Alabama Christian Drops Vital Region Game at Straughn

What was supposed to be a night where ACA clinched a home game for the first round of the playoffs turned disastrous in a 19-17 loss to Straughn on Friday night. The Eagles took Straughn behind the woodshed last season in a 49-7 laugher, but the Tigers were ready this year and had an answer for everything Alabama Christian threw at them. On offense, Straughn kept the ball on the ground and ate clock while keeping the ACA offense on the sideline. When the Eagles did have the ball they looked indecisive and produced the lowest point total since the season’s first game.

Straughn opened the game on offense and the defense stopped the drive with back-to-back sacks by Trey Schlemmer and Jack Thomas. The Eagles stayed on the ground on their first possession with five consecutive runs to set up a 1st and 10 from the Tigers 11 yard line. ACA found great success on the perimeter as Corey Landers and Thomas Stovall both had long runs around right end. The next three plays produced only five yards which brought Tyson Summers on the field to attempt a 23-yard field goal. Summers’ kick was good and the Eagles led 3-0 with 4:19 left in the opening period. The home team ran six plays on their next possession and the first quarter was over thanks to a clock that did not seem to ever stop. The quarter took only 16 minutes in real time.

Early in the second quarter, the Tigers faced a third down from the ACA 43 yard line. Straughn had already converted two third downs in the drive and did so again as they scored on a long pass to take the lead 7-3. The Eagles decided to blitz on the play and left the receiver wide open on a busted coverage. Alabama Christian picked up a first down with a 15-yard pass from Hayes Hunt to Garrett Weathers on the first play of the next drive. However, a holding call put the offense behind the sticks and after two incomplete passes the Eagles punted the ball back to Straughn. The Tigers picked up a couple of first downs, but would eventually punt the ball back to ACA. As the home team readied to punt, the Eagles called timeout to presumably save time and try to score before halftime. Instead, the offense ran the ball on first and second down and Hunt was sacked on third down. Straughn got the ball back, took a knee and was thrilled to be headed to the locker room with a 7-3 lead.

Thomas Stovall opened the second half with a tremendous kick return to the Straughn 33 yard line. With the short field, the offense scored, but it wasn’t easy. Facing a 4th and 5 from the 28 yard line, Avery Stuart caught a long pass for the score and the Eagles retook the lead, 9-7. The defense did its job and got the ball back to the offense helped by a Joshua Kreitz sack on third down. ACA quickly drove to the Tiger 37 yard line in three plays that covered 25 yards. On 2nd and 10, Corey Landers scored an apparent touchdown, but a holding call backed up the offense once again. Faced with a 2nd and 19, the offense ran the ball on consecutive plays and gained decent yardage, but not near enough for a first down. An incomplete pass on fourth down turned the ball back over to the Tigers. It did not take Straughn long to take advantage as the Tiger back raced 66 yards right up the middle on the first play of the possession. The home team led 13-9 with 2:58 left in the third period. The quarter ended with the offense on the march as they drove 35 yards on five straight runs to try to retake the lead.

The fourth quarter started with the third holding call of the night to back the offense for a 1st and 25. On third down, the Eagle still had to gain 13 yards for a first down. On a desperation throw down the middle of the field, Avery Stuart caught the ball at the goal line for what was thought to be a score, especially when the referee raised his hands for a touchdown. In the end, the ball was marked down at the two yard line and Corey Landers carried it in from there for the lead. After Straughn jumped off sides on the extra point, ACA decided to go for two and got it for the 17-13 lead with 9:34 left in the game. The Tigers game winning march covered 65 yards on 12 straight running plays that consumed eight minutes of the fourth quarter clock. Straughn converted one third down and one fourth down as the defense jumped off sides on a 4th and 1 with 3:08 left in the game. Four plays after the fourth down conversion, the Tigers scored to take the lead, 19-17. With 1:34 left in the game, Alabama Christian had one more shot to win the game. The Eagles looked poised to do it as they made it to the Tiger 18 yard line with a 2nd and 4 with 59.1 seconds left. From there the comeback fell apart as the offense lost 51 yards over the last four snaps with a block in the back penalty, an intentional grounding call and a sack on the last play of the game.

Hayes Hunt finished the night with eleven completions on nineteen attempts for 129 yards and a score. Avery Stuart caught 75 of those yards on three catches and a touchdown to lead the receivers as Preston Hicks had three receptions for 22 yards. Corey Landers ran for 64 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown with Thomas Stovall and Otasowie Dion both finishing with 36 yards. On defense, Jack Thomas led the way with 11 tackles and a sack followed by Trey Schlemmer with nine tackles and a sack. Donovan Emerson had seven tackles and D’Andre Sneed, Otasowie Dion and Joshua Kreitz each had five tackles.

Next week the Eagles host Bullock County on Homecoming in a now very important Region contest.

ACA Defense holds Geneva to One Score in 33-7 Victory

After an emotional Senior Night as Alabama Christian honored Leiah Holmes, the Eagles took control early and beat Geneva 33-7 in an important Region contest. The victory gives ACA sole possession of second place in the Region and control of their own destiny to host a first-round playoff game. Junior quarterback Hayes Hunt finished the first three drives of the game with touchdown passes, which were also his first three passes of the night.

Hayes Hunt finds yards around left end.

Geneva won the toss which put the Eagle offense on the field first. It took the unit a mere forty-one seconds to put points on the board. Corey Landers ripped off 28 yards on the first play and the offense welcomed Garrett Weathers back to the field on the second play with a 27-yard pass from Hayes Hunt for the 7-0 lead. The defense came out ready to roll as Trey Schlemmer and Jack Thomas tackled everything that moved in the opening quarter. The duo combined for a fourth down stop to give the ball back to ACA to end the Panther’s first drive. The second drive took four plays as the offense was clicking early. The Eagles overcame the first of four holding calls on the night on the way to the score. Hunt threw to Otasowie Dion on a middle screen and the junior covered 31 yards for the touchdown as he broke tackles and weaved his way through the secondary. Near the end of the first period Geneva punted the ball back to ACA. The Panthers faced a third and one on the Eagle 41 yard line, but Donovan Emerson blew up the running play for a loss of three yards. After being stuffed on the previous fourth down, Geneva decided to punt the ball away.

The defense gangs up on the Panther runner.

Alabama Christian scored early in the second period for a 20-0 advantage on a drive that covered 89 yards on seven plays. Two of the plays covered 75 yards as Corey Landers moved the ball near midfield with a 35-yard run that ended with a punishing blow delivered to the Panther defensive back. The touchdown covered the final 40 yards as Hayes Hunt found Preston Hicks in a confused secondary who didn’t even realize Hicks had the ball. Trailing by twenty, the Panthers put together their only scoring drive of the night. Geneva held the ball for 6:36 on a 13 play, 59-yard drive to cut the score to 20-7. With 3:54 left in the half, ACA had plenty of time to try to get some points before the half ended. The offense had a touchdown called back due to a penalty, but still had a chance to score in the closing moments of the second period. After a pass from Avery Stuart back to Hunt, ACA enjoyed a first and ten at the Geneva 11 yard line with just under a minute left. The offense was unable to score after four cracks at it and the half ended with some momentum shifting back to the visitors after the goal line stand.

Preston Hicks races towards the end zone while the defense looks the other way.

Geneva looked to get back into the game to start the second half, but could not overcome a false start penalty on second down and another Donovan Emerson tackle for loss on third down. After a Hayes Hunt scramble for three yards on the first play of the drive, Corey Landers covered the final 76 yards on five carries to extend the Eagle lead to 26-7. Landers had runs of 44 and 29 yards on the march and scored from one yard out with 7:33 left in the third period. After missing an extra point earlier, ACA chased the lost point with a two-point conversion attempt even after a penalty moved the team back to the seven yard line. The attempt failed and the lead stayed 26-7. Trailing by three scores, Geneva couldn’t think about punting anymore and went for a 4th and 16 on the Eagle 35 yard line to turn the ball over on downs to ACA.

Corey Landers runs through the Geneva defense.

Alabama Christian’s last score came on a seven minute fifty-six second drive that started with 4:25 left in the third and ended with 8:29 remaining in the game. For the second time in the game, the Eagles had a touchdown called back on a penalty, but still managed to cover 78 yards on 14 plays to extend the lead to 33-7. After another holding call late in the possession, Hayes Hunt found Trey Schlemmer in the back of the end zone on a 4th and goal from the 19 yard line to break the heart of the Panther defense. After holding Geneva to no yards on the next three plays, the Panthers waved the white flag and punted the ball back to ACA with 6:45 left in the fourth. The offense held the ball for the rest of the game as AC Walters and David Ortiz-Ramirez ran the ball five times for 51 yards to help secure the victory.

The Eagles stop another Panther drive.

The defense continued to dominate and was led by Jack Thomas with 11 tackles followed by Trey Schlemmer with seven tackles. Donovan Emerson and Otasowie Dion both had six tackles on the evening. Hayes Hunt connected on seven of eight passes for 144 yards and four touchdowns as he rushed 3 times for 21 yards and caught a pass for 17 yards. The Eagles completed eight passes to eight different receivers on Friday night. Corey Landers produced another huge night with 183 rushing yards on 19 attempts and a touchdown. AC Walters rushed for 39 yards on four carries with Otasowie Dion adding 37 yards on six carries.

ACA (5-2) travels to Straughn next Friday to continue Region play.

Eagles Start Second Half of Season with Win at Ashford

After a bye week, Alabama Christian was trying to remain one of three teams with just one loss in Region play and defeat Ashford for the sixth straight time. To see the final 56-16 score, it would seem that the Eagles breezed past the Yellow Jackets, but that was not the case. Halfway through the second quarter Ashford led 8-7 over ACA. However, the Eagles responded with three touchdowns in the final 3:46 of the first half for a 28-8 lead and took control of the game.

Coach Michael Summers talks with his team after the win over Ashford.

