Jets secure playoff berth, Patriots and Senators keep playoff hopes alive
MA secures home game for the first round of the playoffs
DECATUR – Thai Lyles kicked a 36-yard field goal with 6.7 seconds remaining in the game to give James Clemens a 33-31 road win over Austin on Friday night that secured a 7A, Region 4 playoff berth.
Austin went ahead by one point with under a minute left in the game behind a touchdown pass and 2-point run, but James Clemens wasn’t done.
Aaron Gonzalez returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the Black Bears’ 35-yard line, and two passes netted 15 yards to set up the game-winning kick.
“We talked about just finishing what we started,” first-year James Clemens head coach Juan Johnson told al.com. “My kids were very resilient. My coaches did a tremendous job. We blocked a punt for the second week in a row. We just kind of got better and better each week and I’m just so proud of my kids.”
The score was tied 10-all at the end of the first quarter. That score held up until halftime, and the game remained even at 17-apiece entering the fourth quarter.
For the Jets, MJ Gideon had TD runs of 3, 2 and 50 yards. Malik Hardy blocked an Austin punt and Eric Young returned it for a touchdown. Lyles also kicked a 26-yard field goal.
“MJ has played outstanding in the last few weeks,’’ Johnson said. “I tell him every week, I always say, ‘Man, you’re really good, and you know what to do.’ And he’s kind of taken a step forward.’’
James Clemens (4-4, 4-2) hosts Albertville (1-7, 1-5) on Friday to complete its region schedule.
Playoff seeding is TBD. The top four teams in each region qualify for the postseason.
Florence (5-3, 5-1) can clinch the 7A, Region 4 title and No. 1 seed with a win at home against Sparkman this week. Austin (42), James Clemens (4-4, 4-2) and Sparkman (4-5, 4-2) are all tied in the region. Bob Jones (5-4, 3-3) and Huntsville (5-3, 3-3) are next in the standings and play each other Friday night at Milton Frank Stadium.
Madison Academy 48, St. John Paul II 29
In Huntsville, the Mustangs had to rally from a halftime deficit to claim a 4A, Region 8 win at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium.
Madison Academy, trailing by six points at halftime, took control in the fourth quarter en route to a deceiving 48-29 victory over host St. John Paul II at Joe Davis Stadium at Wicks Family Field. Madison Academy kept pace with Plainview to set up a winner-take-all clash for the region championship this week in Rainsville.
Once again, Madison Academy sophomore quarterback Charleston Owens led the win. He completed 16-of-23 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 151 yards and a TD.
“We were prepared and Coach (Bob Godsey) put us in a good position to come out there and play,’’ Owens said. “We just didn’t execute early, and that’s on us. We’re gonna get that figured out.’’
Also for Madison Academy, Daylen Scott rushed five times for 87 yards with two touchdown runs, the last being a 34-yarder to put the game away at 48-29 in the final minutes. Daniel McCauley added eight rushes for 46 yards and a pair of scores in the win.
Meanwhile, senior quarterback- turned-wideout Alex Crider played a key offensive role. He took a reverse handoff and passed to Zion Williamson for a 33-yard TD that put Madison Academy ahead 29-26 with 7:24 remaining.
The Falcons tied the game at 29-all on a 35-yard field goal by Jack Donatelli at the 5:10 mark of the third quarter, but Mc-Cauley scored on a 31-yard run near the end of the third quarter to put the Mustangs ahead for good at 35-29.
Madison Academy, playing without two starters on the offensive line, added TDs on a 35-yard reception by Crider and a 34-yard run by Scott.
“Lots of perseverance,’’ Godsey said after the game. “We’re just trying to piece things together. As bad as it looked at times, it looked good at times as well. We didn’t execute in the first half. We played much better in the second half.’’
The fifth-ranked Mustangs (7-1 overall, 6-0 region) have secured a home game for the first round of the playoffs and will visit No. 7 Plainview (8-0, 6-0) to decide the first and second playoff seeds in the region.
JPII (3-5, 2-5) got a big night from Mark Andrzejewski who scored three touchdowns – two receiving and one rushing. Quarterback Joey Ross ran for a touchdown and recovered a fumble for the Falcons.
St. John Paul II Jack Donatelli had a 30yard field goal.
Sparkman 40, Grissom 14
In Harvest, the Senators stayed on path for a possible playoff berth in 7A, Region 4.
Junior quarterback Joshua Naylon completed 15-of-22 passes for 270 yards with four touchdowns in the win. Senior Chad Reynolds had three receptions for 107 yards and two TDs, including one for 92 yards.
Also, for the Senators, seniors Nathaniel Davis and Kameron Reynolds both had TD receptions. Junior Waylon Marbury had nine rushes for 68 yards.
Sparkman (4-5, 4-2) travels to Florence for another key 7A, Region 4 game Friday.
Bob Jones 48, Albertville 0
In Madison, the host Patriots had to win to stay alive for a playoff berth in 7A, Region 4 and did just that to break a fourgame losing streak.
Rhys Dorsey, lining up at quarterback to start the game, rushed for two touchdowns in the first quarter and caught a 39-yard TD pass from starting quarterback KGill in the second. Gill also had a 49-yard TD run just before halftime.
The Patriots, who were hit with a rash of injuries during their losing streak are finally healthy, led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and broke the game open in the second quarter with 27 points for a 41-0 halftime advantage.
Bob Jones added a TD in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots (5-4, 3-3) travel Friday to play region foe Huntsville (5-3, 3-3) in what will be the former’s final regular- season game. The Panthers are coming off a 49-25 loss to Florence.
