James Clemens boys win first ever playoff game, Bob Jones boys, girls advance

James Clemens and Huntsville in playoff action April 28. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

All three Madison City high school teams that made the playoffs — Bob Jones boys and girls teams and James Clemens boys team — advanced past the first round April 28 and will play again Saturday, May 2.

The Patriots boys team, No. 1 in the state, defeated visiting Gadsden City 3-1 at a 6 p.m. game in Madison City Stadium. All three goals by Bob Jones were scored in the first half and were knocked in by Wesley Toutanji, Eduvie Ikoba and Stephen Penney, respectively.

The James Clemens boys soccer went scoreless in Huntsville against the Huntsville High Panthers in regulation and both 5-minute overtime periods. After the five-frame shootout, both teams stood at four goals apiece and thus went into sudden-death shootout.

The Jets and Panthers both made the first-frame goals, missed the second-frame goals and made the third-frame goals. Goalkeeper Scott Nation blocked Huntsville’s ninth shot attempt in shootouts to earn James Clemens a date with Bob Jones on May 2 at Madison City Stadium in the second round of the playoffs.

The Bob Jones girls team upset regular-season Area winner Huntsville 2-1 to advance to the second round against Sparkman, which beat Gadsden City April 28.

Amina Downer scored with 2 minutes left in the first half to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead going into halftime. Katie Bell scored for Bob Jones with 5 minutes left, and Emma Frances Thompson scored one for Huntsville with 3:30 left. That would be all the scoring, though, leaving Bob Jones the victor.