ACA got the ball first and drove the field to set up a first and goal at the Jacket seven yard line. After three plays, the Eagles attempted a field goal, but missed it to turn the ball over to Ashford. The defense forced a punt after just three plays aided by a pass break up by D’Andre Sneed on third down. The second Eagle drive covered 53 yards on six plays and was capped by a 27-yard touchdown run by Corey Landers for the 7-0 lead. ACA tried an on-side kick, but the ball only traveled about three yards and no one seemed to know what to do. A Yellow Jacket lineman grabbed the ball and lumbered to the Eagle five yard line before being caught by AC Walters. Ashford took the lead two plays later with a score and a two-point conversion for the 8-7 advantage. Alabama Christian’s next drive ended with a punt thanks to a personal foul penalty and the referees enforcing a loss of down after an ineligible man downfield penalty on third down. The first quarter ended with Ashford driving on the ACA side of the field.

Corey Landers runs around left end for the Eagles first score.

Senior Trey Schlemmer killed the drive on the first play of the second period with an interception as he beat the receiver to the spot for the turnover. The Eagles looked poised to retake the lead as they marched 63 yards on the legs of Corey Landers. The drive ended as the ball was fumbled into the end zone and was recovered by the defense for a touch back. The defense again forced a three and out to give the ball back to the offense with 6:31 left in the half. The 58-yard scoring drive started with an eleven yard pass to Corey Landers followed by four running plays and ended with a 25-yard pass down the middle to Schlemmer and the 14-8 advantage. The Eagles recovered a muffed fair catch attempt to put the offense right back on the field. With a short field to work with and momentum swinging their way, ACA wasted no time to add to the lead as Hayes Hunt found D’Andre Sneed on the second play of the possession on a 26-yard pass play to extend the lead to 21-8 with 2:54 left in the half. Taylor Thompson stopped a fourth down run at midfield with 1:06 left in the half to give the Eagles one more shot at points. Ashford had a personal foul called against them on a fourth down attempt that kept the drive alive and allowed ACA to score on the next play on a 33-yard pass from Hunt to Avery Stuart with just 13.5 seconds left in the second quarter. Alabama Christian headed to the locker room with a 28-8 halftime lead.

Trey Schlemmer reaches the end zone in the second quarter.

Ashford started the second half with the ball and would try to regain some of the momentum from earlier in the game. Trey Schlemmer made sure that did not happen as he recovered a fumble on the Jackets third play from scrimmage at the Ashford 34 yard line. It took the offense only four plays to add to the lead as Hayes Hunt found Thomas Stovall on 21-yard pass play for the 35-8 lead. With a large deficit, the Yellow Jackets went for it on fourth down, but were stopped three yards short as Corey Landers stopped the receiver. Two plays later, Otasowie Dion raced 62 yards around right end for a score to stretch the lead even further to 42-8. The biggest cheer of the night happened on the first play of the next Ashford drive as defensive leader Jack Thomas intercepted a pass and rolled 40 yards for a touchdown and a 49-8 lead. The Eagles struck quickly again, after a punt, on their first play on a 62-yard bomb to Preston Hicks from Hunt and a 56-8 advantage. Hicks was the fifth different receiver to catch a touchdown pass on the night as all eight scores were made by different players. The third period ended as the defense held Ashford on fourth down to turn the ball over.

Jack Thomas celebrates with Coach Howard after his interception.

The offense possessed the ball twice in the final period as AC Walters and David Ortiz-Ramirez shared the running duties while Mac Moorer played quarterback. The backups almost scored a late touchdown, but came up just short. Ashford scored with 3:52 left in the game to close out the scoring at 56-16. ACA was able to keep the ball on the ground and run out the remaining time left.

Nate Flowers brings down the Ashford runner in the fourth period.

The team’s 56 points scored was the third most in school history and two individual records were matched in the contest. Hayes Hunt’s five touchdown passes tied Jalen Clark’s mark from last season and Tyson Summers’ eight made extra points tied Cody Lange who accomplished the feat in 2004. Hunt finished the game 11 of 16 for 222 yards and five touchdowns. Corey Landers led the rushing attack with 128 yards on 15 carries and a score while Otasowie Dion had 87 yards on seven rushes with a score. Preston Hicks led the receivers with four receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Dion led the defense with seven tackles while Jack Thomas had five tackles and an interception for a touchdown. AC Walters had four tackles as Trey Schlemmer had three tackles with an interception and a fumble recovery.

Otasowie Dion heads for the end zone on a 62 yard scoring run.

Next week, Alabama Christian takes on Geneva in a key Region match up. With a victory, the Eagles would have sole possession of second place in the Region.

Alabama Christian Dismantles Dale County in Region Action

The series between ACA and Dale County has historically been high scoring, back and forth games, but the Eagle defense forced five Warrior turnovers, in the rain soaked conditions, in a 48-13 beat down. Dale County possessed the ball six times in the first half, four of them ended in turnovers and one of the two times they were able to punt the ball away, Corey Landers returned the punt for a touchdown. Meanwhile, the offense scored four times in the first half to build a commanding 35-0 lead at the half.

Preston Hicks enjoys one of five turnovers forced by the Eagle defense.

Dale County won the toss and deferred until the second which meant the Eagles got the ball first. The first drive was not a thing of beauty, but it produced points and that’s what counts. Despite two dropped passes and a snap go through the quarterback’s hands on the drive, ACA converted a 3rd and 21 with a middle screen to Corey Landers that covered 41 yards for the opening points of the contest. The Warriors picked up first downs on its first two plays from scrimmage and it looked like the track meet for both offenses was about to start, but the defense stiffened to force a fourth down for the Warriors at the Eagle 35 yard line. Dale County decided to go for it and the quarterback fumbled the ball on the keeper and Joshua Kreitz recovered it for the Eagles. The offensive line asserted its dominance on the second ACA drive as the unit opened holes on eight straight plays for the touchdown. Otasowie Dion carried the first three times to get the Eagles to the Dale County 24 yard line. Corey Landers finished the drive with the last five carries, capping the drive with a fourth and goal score from the two yard line and a 14-0 lead. On the second play of the ensuing Dale County drive, Kayden Findley recovered a botched hand-off exchange on the Warrior 35 yard line. However, the offense did not immediately hit the field due to a lightning delay as both teams headed to their locker rooms with 1:52 left in the first period.

Kayden Findley recovers a fumble in the first quarter.

Coming out of the delay, the offense seemed a little flat for the only time all night. The unit lost three yards on three plays and punted the ball away to Dale County pinning the Warriors on their own 12 yard line. Donovan Emerson moved them back four more yards with a tackle in the backfield on first down and Dale County was forced to punt after just three downs. Since the first two drives had ended with turnovers, the Warriors were probably glad to punt at the end of this possession. Any relief felt disappeared quickly as Corey Landers raced up the right sideline for a 43 yard touchdown on the return. The defense again held the Dale County offense to one yard in three plays and forced another punt. Smartly, the Warriors punted the ball out of bounds to not allow a return. The offense scored in four plays as Hayes Hunt hit Thomas Stovall in the flat on the left side and the receiver did the rest running 44 yards through the defense for the score and a 28-0 advantage. Desperate for anything good on offense, Dale County went deep on the fourth play of their next drive, but Preston Hicks intercepted the attempt to kill the Warrior drive. With 2:53 left in the half, the Eagles would try for one more score. The offense overcame four penalties on the drive, two of which negated plays of over 40 yards, to score with just 37.3 seconds left in the half. Hunt and Hicks hooked up on a 30-yard pass for the final score of the half and a 35-0 lead. Gerrod Green picked off another long pass in the closing seconds before intermission.

Corey Landers celebrates with teammates in the end zone after a punt return for a score.

With the big lead, a running clock was employed for the second half. Dale County picked up a first down on their first drive of the half, but punted the ball away to the Eagles with 7:55 left in the quarter. ACA drove 80 yards on nine consecutive runs to extend the lead to 42-0. Corey Landers carried four times for 21 yards and Otasowie Dion had five carries for 59 yards and the touchdown on a 1st and goal from the two yard line. The third period ended on a Landers interception as the junior starred in all phases of the game. In the fourth quarter the Eagles substituted freely and allowed many players to gain valuable experience. AC Walters took advantage of the playing time in the backfield rushing five times for 45 yards and a 23-yard touchdown run for a 48-0 lead. Dale County returned the kickoff for a touchdown to get on the board for the first time and recovered a muffed catch on their kickoff to set up a second score for the 48-13 final margin. Alabama Christian lined up in victory formation for one snap and the game was over.

Otasowie Dion plunges into the end zone for a third quarter touchdown.

DeAndre Sneed and Jack Thomas led the defense with four tackles each while Donovan Emerson had three tackles. Five players, Jaylan McCovery, Trey Schlemmer, Kayden Findley, Otasowie Dion and AC Walters each had two tackles. Hayes Hunt threw for 170 yards and three touchdowns all in the first half, as the Eagles did not attempt a pass in the second half. Preston Hicks led the receivers with four catches for 47 yards while Corey Landers added two catches for 46 yards and Thomas Stovall had one catch for 44 yards. All three receivers had a touchdown reception. Otasowie Dion led the team in rushing with 88 yards on nine carries and a score while Corey Landers finished with 60 yards on fifteen carries and a touchdown.

Alabama Christian is off next week and will resume play October 1st at Ashford.

Eagles Even Region Record with Road Win Over BTW

As Alabama Christian and BTW met Friday night, neither team wanted to drop to 0-2 in the Region. Both teams lost their Region opener last week and a second defeat would dampen any hope of hosting a playoff game in November. ACA dominated every aspect of the game in the 35-12 road victory. The Eagles out gained BTW 479 yards to 219 and possessed the ball for thirty-five of the game’s forty-eight minutes while the defense limited big plays for the Golden Eagle offense.

The home team received the opening kickoff and punted after three plays as open receivers were missed by the BTW quarterback on two of the three downs. The offense scored on the first drive as they overcame back to back penalties that forced a 1st and 28 from their own 25 yard line. Hayes Hunt hit Thomas Stovall on a middle screen for 17 yards and Otasowie Dion picked up the next 11 on a sweep around left end to pick up the first down and put the drive back on track. Hunt was 5 for 5 on the drive and Corey Landers finished the march with a 14 yard run for the first of many trips to the end zone. BTW produced a second consecutive three and out and the offense was back on the field. On the second drive, the offense continued to work the quick outside passing game and moved their way down the field. The first quarter ended with Alabama Christian ahead 7-0 and on the move for a second score.

