Austin rallies to clip Bob Jones in Area 8 finale
Jay Rogers gained 110 yards rushing for Bob Jones
(PHOTO CONTRIBUTED/CINDY HESS)
DECATUR- Bob Jones stay at No. 2 in Class 6A lasted only a week as Austin upset the Patriots 28-22. Bob Jones had clinched the Region 8 title last week and finishes at 6-1 in region play. Austin misses the playoffs with a 4-3 region record.
Senior quarterback Chris Sparkman led the Austin attack rushing 15 times for 83 yards and completing 13 of 25 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
For Bob Jones it ends their perfect season which had reached 8-0.
“We made some errors that kept us from winning so we’ve got to get those corrected and get ready for a great challenge from Muscle Shoals next week,” said Bob Jones Head Coach Kevin Rose.
Austin scored 14 points off Bob Jones turnovers. A fumbled handoff from Tyler Whalen cost the Patriots a touchdown in the second quarter and then Austin recovered an onside kick and drove for another touchdown.
Bob Jones fought back from a 21-14 halftime deficit to take a 22-21 lead in the fourth quarter but Sparkman hit Ashton Kracke on a 44-yard touchdown pass to take the lead for good. Austin then held on as Bob Jones had two drives late in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead.
The Patriots turned the ball over on downs inside the Austin 10-yard line with 2:44 left and their final drive ended with an interception in the end zone.
One starter on defense, Jarek Taylor, was held out with a shoulder injury.
“We did a good job of coming back and taking the lead and giving ourselves a chance to win,” Rose said. “We did some good things offensively in the second half but they came up with a big stop that was a key in the game. It’s a credit to Austin, their kids played outstanding.”
Bob Jones went ahead 6-0 on the opening drive as quarterback Jeremy Frye converted a fourth and long with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Crooks. Matt Trulock missed the extra point.
After Whalen’s fumble deep in Patriot territory, Austin scored on an 11-yard touchdown run by B.J. Watkins.
Miles Strickland broke a 43 yard run for a touchdown to put Bob Jones up 14-7 after Crooks ran in the the 2-point conversion.
Austin struck back as Sparkman accounted for two touchdowns within two minutes. First he hit Chase Colon on a 26 yard touchdown pass, then after a successful onside kick, he scored on a 10-yard touchdown run. Austin led 21-14 at the half.
Brandon Alexander of Bob Jones turned in two big plays on defense in the third quarter. He stripped Josh Pearson as he was going in for a touchdown and recovered the ball. Then later he intercepted Sparkman at the goal line.
Offensively, Jay Rogers had a big second half for Bob Jones. The senior running back had 90 yards on 9 carries including a 38-yard touchdown run. He finished with 110 yards on 13 carries for the game.
Frye ran in the 2-point conversion to give Bob Jones a brief lead.
“We’re disappointed but we will go back to work Monday and correct some mistakes we made tonight. We have to let it go,” Rose said. “Everything we want to accomplish as a team is still ahead of us.”
Bob Jones goes to 8-1 and finishes the regular season on Thursday night at home against Muscle Shoals, a team that beat them 38-6 last year. Muscle Shoals is ranked third in 5A with a 9-0 record and has a 24-game regular season winning streak.
In the first round of the playoffs, Bob Jones will host Hewitt-Trussville.
Austin goes to 4-5 but will miss the playoffs as Decatur claimed the fourth and final spot in Region 8. It is Austin’s first win over Bob Jones since 2006 breaking a four game losing streak to the Patriots.
