DUNN
The Carver Wolverines needed a win to have any chance at a post-season berth.
They got it in come-from-behind fashion.
Carver trailed by three touchdowns in the second quarter but roared back to earn a 44-35 win over the visiting Bulldogs in 7A, Region 2 action on Thursday at Cramton Bowl. The win means Carver can earn a trip to the Class 7A playoffs should Enterprise lose to Smiths Station on Friday.
What turned out to be the game-winning score came with 9:08 left in the game on a TJ Russell 74-yard pass to TK Norman that gave the Wolverines a 38-35 lead. The clinching TD came with just five seconds left in the game on Tre Berry’s 1-yard run.
Opelika built the lead on the power running of Jordan Waits, Javari Johnson and Tommie Johnson, Jr., each scoring touchdowns as Opelika built took a 28-6 lead in the first half.
The Wolverines scored twice before halftime on a couple of touchdown passes from Russell to Berry (16 yards) and Channing Cargill (35 yards) to cut the lead to 28-22 at the break.
Opelika pushed the lead back to 13 points on Javari Johnson’s third touchdown of the night, a 34-yard scamper to give the Bulldogs a 35-22 lead with 6:14 left in the third quarter. The touchdown came after Carver had intercepted a pass on a fake punt that would have given the Wolverines a first down at their 40-yard line. But Carver was called for having players with duplicate numbers on the field, giving Opelika a first down. The Bulldogs score four plays later.
But Carver more than made up for the mistake in the fourth quarter, scoring three times with two touchdowns coming from Berry. The Wolverines also converted four two-point conversions in the win, all passes by Russell to various receivers in the back of the end zone.
Carver opened the scoring early in the first quarter on a interception and return for touchdown by Camarre Jackson with 8:40 left in the period.
Russell finished with 282 yards and 3 touchdowns on 13 of 25 passing. He had one interception.
Norman had four catches for 156 yards and a score. Berry had 90 yards and two TDs rushing and he added two receptions for 23 yards and a score. Rogers finished with 107 yards in total offense.
Carver (6-3, 4-3) will wait for the result of Enterprise-Smiths Station game on Friday. The Wildcats (5-3. 3-3) must lose for Carver to earn a trip to the playoffs. Smiths Station has yet to win a game this season at 0-9.
Opelika (8-2, 5-2) had already earned a playoff berth prior to Thursday’s game and will await the outcome of the final region games to know its seeding.
FLAG FOOTBALL
Prattville 13, Opelika 12
OPELIKA -- Mady Cate Lindsey and Emma Moore scored touchdowns for Prattville as the Lions edged Opelika 13-12 in a flag football game on Thursday at Bulldog Stadium.
Hartley McCay threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Lindsey for the Lions’ first points and Lanieya Page caught the conversion pass that turned out to be the difference in the game.
Moore scored the Lions’ second touchdown on a 2-yard run.
Defensively, Eriana Benson had three sacks, Moore had a pair of sacks and McCay had two interceptions.
Moore’s sacks came on the Bulldogs’ final possession as Opelika drove to a first and goal and the Lions’ defense responded with a red zone stop, holding the Bulldogs out of the end zone to preserve the one-point win.
Prattville (12-2) closes out the regular season on Tuesday at Marbury against Catholic at 6 p.m.