Corey Landers heads around left end for his first score of the night.

A few plays into the period, the offense benefited from a pass interference call against BTW on third and goal which allowed Corey Landers to line up in the Wildcat formation and follow Jack Thomas into the end zone from three yards out to increase the lead to 14-0. The drive lasted 12 plays and covered 70 yards while eating up 4:55 of the first half clock. BTW picked up their first first down of the night on the next possession, but gave the ball up on downs with 7:39 left in the half. ACA masterfully worked their way down the field as they converted two third downs and a fourth down to try to score before the half. The offense made it as far as the three yard line of BTW, but could could go no further and missed a 20-yard field goal on the last play of the half to remain ahead 14-0. The Eagles did everything right except put points on the board in the time consuming drive.

Hayes Hunt surveys the defense for an open receiver.

Alabama Christian received the second half kickoff and scored in eight plays to stretch the lead to 21-0. Corey Landers delivered a 17-yard run around left end on the march and Otasowie Dion finished it with a 23-yard gallop for the touchdown. Dion started right on the play, cut up the middle and spun out of a tackle to race to pay dirt. BTW put together their first good march of the game as they cut the lead to 21-6 with 4:55 left in the third period. ACA responded quickly as Landers broke off a 55-yard run on the first play of the drive and finished it one play later from the Wildcat for his third score of the night. BTW turned the ball over on downs to end the third with ACA ahead 28-6.

Thomas Stovall carries defenders to the goal line.

The next Eagle drive belonged to the work horse, Corey Landers. The junior back carried the ball on nine of the twelve plays on the last scoring drive of the night and finished with his fourth score of the contest. Landers would finish the night with 29 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns. The home team scored with 4:11 left in the game to cut the lead to 35-12, but ACA ran the clock out and never gave the home team another shot on offense.

Donovan Emerson and friends track down the BTW runner.

Hayes Hunt finished the night with 19 completions on 24 attempts for 181 yards and Otasowie Dion had 48 yards on five carries and a score. Preston Hicks led the receivers with 8 receptions for 80 yards while three receivers, Garrett Weathers, Thomas Stovall and Trey Schlemmer each had three catches. On defense Jack Thomas led the squad with five tackles while Schlemmer and Hicks both recorded four tackles. Avery Stuart and Lane Smith each had three tackles.

Eagles Fall to St James in Region Opener

The first two games of the year can be viewed as the preseason because, in reality, the real season began Friday night as Alabama Christian started Region play. Over the next eight weeks, the Eagles will play seven Region opponents that will determine their postseason fate. The top two teams from last season met in the first week of Region competition in a pivotal early season match up. Last year, ACA and St James played an instant classic that determined the Region champion and the same was expected this season. The winner of the opener would gain an early upper hand in the standings.

Alabama Christian let too many early opportunities slip away with no points and were never able to recover in a 35-21 loss to the Trojans. The Eagles possessed the ball for nine of the twelve minutes of the opening period, but put nothing on the board to let the Trojans off the hook. St James gained only two yards on three plays in the opening drive of the game to give ACA the ball with just over a minute gone in the contest. The offense drove 48 yards to the Trojan 25 yard line where they faced a 3rd down with one yard to go. The Eagles tried a slant pass in tight coverage on third down and a trick quarterback sneak on fourth down and failed to pick up the yard needed. The ten play drive ended with a turnover on downs. The Alabama Christian defense produced its second straight three and out as Corey Landers pressured the Trojan QB into an illegal forward pass on third down and the offense hit the field with 4:10 left in the first. The second drive picked up 39 yards on five consecutive runs to put the ball at the St James 31 yard line. A holding call and a dropped pass for a possible score stalled the drive and ACA turned the ball over on downs for the second time to start the second quarter.  

The Trojans drove 73 yards in seven plays for a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead early in the second period. Alabama Christian punted on its next possession to pin the Trojans back to their own 15 yard line. After a couple of first downs, the defense turned up the pressure and a sack by Otasowie Dion and a quarterback pressure by Donovan Emerson on consecutive plays forced a St James punt. Once again the offense moved early in the drive and marched to the St James 13 yard line with 3.9 seconds left in the half. The big play of the drive was a 22-yard connection from Hayes Hunt to Avery Stuart. ACA looked to trim the lead with a 30-yard field goal attempt, but the kick landed in the middle of the end zone and St James led 7-0 at the intermission.

The Eagles opened the second half with a beautiful 12-play 74 yard drive that ate up 6:40 of the third quarter clock to tie the game, 7-7. The ball was distributed evenly as Otasowie Dion had four carries for 27 yards while Hunt found Garrett Weathers three times for 28 yards and Corey Landers carried the ball three times for 12 yards including the last yard from the Wildcat formation to tie the contest. St James answered in just three plays to regain the lead 14-7. Landers opened the next drive with a 27-yard run and three plays later, Hayes Hunt lofted a ball over two defenders down the middle for a 19-yard scoring strike to Trey Schlemmer to tie the score 14-14 with 2:15 left in the third. Again, the Trojans scored in three plays to regain the lead 21-14 with less than a minute left in the period.

Hunt and Stuart combined for a 36-yard pass play to spark the opening drive of the final quarter and Landers scored his second touchdown of the night from the Wildcat to tie the game once again. St James responded in four plays with another score aided by what can be described, at best, as a terrible roughing the passer call against ACA. Down 28-21, the offense tried to respond again as they drove to the Trojan 21 yard line, but a deflected ball was intercepted by the Trojan defense. St James did not score quickly this time, instead they throttled down the offense and took their time as they scored the final points of the night with just 1:20 left in the game.

Jack Thomas led the defensive unit with 10 tackles while a trio of defenders, Avery Stuart, Trey Schlemmer, and Donovan Emerson each had five tackles. Otasowie Dion had the unit’s only sack. Hayes Hunt threw for 197 yards, completing 18 of 28 passes and a touchdown. Corey Landers was the team’s leading rusher with 95 yards on 19 carries and two scores while Dion finished with nine rushes for 77 yards. Avery Stuart led the receivers with four catches for 75 yards while Trey Schlemmer had the only TD reception on the night. Landers, Thomas Stovall and Garrett Weathers all had three grabs on the evening.

The Eagles continue Region play next week as they travel to BTW-Tuskegee.

Alabama Christian Grounds Squadron in Home Blow Out

After dropping the season opener there might have been some added pressure to win the first game of the year but the Eagles were unaffected as they scored on their opening drive and dominated the night in a 47-6 shellacking of Highland Home. The offense was clicking and gained more yards in the first quarter than they did in week one The effort gave Coach Michael Summers his first win as the head coach of the program.

Coach Michael Summers celebrates his first win with his family.

ACA received the opening kickoff and drove 66 yards in six plays to take the early lead. The offense converted two third downs as Hayes Hunt moved out of the pocket to find Otasowie Dion for 17 yards on a 3rd and 3 and Corey Landers ran 37 yards off right tackle for the game’s first touchdown on a 3rd and 5. Two plays later, DeAndre Sneed, separated ball and receiver and recovered the fumble on Highland Home’s 33 yard line. Hunt found Garrett Weathers on the first play of the drive and the Eagles led 14-0 with just over four minutes gone in the game. Trey Schlemmer and the defense threw Highland Home for a twelve yard loss on the fist play of the next drive and forced a three and out to give the ball back to the offense. On the second play of the Eagle possession, Hunt kept the ball and went around right end and outraced the defense to the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead. The next three drives for both teams ended in punts, but Alabama Christian was on the move as the first period came to an end.

DeAndre Sneed recovers a fumble in Squadron territory.

On the third play of the second quarter, Otasowie Dion scored the only touchdown of the night under 30 yards with a nine yard run to increase the lead to 27-0. The score capped a nine-play 59-yard march that lasted a little over 3 1/2 minutes. William Milner had the first of a few standout plays as he broke up a pass on Highland Home’s next drive that ended with a bad snap and the Squadron punter covering the ball on his own 20 yard line. Despite the offensive success on the night, the Eagles were unable to cash in this golden opportunity and turned the ball over on downs. However, the defense came to the aid of the offense as Dion stepped in front of a Highland Home receiver for an interception and raced 33 yards for a score and a 34-0 advantage. After another three and out, the Eagles got the ball back with 3:24 left in the half. It only took 1:59 to score as Hayes Hunt found Garrett Weathers twenty yards behind the defense on a 58-yard connection for a 40-0 halftime lead.

Hayes Hunt loads up to find Garrett Weathers behind the defense.

Due to the lopsided score it was agreed the second half would be played with six minute quarters instead of the customary twelve. A lot of front line players were able to sit out the second half which allowed many younger players to get some much needed time on the field. Highland Home held the ball for nine plays to start the second half, but turned the ball over on downs at midfield. The Eagles ran one offensive play before the third period ended. The backups went three and out, but Tyson Summers delivered the best punt of the season with a 49 yard effort for a touch back. Landon Nelson had a big pass break up to help put the offense back on the field. The highlight of the night came as AC Walters broke around left end and darted 58 yards for a score to increase the Eagle lead 47-0. The Squadron added a score very late in the game for the 47-6 final.

AC Walters runs around right end for his first touchdown of his career.

Hayes Hunt finished the night with 158 yards through the air with 38 yards on the ground and accounted for three touchdowns on the night. Garrett Weathers led the receivers with three receptions for 100 yards and two scores. Corey Landers was the leading rusher with 87 yards on 11 carries and a TD as AC Walters had 55 yards on two attempts with a score. Otasowie Dion scored on offense and defense to help the team. Donovan Emerson led the defense with eight tackles and a sack followed by Joshua Kreitz with five tackles. Three defenders, Jack Thomas, Trey Schlemmer and William Milner, finished the night with four tackles.

Trey Schlemmer brings down the Highland Home receiver.

