THURSDAY RECAP: Reeltown tops Tallassee in OT; Trinity wallops ACA; Volleyball opens

COMBINED REPORTS

Reeltown 27, Tallassee 21 (OT)

TALLASSEE - Johnny Brown’s 12-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted the Reeltown Rebels to a 27-21 win over Tallassee in the renewal of the rivalry between the schools at J.E. “Hot” O’Brien Stadium on Thursday.

The winning touchdown came after the Rebels (1-0) tied the game with just over six minutes remaining in regulation on a Gabriel Bryant touchdown pass to Marcus Haynes and two-point conversion by Sedarico Brooks.

The game was a seesaw affair with the Tigers (0-1) taking the lead less than three minutes into the game on Zavion Carr’s 56-yard run. Reeltown answered in the first period on Bryant’s 43-yard pass to Haynes.

The Tigers retook the lead with a minute left in the quarter on a 5-yard run from Carr. Reeltown would score with two minutes remaining in the half on Brooks’ 6-yard scamper but the extra point was missed, leaving Tallassee ahead, 14-13, at the break.

The Tigers took the lead with 6:17 left in the third quarter on a Marciano Smith 48-yard run. Clay Johnson added the third of his three extra points to give them a 21-13 lead.

Bryant finished with 163 yards and two TDs passing on 6 of 8 attempts. Brooks led the Rebels with 158 yards rushing while Haynes led all receivers with 131 yards on three receptions.

Carr had 118 yards rushing on 14 attempts. Smith added 88 yards for Tallassee.

The Tigers travel to Wetumpka next Friday while Reeltown plays host to St. James.

Trinity 24, Alabama Christian 7

Alabama Christian’s Demari Moore ran the opening kickoff back 85 yards for a touchdown but it was all downhill for the Eagles after that as Trinity scored 24 unanswered points for a 24-7 win in the season opener for both teams on Thursday.

John David Bonner completed 8 of 14 passes for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Wildcats. Coleman Ellis had three receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown, while William Roberson added 38 yards and a touchdown on three catches. 

Mac McClinton led the rushing attack with 54 yards on 17 carries, with Jim Portis adding 20 yards on five carries and Coleman Stanley gaining 15 yards and a touchdown on four carries. Grayden Flowers added a 34-yard field goal and three extra points.

Defensively for the Wildcats, linebacker Walton Cherry had nine tackles and a fumble recovery, Sam Worthington had seven tackles, including two for loss, and Christopher Bryan added six tackles. Jake Tucker and Chapman Pouncey added fumble recoveries.

For ACA, quarterback Jalen Clark was 5 of 8 for 57 yards and added 38 rushing yards on 13 carries. Preston Hicks led the receivers with three catches for 22 yards. 

Defensively, Jack Thomas had 11 tackles, followed by Trey Schlemmer with eight and Miller McCarthy with seven.

Trinity (1-0) travels to Montgomery Academy next week, while ACA (0-1) is at Highland Home.

Chambers Academy 48, Lee-Scott Academy 7

AUBURN -- Payton Allen completed 14 of 27 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns to lead Chambers Academy to a 42-7 win at Lee-Scott in the season opener for both teams on Thursday.

Chambers, after five consecutive trips to the Class A finals, moved up to AA this season but didn’t have any problem with the AAA Warriors in the Rebels’ first game as an AA program since 2007.

T.Y. Trammell had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and caught four passes from Allen for 72 yards and another score. Jeremy Conway led the receiving corps with 106 yards on five receptions, while John White added 73 yards and a touchdown on just three catches. 

Jordan Benbrook led the Chambers’ rushing attack with 55 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.   

Defensively, Dean Sheffield led Chambers with eight tackles, followed by Jacob Oliver with seven tackles and a fumble recovery, Hunter Burdette with seven tackles and a fumble recovery, Jarquez Banks with six tackles, an interception and a sack and Kross Colley with five tackles and a sack.

Chambers (1-0) returns home to play Abbeville Christian next Friday, while Lee-Scott is idle before traveling to Glenwood on Sept. 4 for the region opener.

VOLLEYBALL

Catholic 2, Pike Road 1

Catholic defeated Pike Road 15-6 in the third and deciding match to win the season opener for both teams on Thursday. 

The Knights won the first match 25-16, but then lost the second one 25-23 to the 5A Patriots before rebounding to win the third match. 

Catholic will travel to Montgomery Academy on Tuesday. 

Fort Dale 3, Pike Liberal Arts 1

Fort Dale won the last two games 25-23 and 25-20 to take a best-of-five volleyball match with Pike Liberal Arts on Thursday.

Fort Dale won the first game 25-17 before Pike Lib evened the score with a 25-12 victory. 

For Pike Liberal Arts, Dannah Dawson had 16 assists and four aces, Ally Rushing had 10 assists and seven aces, Grace Rushing had six aces, 10 kills, 10 attacks and a block and Mikalah Griffin had 14 attacks, nine kills and two blocks.