The Eagles open Region play next week as they host St James.

Eagles Drop Season Opener in Defensive Battle

For the second year in a row, ACA opened the season with a Thursday night loss to Trinity. The game was a bit of a throwback as the two defenses dominated the contest. Neither team gained more than 200 yards from scrimmage or scored a touchdown, but the Wildcats two field goals proved to be the difference in the 6-0 win over Alabama Christian. First year coach Michael Summers can be pleased with his defense as they showed considerable improvement from last year. However, the offense is a concern as the Eagles managed just 93 yards of offense on the night.

The offense started the night with their biggest play of the game as Corey Landers gained 17 yards on a run around left end. Unfortunately, the unit produced only two more first downs in the half. The defense stopped the Wildcats on four of their five first half possessions allowing just a 23 yard field goal with 1:16 left in the half. The defense did well to allow only the three points as the drive started on their own 23 yard line. The only offensive threat of the half for the Eagles was a nine-play 35 yard drive that ended with a failed fourth down attempt at the Wildcat 39 yard line.

DeAndre Sneed intercepted a Wildcat pass on the second play of the second half to set up the Eagles inside their opponent’s territory. ACA picked up a first down, but stalled on the 21 yard line as they gave the ball up on downs. The next possession started just inside Trinity’s side of the field and again the offense drove down to the Wildcat 18 yard line. The Eagles attempted to tie the game with a 34 yard field goal with 8:30 left in the game, but a high snap threw off the timing and the kick was blocked. Alabama Christian caught a break as a Trinity defender covered the deflected ball at the 4 yard line which backed up the offense. The defense again forced a punt and the offense got the ball at midfield, but could do nothing with it and punted the ball away. Trinity extended its lead to 6-0 with a 32 yard field goal with 1:53 remaining in the game. The Eagles last chance with the ball came up empty and Trinity was able to run the clock out for the win.

Jack Thomas led the defense with nine tackles and a sack while Trey Schlemmer added eight tackles. Gerrod Green, DeAndre Sneed and Avery Stuart each contributed five tackles on the night. Sneed also caught three passes for 20 yards while Preston Hicks had four catches for 14 yards. Corey Landers was the team’s leading rusher with 29 yards while Hayes Hunt finished 8 of 16 for 34 yards through the air.

ACA will host Highland Home next Friday night in their home opener.

Eagles Beaten in Quarterfinals by American Christian

A magnificent season came to an end Friday night as ACA fell to American Christian, 38-7, in the quarterfinals of the State playoffs. Although tonight didn’t end the way the Eagles had hoped, they can hold their heads high and be proud of their accomplishments this year. The 2020 team tied the record for most wins in a season (10), longest winning streak (8) and advanced to the quarterfinals of the State playoffs for just the fourth time in program history.

American Christian won the toss and took the ball to open the game. After getting the ball on the Eagle 48 yard line, the Patriots scored in eight plays to take an early 7-0 lead. ACA responded and methodically drove the ball down the field, running clock and keeping the Patriot offense on the sidelines. The march covered 69 yards over 13 plays and ate up 7:49 of the first quarter clock. The offense converted two third downs and Otasowie Dion scored from eight yards away on another with 54.1 seconds left in the opening period to tie the game, 7-7. 

The second quarter began with the Eagles defense forcing a punt from American Christian. The key play of the series was a third down sack by senior Will Wright who overpowered the Patriot lineman for the eleven yard loss. ACA converted one fourth down on the next drive, but could not convert a second and turned the ball over on downs at the Patriot 39 yard line. American Christian kicked a 41 yard field goal on its next possession with 2:04 remaining in the half to take a 10-7 lead. As the Eagles tried to score late in the half, a holding penalty derailed the drive and after a 15 yard punt, the Patriots took over at midfield with only 32.8 seconds left in the second quarter. Unfortunately, that was more than enough time for a score. American Christian scored on the first play of the possession and took a 17-7 lead into the half. The late score seemed to turn the tide of the game.

Alabama Christian received the second half kickoff and hoped to get back in the game with a score on its opening drive. The Eagles picked up a couple of first downs and drove the ball to the American Christian 39 yard line. On 1st and 10 from there, Demari Moore appeared to give ACA the score they needed, but a holding call on the play negated the touchdown. Two plays later, Jalen Clark was sacked and the offense eventually had to punt the ball to the Patriots. American Christian left no doubt as to the outcome of the contest as they marched 69 yards in eight plays for a 24-7 advantage with 2:38 left in the third. American Christian would go on to score on its next two possessions of the half on drives of 72 and 41 yards, respectively. The last score came with 9:18 left in the game and gave the Patriots a commanding 38-7 lead. Over that same time, ACA picked up only one first down in three possessions as each drive ended with a punt. The offense did give one last effort at the end of the game as they drove 65 yards in 11 plays but the game ended with the ball on the American Christian one yard line.

Miller McCarthy, as he has done all year, led the defense with nine tackles and Jack Thomas had seven tackles. Demari Moore had four tackles while Otasowie Dion, Khalil Jackson and Trey Schlemmer each had three tackles. 

Jalen Clark ended the night completing 14 passes on 19 attempts for 90 yards. Corey Landers led the Eagles in rushing with 64 yards on 14 carries while Otasowie Dion had 54 yards on six carries and a touchdown. TJ Silmon led the receivers with three catches for 25 yards while Corey Landers had three receptions for 19 yards and Preston Hicks added three catches for eight yards. Hayes Hunt ended the game with two catches for 23 yards. 

Eagles Advance in Playoffs with Win Over Jacksonville

For the second straight week ACA played an opponent it had never faced before as they hosted Jacksonville in the second round of the playoffs. The Golden Eagles entered the game with a 7-3 record, but with two of the losses due to forfeits from COVID Jacksonville played better than their record indicated. The Golden Eagles proved to be a very tough foe and took a 21-14 lead with 6:33 left in the first half. Alabama Christian’s defense made key adjustments and over the final two and a half quarters Jacksonville had the ball seven times and was held to two first downs and 28 yards of total offense. The offense put up 17 points over that same span and the Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals, for just the third time in program history, with a 31-21 victory. The win was the 10th of the year, which ties the 2017 team for most in a season.

ACA took the ball first and held the ball for eight plays, but only moved the ball nine yards before they punted to Jacksonville. The Golden Eagle offense struck quickly as they scored on a 65 yard run around the right end on their first play from scrimmage to take an early 7-0 lead. Alabama Christian responded on the next drive with an eight play 67 yard drive to tie the score 7-7 with 5:45 remaining in the first quarter. Jalen Clark provided two key plays on the possession as he found Preston Hicks for a 22 yard gain with a defender draped on his back as he threw the ball and an 18 yard yard scoring run up the middle to even the score. If the Eagles were feeling good about themselves that quickly disappeared as Jacksonville returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to retake the lead 14-7. The Golden Eagles had touched the ball twice so far in the contest and scored untouched on both plays. As ACA punted the ball back to Jacksonville on the next possession there was an uneasy feeling in the air. However, for the first time during the game, the defense stopped the Golden Eagle attack and forced a punt from Jacksonville. Sanders Manning’s third down sack was key in getting the ball back to the offense. At the end of one, Jacksonville led 14-7.

Jalen Clark scores from 18 yards out on the first touchdown of the night.

Alabama Christian started the second quarter with a bang as Jalen Clark hooked up with Preston Hicks on a 65 yard pass play down to the Jacksonville 11 yard line. Three plays later, Hayes Hunt caught a 4 yard dart from Clark to even the score 14-14 early in the second quarter. On the next drive, the Golden Eagles put up their last points of the night as they scored a touchdown with 6:33 left in the half for a 21-14 advantage. When ACA had to punt the ball back to Jacksonville after taking just 1:22 off the clock before halftime, that uneasy feeling crept back, but the defense again answered the call. Sanders Manning started the drive with another tackle for loss and the Jacksonville offense never recovered and gave the ball back to ACA with 3:39 remaining until halftime. The Eagle offense put together a 15 play drive that ate up all but the last 6.5 seconds of the quarter to tie the game 21-21. ACA overcame a touchdown that was called back and converted two third downs and a fourth down on the drive as the clock wound down in the half. The one yard scoring run from Jalen Clark was set up by the fourth down conversion the play before as the senior QB found Hayes Hunt for a 16 yard gain that stopped the clock with less than 10 seconds in the quarter. Even though the teams were tied heading to the locker room, you could feel the momentum swinging to the home team.

Sanders Manning tackles the Jacksonville quarterback.

As the second half started the ACA defense completely smothered the Jacksonville offense. Donovan Emerson and Jack Thomas teamed up for a tackle for loss on second down of the Golden Eagles’ first drive and after an incomplete pass on third down, Jacksonville punted to Alabama Christian. After exchanging punts on the next two possessions, ACA committed the first turnover of the game with a fumble on a botched hook and ladder that the Golden Eagles returned to the ACA 24 yard line. Jacksonville’s drive consisted of a holding call and three incomplete passes as they were unable to take advantage of the ACA miscue and turned the ball over on downs. On the Eagles first play, Jalen Clark outraced the Jacksonville defense to the goal line for a 67 yard scoring romp that gave ACA its first lead of the game, 28-21. Otasowie Dion helped knock the Golden Eagle offense backwards with a tackle behind the line on the first play of the next drive and the Jacksonville offense remained ineffective in the second half. On the first play of Alabama Christian’s next drive, senior quarterback, Jalen Clark came up hobbling and headed to the sidelines. The Eagles ran the ball on the next two plays to end the third quarter with a 28-21 lead.

Trey Schlemmer and the defense stop the Golden Eagle runner.

Assuming ACA would remain conservative with a backup quarterback in the game and a lead, the Eagle offense zigged when Jacksonville thought they would zag and Hayes Hunt, who remained calm in the pocket with chaos all around him, hooked up with Garrett Weathers for a 42 yard bomb down to the Jacksonville seven yard line. The pass play allowed Aaron Treubig to connect on a 25 yard field goal with 9:48 left in the game that gave ACA a two score lead at 31-21. Jacksonville turned the ball over on downs on their last two drives of the game as they could see their season slipping away. The Eagles ran the last 3:59 off the clock to put the game away for the home team.

Otasowie Dion with one of his six tackles on the night.

Otasowie Dion led the defense in tackles with six on the night with Miller McCarthy adding five of his own. Sanders Manning and Trey Schlemmer each recorded four tackles and a sack. Donovan Emerson added three tackles.

Preston Hicks cuts behind the defender on a 65 yard pass play.

Jalen Clark finished the night with 30 carries for 214 yards and three scores and completed 14 of 23 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. Hayes Hunt led the receivers with eight receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. Preston Hicks had four catches for 98 yards and Garrett Weathers’ lone catch covered 42 yards. Corey Landers added 34 hard rushing yards on 11 carries.

Next week, ACA (10-2) will host American Christian in a State quarterfinal match up.

ACA Impressive in First Round Victory Over West Blocton

Thirty-two teams began the quest for the 4A State crown Friday night and Alabama Christian’s journey began at Wade Black Norton Field in a first round matchup with West Blocton. This was the first ever meeting between ACA, the top seed from Region 2, and the fourth seeded Tigers out of Region 3. The Eagles advanced to the round of 16 while scoring the most points ever in a playoff game with an easy 56-14 victory. ACA scored on seven of eight possessions in the first half and made sure the outcome was never in doubt.

ACA got the ball first and wasted no time for the first score of the game with a possession that covered 67 yards over five plays. The Eagles faced a 3rd and 14 from the West Blocton 40 yard line when Jalen Clark found Garrett Weathers behind the defense for the score and a 6-0 lead with 9:03 left in the first quarter. After giving up a first down with an offsides penalty, the defense buckled down as Otasowie Dion was in on three straight plays including a third down sack that forced a Tiger punt. The offense scored quickly with a drive that lasted only 43 seconds. The key play was a 41 yard pass from Clark to Hayes Hunt down to the Tiger 10 yard line. Once again, a receiver got behind the defense for a big gain, which continued all night. Otasowie Dion scored on the next play to increase the lead to 14-0 with 5:04 remaining in the quarter. Jack Thomas recovered a fumble on the first play of the next West Blocton drive to give the ball right back to the offense on the Tiger 34 yard line. Jalen Clark covered all 34 yards with his legs to stretch the lead to 21-0. Clark’s three yard scoring run broke the career record for rushing touchdowns in ACA history. The Eagles next possession was the only one of the half that did not produce points, at least not for Alabama Christian. The drive ended as the Tiger defense alertly picked up a backwards pass and ran it in for the score. With a successful two point conversion the lead was cut to 21-8. However, the Eagles squashed any potential momentum for West Blocton as the first quarter ended with the offense knocking on the door for another score. 

Jalen Clark looks for a hole against the Tiger defense.

Jalen Clark scored on the first play of the second quarter from two yards out to make the score 28-8. West Blocton’s first drive of the quarter consisted of three runs with a false start mixed in that netted the Tigers just four yards. ACA took over on their own 40 yard line after the ball was punted back to them. Demari Moore made a diving catch at the two yard line that covered 42 yards to help set up the next score. After a delay of game infraction, Hayes Hunt caught a seven yard pass from Clark for a 35-8 lead with 7:23 left in the half. West Blocton picked up a couple of first downs before Miller McCarthy stopped the next drive with an interception to give the ball back to the offense at midfield. Three plays later, Clark hooked up with Garrett Weathers for the second time on a 26 yard scoring pass to make the score 42-8. On the first play of the Tiger’s next drive, Khalil Jackson and Miller McCarthy combined for the stop. With the tackle, McCarthy set a new mark for most career tackles in program history. The defense finished the possession forcing the third turnover of the half with a Demari Moore interception with just 1:00 left in the quarter. On the next play, Clark froze the defensive back on the right side with a pump fake and hit Avery Stuart up the sideline for a 54 yard score and a 49-8 lead heading to the half.

The defense celebrates a West Blocton turnover.

West Blocton opened the second half with a sustained drive that moved the ball to the Eagle 29 yard line and took over six minutes off the clock. The drive ended as Miller McCarthy and Jack Thomas sniffed out a fake punt attempt and stopped the runner five yards short of a first down. ACA’s final score of the night was a 73 yard slip screen to Preston Hicks from Clark. The toss was the fifth touchdown thrown on the night by the senior quarterback, which is a new single game record. West Blocton scored early in the final quarter to close out the scoring for the game and cut the Eagle lead to 56-14. Each team would have the ball one more time in the fourth, but neither team was able to score.

Preston Hicks is off to the races on a 73 yard scoring reception.

Jalen Clark completed 10 of his 12 passes on the night for a career high 307 yards and five touchdowns. Clark also ran for 106 yards on eight attempts and two touchdowns. The captain now has 38 rushing touchdowns for his career. Otasowie Dion added 50 yards on six carries and a touchdown. Preston Hicks led the receivers with four catches for 96 yards and a score. Both of Garrett Weathers’ receptions went for touchdowns that totaled 66 yards. Hayes Hunt had two catches for 48 yards and a touchdown while Avery Stuart’s lone catch of the night went for 54 yards and a score.

Preston Hicks and Hayes Hunt celebrate Hunt’s touchdown catch.

On defense, Miller McCarthy had 14 tackles and an interception to lead the defense. The senior linebacker now has 294 tackles for his career. Jack Thomas had 12 tackles and a fumble recovery. Otasowie Dion had six tackles and two sacks while Donovan Emerson and Grant Sutton each had six tackles. 

Jack Thomas and a gang of Eagles stop the Tiger runner.

Next week, in round two of the playoffs, the Eagles (9-2) will face Jacksonville for a chance to move to the quarterfinals.  

Eagles Drop Final Regular Season Game

Win or lose, the final regular season game of the year was a tall task for the Eagles of ACA, especially heading into the playoffs. Long-time rival MA entered the game undefeated and ranked sixth in the ASWA 3A state poll. For only the second time this year, ACA suffered a loss as they fell to MA by a score of 31-7. The Eagles two losses this season came on Thursday nights while they won all eight contests played on Friday nights.

After both teams traded punts on their first possessions, MA drove 84 yards on seven plays and took a 7-0 lead with 7:06 remaining in the first quarter. ACA responded with its best drive of the game as the home standing Eagles marched 73 yards on 13 plays and tied the game 7-7. Alabama Christian converted a third down and two fourth downs on the drive and scored on the second fourth down conversion as Hayes Hunt hit Jalen Clark on a throwback to the quarterback that covered 28 yards. The two teams headed to the second quarter tied 7-7.

MA scored less than a minute into the second quarter to stretch the lead to 14-7. The Eagles responded again by holding the ball for over seven minutes, but were unable to score and turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert a 4th and 19 from the 20 yard line. MA took full advantage of the momentum and scored three plays later to take a 21-7 lead into the half.

ACA could not regain any momentum in the second half as their four drives in the half ended with two interceptions and two punts. MA added two scores and were able to play many players in the second half. The defense had two sacks in the half, one each by Otasowie Dion and Donovan Emerson, and Grant Sutton recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter. MA ran off the final 2:21 of the game in Victory formation to take home a 31-7 win.

Miller McCarthy led the defense with 10 tackles while Corey Landers and Avery Stuart each had five tackles. Otasowie Dion added four tackles and a sack with Trey Schlemmer contributing four tackles. Jalen Clark ended the night 10 for 27 with 143 yards and two interceptions, ran for 63 yards on 13 carries and caught a 28 yard touchdown pass from Hayes Hunt. Preston Hicks led the receivers with four receptions for 80 yards while Corey Landers had three receptions for 22 yards and Hayes Hunt had two catches for 36 yards.

Next Friday, November 6th, ACA opens the playoffs as they host West Blocton in the first round.

Where Are They Now? - Gary Bradley, Jr.

Looking back at the 1975 football team, the second team in school history, we caught up with Gary Bradley Jr. to talk about his time at Alabama Christian and what he is doing these days. The Eagle squad won the first game in school history 45 years ago today, October 24, 1975. The senior quarterback scored the game’s only touchdown in the 6-0 victory. Bradley and his fellow Eagles helped pave the way for Alabama Christian football as we know it today.

What year did you graduate from Alabama Christian? 1976

What grades did you attend at Alabama Christian? 11th-12th 

What is your favorite football memory? Winning our first game in the history of the program against Hayneville in the 1975 season. I scored the only touchdown of the game and had three interceptions to help us win.

Who took you under their wing when you joined the varsity team? Coach Mitch Grubb welcomed me to the team having just moved to Montgomery in 1974 from Chattanooga, which was his hometown as well.

Who was your most memorable teammate? Our center, Gary Gregory. I got my bell rung on a play and when we huddled up for the next play, I called a play that did not exist. Gary called to the official, “We need time, our quarterback doesn’t know where he is.”

What teacher/coach had the most influence on you? Both coach Mike Lusk and Mitch Grubb had a positive influence on me.

Where do you currently live? Columbiana, Alabama

What do you do for a living? I’m an Assistant District Attorney in the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.

Tell me about your family. I have three grown sons and eight grandchildren.

 Rapid Fire

Favorite Movie: Tombstone

Dream Vacation Spot: Any lake

Who is the person you most admire: My autistic grandson

Early morning or Late night person: Late night

Alabama or Auburn (or other): God put crimson blood in my veins

Alabama Christian Defeats Bullock County on Record Setting Night

Records are made to be broken and that’s just what the ACA football team did Friday night with a 32-14 win over Bullock County. The victory was the eighth in a row for the Eagles and surpasses the seven game winning streak set by the 2017 team for most consecutive games won in program history. This year’s squad also finished undefeated in Region play for the first time since the Region format expanded in 2000.

Individually, two players added their name to the record book Friday night. Senior Miller McCarthy broke the record for most solo tackles in a career with four against the Hornets and now has 139 to his credit and is only 17 total tackles (solo and assisted) away from holding that mark as well. Coach Nate Sanford said this about McCarthy, “Miller has been one of the most steady performers I have ever coached on the defensive side.” The linebacker led the Eagles again Friday night with nine tackles against the Hornets.

On the offensive side of the ball, Jalen Clark’s rushing touchdown early in the second quarter was his 20th of the year and set a new season record for the program. With the score, the senior also tied Reese Solar for the career mark for rushing touchdowns (36) and total touchdowns (40). Coach Sanford said, “Jalen has played on an incredibly high level all year and hasn’t played his best ball yet.” Sanford also added “Both Jalen and Miller are quintessential captains.”

The contest against Bullock County was a hard fought battle. After the game, Coach Sanford commented, “This was a very tough, very physical game tonight. Bullock County came to play, but our guys rose to the challenge with some key stops in the red zone, especially to close the first half.” Some spectators thought the Hornets might have resorted to psychological warfare as the lights shone directly into the eyes of the fans and the announcer repeated “Hornet fans, make some noise” over and over again.

ACA opened the game with a time consuming 13 play drive that lasted 9:11, but came away with no points. The Eagles were set up first and goal at the 10 yard line, but a delay of game penalty and two holding calls turned a promising opening drive into a third and goal from the 41 yard line. The offense turned the ball over on downs two plays later. The defense did its job when it hit the field as Bullock County punted after three snaps. The key play for the defense was a tackle for loss on 2nd down by Khalil Jackson and Will Wright. The Eagles were on the move as the first quarter ended with the score tied 0-0.

The defense gangs up on the Hornet runner.

The Eagles kept the ball on the ground on their drive, that started in the first quarter and ended on the second play of the second quarter, as Jalen Clark ran 27 yards on a keeper up the middle to give ACA the lead with 11:11 remaining in the half. The Hornets jumped offsides on the extra point attempt which led Alabama Christian to go for two. Clark easily scored on the play and the Eagles led 8-0. Once again, the defense got the ball back to the offense after a three and out for Bullock County. Trey Schlemmer began the series with a tackle for loss as he forced the Hornet back out of bounds around the right end. ACA’s second score of the night was set up by the longest pass play of the contest as Jalen Clark hit Hayes Hunt on a 53 yard catch and run to the Hornet 25 yard line. The drive ended with Clark hitting Corey Landers on a middle screen that covered 11 yards and gave the Eagles a 15-0 advantage with 5:44 left in the quarter. Bullock County put together an impressive drive to end the first half as they drove the length of the field, but were kept out of the end zone by the ACA defense. The Hornets got as close as the Eagle three yard line, but Khalil Jackson and Will Wright teamed up again for a tackle behind the line of scrimmage that moved Bullock County back to the seven. With time running out, the Hornets attempted a field goal on fourth down and missed badly to keep the score at 15-0 heading into halftime.

Hayes Hunt off and running on a 53 yard pass play.

The third quarter began with another long possession for the Bullock County offense that produced no points. The Hornets held the ball for 17 plays and took 9:41 off the clock before giving the ball back to ACA. As Bullock County was inside the Eagle ten yard line, the ACA defense was up to the challenge and turned the Hornets away. On second and goal from the eight, D’Andre Sneed broke up a pass at the goal line and on third down Khalil Jackson, who lived in the Hornet backfield, dropped the Bullock County back for an eleven yard loss which set up a fourth and goal from the 19 yard line. An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the ball to ACA for the first time in the second half with 2:19 left in the third quarter. The Eagles scored on the last play of the quarter as Otasowie Dion followed his blockers around right end and raced 62 yards for the touchdown. After the extra point attempt was blocked, ACA led 21-0 heading to the fourth quarter.

Khalil Jackson with one of his four tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Bullock County opened the quarter with a one play drive on a 78 yard bomb to a wide open receiver down the middle of the field to cut the score to 21-6. Alabama Christian responded quickly and scored in just three plays to expand the lead to 29-6. Corey Landers ran the ball on the first two plays of the drive and gained 41 yards down to the Hornet 25 yard line. Jalen Clark hit Garrett Weathers up the left sideline on a beautiful throw that covered the final 25 yards of the drive. For the second time in the game, Bullock County jumped offsides on the PAT which prompted the Eagles to successfully go for two. Like their previous possession, the Hornets scored quickly as they hooked up for a 55 yard pass play on the second play of the drive to make the score 29-14 with 9:24 left in the game. The Eagle offense kept the ball on the ground to keep the ball away from the Hornets and moved the ball to their opponent’s 20 yard line before Aaron Treubig connected on a 37 yard field goal with 4:53 left to give ACA a three score advantage at 32-14. Feeling good about their passing game, Bullock County continued to throw the ball, but Sanders Manning ended the drive with an interception at midfield with 4:15 remaining in the game. The offense could not pick up a first down to run out the clock and gave Bullock County one last chance with the ball. The game ended with the Hornets trying  to pick up another score. Trey Schlemmer left his calling card as he laid out a Hornet receiver on the last play of the game to seal the victory.

Jalen Clark getting ready to pass to Garrett Weathers for a score.

Otasowie Dion led the Eagle rushing attack with 95 yards on four carries and a score. Corey Landers gained 77 yards on 14 attempts and added one reception for 11 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Clark ran for 68 yards on 10 rushes with a touchdown and threw for 155 yards on 10 of 13 passing and two scores. Hayes Hunt led the receivers with three catches for 72 yards. Preston Hicks had two catches for 23 yards and Trey Schlemmer added two receptions for 19 yards. Garrett Weathers lone catch of the night was a 25 yard reception for a score.

Otasowie Dion outruns the Hornet defense for a touchdown.

After McCarthy’s nine tackles, Jack Thomas had five tackles as did Khalil Jackson who had five tackles and a sack. Corey Landers and Trey Schlemmer each had four tackles on the night and Sanders Manning added two tackles and an interception.

The Eagles (8-1, 7-0) end the regular season next Thursday night as they host MA on Pink Out Night.

Alabama Christian Hammers Straughn to Clinch Region Title

Something had to give Friday night as the number three scoring offense, in 4A, of ACA (39.4 ppg) hosted the number twelve scoring defense of Straughn (17.8 ppg). A victory would clinch Alabama Christian’s first Region championship since 1992. The two teams had not met since 2011 and the Eagles had not beaten Straughn in three previous meetings. ACA controlled the game from the outset and dominated the Tigers in a 49-7 rout, despite the DIY noise makers brought by the visiting fans.

The Eagle offense took the ball first and promptly moved down the field for the first score of the night with a seven play 62 yard drive that culminated with a 12 yard pass from Jalen Clark to Trey Schlemmer. The junior receiver slipped behind the defense on his only reception of the game for the early 7-0 lead. Kyle Jackson set the tone for a dominating performance by the defense with a tackle for loss on the first play from scrimmage and the Tigers punted after three plays. The ACA offense started the drive on their own 47 yard line and scored in just three plays. Jalen Clark carried the ball all three times and scored from 30 yards out as he spun out of a tackle around the 15 yard line and raced to the goal line to expand the lead to 14-0 with 4:37 remaining in the first quarter. The defense moved Straughn in the wrong direction on their second drive aided by a Will Wright sack on second down and forced another Tiger punt. As the quarter ended, the offense was on the move again and led 14-0 headed to the second.

Will Wright sacks the Straughn quarterback in the first half.

As Alabama Christian faced a 2nd and 20 from the Straughn 33 yard line, the Eagles ran the hook and ladder to perfection for the second time this year and stretched the lead to 21-0. On the play, Jalen Clark hit Hayes Hunt for what appeared to be an eight yard completion, but a lateral to Demari Moore covered 25 more yards down the left sideline and a score. Trailing by three scores, the Straughn offense abandoned the run and passed on seven of nine plays on their next drive. ACA sacked the Tiger QB twice on the possession including a fourth down stop by Khalil and Kyle Jackson.

Demari Moore gets ready for the lateral from Hayes Hunt.

With half of the second quarter gone, the Eagles were just getting started and would score three more times before halftime. Corey Landers started the first drive with a 21 yard run up the middle dragging defenders the last ten yards and two plays later Jalen Clark scampered 36 yards on a sweep around the right side for his second rushing touchdown of the night and a 28-0 advantage. The Tigers suffered a sack on the first play of the next possession and turned the ball over on the second play as Will Wright recovered a fumble on the Straughn 32 yard line. Despite a holding penalty that moved the offense back to the 45 yard line, ACA scored in three plays in just 90 seconds as Jalen Clark romped 25 yards for a 35-0 lead with 2:02 left in the half. Three plays later, D’Andre Sneed separated ball and receiver and Sanders Manning came up with an interception at the Straughn 46 yard line to give the ball back to the offense with 1:45 in the second quarter. Jalen Clark hit Demari Moore for a 38 yard touchdown with 40 seconds left in the half to close out the scoring as Alabama Christian headed to the locker room with a 42-0 lead. 

Jalen Clark on his way to the end zone for his third touchdown of the night.

The second half was a blur as a running clock in the fourth quarter quickened the pace. The Eagles possessed the ball only twice in the half. The first drive pushed the score to 49-0 as Otasowie Dion scored on a 27 yard run around right end with 5:17 remaining in the third quarter. Straughn had the ball three times in the half and scored with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game to make the final score 49-7.

Grant Sutton stops the Straughn runner.

Alabama Christian held the Straughn offense to 89 yards of total offense, 61 yards coming on the last drive of the night, in a suffocating performance. Five of the Tiger’s nine possessions ended in zero or negative yards gained. Kyle Jackson led the way with five tackles and two sacks. Miller McCarthy had four tackles and Jack Thomas added four tackles with a sack. Khalil Jackson had three tackles with two sacks and Otasowie Dion added three more tackles. Will Wright contributed a sack and a fumble recovery while Sanders Manning had an interception.

The defense swarms to the ball for the stop.

On offense, Jalen Clark completed 14 of his 16 throws to six different receivers for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Hayes Hunt led the group of receivers with five catches for 55 yards. Demari Moore totaled three catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns while Preston Hicks added three receptions for 23 yards. Clark led the Eagles in rushing with 116 yards on eight attempts and three touchdowns. Corey Landers had ten carries for 58 yards and Otasowie Dion added 41 yards on three rushes and a score.

Next week, ACA (7-1, 6-0) can finish undefeated in the Region as they visit Bullock County.

ACA Defeats Geneva in First Ever Meeting

Alabama Christian traveled two hours south to Geneva, just eight miles from the Florida state line, Friday night for a Regional matchup against the Panthers. This was the first ever meeting between the two programs as ACA looked to stay on top of the standings in Region 2 and clinch a playoff berth while Geneva tried to avoid their second loss in the Region. Jalen Clark returned to the field after missing last week’s game and helped guide the Eagles to the 49-20 victory over the home standing Panthers.

The first quarter was very similar to the Dale County game as both teams drove the ball on long, methodical drives that ate up most of the period. ACA received the opening kickoff and held the ball for 5:18 on an 11 play 68 yard drive and took an early 7-0 lead. The offense ran the ball on nine of the eleven plays during the march. Jalen Clark scored his first touchdown of the night with a tough two yard run up the middle, on fourth down, as the line pushed the Panther defense back. Geneva’s first possession matched the Eagles drive by running on nine of eleven plays and converting a fourth down. With just 46 seconds left in the quarter, the Panthers evened the game 7-7.

Jalen Clark powers in for the first touchdown of the night.

Alabama Christian made up for the lack of time with the ball in the previous period by scoring four times in the second quarter, including touchdowns by Jalen Clark on the first and last plays of the quarter. Clark opened the scoring as he ran 18 yards untouched on a keeper to retake the lead 14-7. The Eagle defense pushed the Panther offense backwards and forced a punt after just three snaps to give the ball back to the offense. ACA struck quickly on a four play 53 yard drive that lasted only 76 seconds. Jalen Clark found Hayes Hunt on the first two plays of the drive for back to back ten yard gains then hit Garrett Weathers on a 31 yard strike down to the Geneva two yard line. The last play was a throw to Corey Landers as the Panther defense left one defender to cover three receivers on the left side of the formation. Clark immediately threw the ball to Landers and he walked in for the score and a 21-7 lead. With the momentum of the game going the Eagles way, the defense again forced the Geneva offense backwards with the help of a Khalil Jackson sack and forced another punt. With 5:48 remaining in the half, the Eagles moved 52 yards in just 1:57 overcoming back to back holding penalties in the process. After the second holding call, ACA faced a 2nd and 28 as Jalen Clark found Otasowie Dion over the middle and as the seas parted the receiver raced for a 26 yard gain which set up a very manageable third down conversion opportunity. Two plays later, Clark hooked up with Garrett Weathers for a 33 yard scoring pass to extend the lead to 28-7. Alabama Christian used their timeouts to conserve time on the clock as the defense once again forced a three and out. The offense took the field 73 yards away from the goal line with 2:31 left in the half. The best case scenario would be for the offense to score a touchdown with no time left on the clock for the Geneva offense to respond and that’s just what happened. The Eagles moved easily to the Panther 21 yard line in seven plays, but the drive bogged down on the next three plays. After another holding call and two incomplete passes, ACA faced a 3rd and 22 with time running out. Clark dropped back to pass, but could not find a receiver. The senior quarterback took off up the middle and cut to the right at the 20 yard line, that left a defender on the ground, to score with one second remaining in the half. The Eagles left the field at halftime with a 35-7 lead.

The Eagle defense celebrates a sack by Khalil Jackson.

The Panthers showed some fight in the third quarter as they opened the half with a nine play 63 yard drive that took 4:50 seconds off the clock to cut the score to 35-14. Any hope gained from the drive was swiftly extinguished as Otasowie Dion returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards up the left sideline for a score and a 42-14 advantage. However, the return put the tired defense right back on the field. The Geneva offense took advantage and again drove the ball for a score. The Panthers marched 69 yards on ten plays in 4:28 to cut the score to 42-20. The Eagle offense took the field for the first time in the second half with 2:28 remaining in the third quarter. ACA was unable to move the ball and was called for their fourth holding call of the game during the possession. Hayes Hunt punted the ball away on the first play of the fourth quarter and again it looked like Geneva still had a glimmer of hope. 

Otasowie Dion races 85 yards for a kickoff return touchdown.

Three plays later, DeAndre Sneed intercepted a Panther pass and returned it to the Geneva 28 yard line to essentially put the game away. The Eagles final scoring drive of the night lasted five plays, all runs, and ended with a two yard Jalen Clark rush to extend the lead to 49-20 with 7:36 left in the contest. Geneva turned the ball over on downs with 4:28 remaining to put the ACA offense back on the field. Alabama Christian never gave the ball back as they ran the ball on seven consecutive plays to take all of the time off the clock to end the contest. The biggest cheer of the night came on the last drive as William Milner ran 13 yards for a first down as time ran down.

DeAndre Sneed intercepts a fourth quarter pass.

Senior linebacker Miller McCarthy led the defense with 14 tackles. Jack Thomas added eight tackles while Otasowie Dion had seven tackles. Khalil Jackson contributed five tackles and a sack while Kyle Jackson, Trey Schlemmer and Will Wright each had four tackles in the game.

Miller McCarthy and friends stop the Panther runner.

On offense, Jalen Clark completed ten passes on fourteen attempts for 146 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 144 yards on 15 carries with four touchdowns. Clark became the only player in ACA history to have three games with at least four touchdowns carries. Corey Landers gained 81 yards on 12 carries and added a two yard touchdown reception. Otasowie Dion had three carries for 21 yards while William Milner added three rushes for 19 yards. Four receivers each caught two passes on the night. Garrett Weathers led the receivers with 64 receiving yards and a touchdown. Demari Moore had 26 yards, Hayes Hunt had 20 yards and Preston Hicks had eight yards receiving. For the second time this year, Aaron Treubig kicked seven extra points which tied for the second most in school history.

Aaron Treubig kicks one of his seven extra points.

Next week, ACA (6-1, 5-0) looks to continue their winning streak as they host Straughn in another Region tilt. 

Eagles Celebrate Homecoming with Convincing Win Over Ashford

There is no better way to end Homecoming week than with a Friday night victory by the home team. The Eagles capped off a week of celebration with a 49-14 dismantling of Ashford for their fifth win in a row and maintained the top spot in the Region. With Jalen Clark sitting out Friday night, ACA would lean on its defense to help control the game. The defense responded by holding the Yellow Jacket attack to 170 yards of offense and just seven first downs. The offense, led by Hayes Hunt, did its part as well as the sophomore quarterback completed 13 of 14 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns. The lefty completed passes to five different receivers and helped the offense gain 402 yards on the night.

After the game, Coach Nate Sanford commented on Hunt’s night. “When you don’t have a player like Jalen Clark available to play, you expect a natural drop off in production or execution. We had neither with Hayes Hunt. Not only was he incredibly efficient, he took care of the ball, stepped up in the pocket and checked down to secondary receivers. His confidence set the tone for a good night on both sides of the ball for us.”

Hayes Hunt surveys the field for an open receiver.

Both teams punted on their first possession, but the Eagles got the scoring started the second time they touched the ball. Corey Landers handled the first 36 yards of the drive on four carries and Hayes Hunt covered the last ten on a play action pass with a scoring strike over the defensive back to Trey Schlemmer. The extra point attempt was botched, but Hunt was able to scoop the ball and go around right end for a two point conversion and an 8-0 lead. The offense went to work again after an Ashford punt for their second score of the night. Alabama Christian drove 56 yards in four plays covering just 2:22 of the first quarter clock. The possession ended as Hunt found Corey Landers on a middle screen that went for 22 yards and a 15-0 lead to close out the first quarter.

Trey Schlemmer catches a pass in the first quarter for a score.

The second quarter started with a turnover for the Ashford offense as TJ Silmon intercepted the Yellow Jacket QB and gave the ball back to an offense that had found its rhythm. On the third play of the drive, Hayes Hunt hit Demari Moore in the right flat and the junior receiver left two defenders behind and picked up 11 yards for a first down. On the next play, Hunt hit Trey Schlemmer for a 19 yard gain up the right sideline for a first and goal at the six yard line. After a false start moved the ball back to the eleven, Corey Landers scored his second touchdown of the night with a run around right end that extended the ACA lead to 22-0. The defense continued to pressure the Ashford quarterback as Jack Thomas and Kyle Jackson each forced quick throws on different plays to give the ball back to the offense with only 95 seconds left in the first half. The offense only needed 50 of those seconds as Hunt found Sanders Manning for 30 yards, Corey Landers for 21 and finished the short drive with a 20 yard completion to Garrett Weathers to score with just 44.5 seconds left in the second quarter. The Eagles enjoyed a comfortable 28-0 lead as they headed to halftime. 

Sanders Manning tackles the Ashford quarterback.

If Ashford had put the first half out of their minds during halftime, the Eagle defense brought them back to reality as Donovan Emerson had a sack on the Yellow Jackets first play of the second half and forced a punt after just three plays. The offense picked up right where it left off as Hayes Hunt completed passes on three consecutive plays to Trey Schlemmer (16 yards), Demari Moore (11 yards) and Sanders Manning (11 yards) for first downs that moved the ball to the Yellow Jacket 27 yard line. Corey Landers capped off the drive with his third touchdown of the night on a six yard run that increased the lead to 35-0. Landers had a terrific all around night and finished the contest with 86 yards rushing on ten carries and caught four passes for 64 yards. The next Ashford possession did not go very far, but it did eat up the last six minutes of the third quarter and was aided by a phantom pass interference call against the Eagles. The Yellow Jackets eventually punted the ball back to ACA on the first play of the fourth quarter as the drive stalled.

Corey Landers cuts past the defense for his third touchdown of the game.

Otasowie Dion started the quarter with a bang on the first play of the possession as he bolted through the line of scrimmage and outraced the defense to the end zone for an 85 yard touchdown run. With the score 42-0, the Eagle coaching staff was able to substitute freely and let many players gain valuable experience. Ashford finally cracked the scoring column with a late touchdown to make the score 42-8 with 1:37 remaining in the game. Ashford decided to forgo the onside kick and kicked it deep to Demari Moore who promptly returned the kick 83 yards for a score, his second of the season. Ashford returned the favor on the ensuing kick as the Yellow Jacket returner reversed fields and went 75 yards for the score. With three touchdowns scored over a 34 second and the score 49-14, Demari Moore took a knee as he received the next kick to allow the offense to set up in Victory formation, an offensive coordinator’s favorite call.

Demari Moore scores on a kick return late in the game.

The defense was spearheaded by the linebacking duo of Miller McCarthy and Jack Thomas. The two defensive leaders have a nose for the ball and both just keep making tackles. Against Ashford, McCarthy finished with ten tackles with Thomas right behind with nine of his own. Donovan Emerson played one of his best games of the season with seven tackles and a sack while Trey Schlemmer and Grant Sutton each had five tackles in the game. On offense, Otasowie Dion finished with 93 yards on two carries and a touchdown. Trey Schlemmer, Corey Landers and Garrett Weathers each caught touchdown passes in the contest. Schlemmer finished with three receptions for 45 yards and Weathers had one catch for 20 yards. Sanders Manning caught three passes for 50 yards and Demari Moore caught two for 22 yards.

Miller McCarthy and Jack Thomas enjoy a moment on the sidelines with a big lead in the fourth quarter.

Next week, Alabama Christian (5-1, 4-0) continues Region play with a visit to Geneva. This will be the first meeting of the two schools on the gridiron.

ACA Sits Atop Region 2 with Victory Over St James

It’s not often that a game of this magnitude lives up to the hype, but with sole possession of first place on the line in the Region, the contest between Alabama Christian and St James was an instant classic and will not be forgotten by the Eagle nation anytime soon. Even the weather cooperated with a perfect night for football with no rain or lightning. The Trojans have historically had the upper hand in the series and had beaten ACA the last six times the two teams had met. However, this is a new season and the Eagles came away with an incredible 47-41 overtime triumph in a game for the ages.

The Eagles won the toss and took the ball to start the action. The offense missed a scoring opportunity on the first play of the game as Jalen Clark found a receiver behind the defense, but the catch was not made. Three plays later, ACA put the first points of the night on the board as Clark hit Demari Moore for a 32 yard touchdown for the 7-0 lead. On the play, Moore ran right by two Trojan defenders and the pass hit him in stride at the goal line for the easy score. The defense stuffed the St James running attack on its first drive and gave the ball back to the offense with a three and out. The Eagles second possession lasted ten plays and covered 52 yards, but produced no points as Clark was intercepted in the end zone on 4th and 14 from the 16 yard line to end the drive. ACA’s defense forced another punt attempt for the Trojans which resulted in a fumbled snap by the punter and set up the Eagles at the St James seven yard line. Jalen Clark scored up the middle on the very next play to end the first quarter with a 13-0 advantage.

Jalen Clark looks for an open receiver downfield.

Another miscue by St James set up the next Eagle score as Khalil Jackson recovered a Trojan fumble at the opponent’s 45 yard line. Jalen Clark raced through the defense for a 39 yard gain on the first play of the drive, sat out a play due to his helmet coming off, then finished the drive with a six yard run for a 19-0 lead with 9:52 left in the second quarter. What felt like a blowout brewing would turn into a nail biter by the end of the night. The Trojan offense finally got on track and scored its first touchdown of the night on a five play 65 yard drive that cut the deficit to 19-7. Alabama Christian responded quickly with a three play 73 yard strike for a 26-7 lead. The drive started with a 41 yard catch and run by Hayes Hunt and ended with a 28 yard connection with Demari Moore between two defenders as Clark threw his second touchdown pass of the night. Late in the half, St James scored on a 19 yard pass to cut the score to 26-14. Disaster almost struck as ACA fumbled away the kickoff to give the Trojan offense one more shot at points with 27.5 seconds remaining in the first half. Luckily, for the Eagles, St James missed a field goal attempt from 38 yards on the last play of the quarter. ACA enjoyed a 26-14 lead heading into the half. 

Sanders Manning and Jack Thomas combine for a stop.

St James struck quickly to start the third quarter with a 61 touchdown pass on a 3rd and 6 play. The scoring play should have just been a 12 yard completion for a first down, but two missed tackles turned into six points. Neither team scored on its next possession, but the Trojans did drive the ball all the way to the Eagle 4 yard line before being turned away. On 3rd and goal, Jack Thomas sacked the St James quarterback for a 4 yard loss and on 4th down the Trojans missed another field goal to keep the score 26-20. ACA took advantage and again scored swiftly with a three play 80 yard drive in just 80 seconds. Jalen Clark scored from 36 yards out to complete the drive and a 33-20 lead. St James answered to end the third quarter with a touchdown with just 28.4 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 33-27. The stage was set for an epic fourth quarter where both teams stood in the middle of the ring and traded haymakers, neither refusing to quit.

Demari Moore off and running on a pass play.

ACA fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter and set up the Trojan offense on the Eagle side of the field. St James held the ball for the next 11 plays and took their only lead of the evening after a four yard run to make the score 33-34. The Eagle coaching staff reached into its bag of tricks and scored on a perfectly executed hook and lateral that covered 61 yards. The Trojan defense had no idea what was happening as Hayes Hunt lateraled to Demari Moore. No one would catch Moore as he raced down the left sideline to help his team retake the lead. ACA was good on the two point conversion and held a 41-34 lead with 5:47 left in regulation. It only took St James two plays to score and tie the game, 41-41. The stage was set with 4:51 left in the game for the Eagles to drain the clock and score late for the victory. ACA did keep the ball for the remainder of the game, but failed to score. This incredible contest was headed to overtime tied 41-41.

Miller McCarthy punishes the Trojan running back.

The Eagles won the toss to start overtime and chose to play defense first. St James got the ball at the 10 yard line and had four plays to score. On the first two plays, the Trojans gained nine yards to the 1 yard line and it looked like a score was inevitable. The Eagle defense had other ideas and rose to the occasion to keep St James out of the end zone. On third down, the Eagles threw the Trojan QB for a four yard loss setting up a fourth down play. After a delay of game penalty, the Trojans attempted and missed their third field goal of the night to come away with no points. After a Demari Moore one yard run, Jalen Clark closed out the game with a nine yard touchdown run and a monumental 47-41 victory over St James.   

Jalen Calrk looks for yards around right end.

In a career of great performances, Jalen Clark might have played his best game against the Trojans. The senior quarterback had a hand in all seven ACA touchdowns (four running and three passing) and accounted for 483 of the 500 yards of total offense on the night. Clark completed 12 of 19 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns and added 206 yards on the ground with four touchdowns. He becomes the sixth player to score at least four rushing touchdowns in a game in school history and joins Courtney Moss as the only players to accomplish the feat twice. 

ACA players and students celebrate the overtime win over St James.

Demari Moore led the receiving corps with a record night of his own. Moore had five receptions for 161 yards, fourth most in a game in school history, and three touchdowns, which ties for the most in a single game. Hayes Hunt added four catches for 66 yards and Garrett Weathers had two catches for 41 yards. Miller McCarthy led the defense with 12 tackles and Jack Thomas added nine tackles and a sack. Otasowie Dion tallied five tackles while Jalen Clark had three tackles and an interception.

Alabama Christian (4-1, 3-0) hosts Ashford for Homecoming next week in another important Region game.

ACA Wins 200th Game in Program History with Defeat of Dale County

There were four undefeated teams left in Class 4A Region 2 entering play on Friday night. Two of those teams, ACA and Dale County, squared off in an important match up that would keep the winner in first place. Six different players scored as the Eagles soundly defeated the Warriors 40-20. Alabama Christian left Midland City with a W for the first time in the short series and sat atop the standings in the Region. In true 2020 fashion, the start of the second half was delayed one hour and forty minutes due to the lights going out at the stadium.

The Eagles received the opening kickoff and methodically marched 73 yards in eight plays in 3:30 to take an early 7-0 lead. The key play of the drive was a 39 yard Corey Landers run to the Warriors 30 yard line. The steady Landers finished the game with 112 yards on 18 carries. Dale County received the benefit of an inadvertent whistle on their first drive. What the Eagles thought at best, was a fumble recovery for the defense or at worst, a 4th and 10 for the Warriors turned into a replay which helped Dale County score two plays later to cut the lead to 7-6. The score finished a 10 play 80 yard drive covering 5:44 of the quarter. With both teams running the ball and the clock, it looked like possessions would be at a premium as the first quarter ended during ACA’s second drive.

Jalen Clark looks down field for an open receiver.

Alabama Christian scored on the first play of the second quarter as Jalen Clark found Preston Hicks for a 16 yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 14-6. Clark had runs of 18 and 35 yards on the drive to help set up the throw to Hicks. The defense stopped Dale County on a bizarre drive on the next possession. The Warriors held the ball for nine plays and used up 5:02 of the second quarter clock yet gained just 10 yards. This drive also produced another inadvertent whistle that the officials just seemed to ignore. Finally on a 4th and 30 the Warriors punted the ball back to ACA. With 6:51 remaining in the half, the offense’s goal was to keep the ball, run the clock and score with no time for Dale County to counter. in doing just that, the Eagles put together a 13 play 77 yard march that left just 2:04 for the Dale County offense to work with. ACA converted two fourth downs on the drive to keep the ball. The second conversion was a 16 yard run by Jalen Clark on a 4th and 12. Clark hit Hayes Hunt on a slant on the next play that covered 16 more yards and gave the Eagles a 21-6 lead heading into the locker room.

Jack Thomas stops the Dale County runner.

At halftime the fireworks started and the stadium lost its lighting. After a two hour intermission, the teams retook the field for the second half. The long layoff did not seem to affect the Eagles as they dominated the third quarter. The defense started the dominance pushing the Warriors backwards two yards over three plays and forcing a punt. ACA ran the ball on six consecutive plays for 47 yards on the scoring drive. Demari Moore scored on an eight yard run around left end to make the score 27-6. Once again, the defense pitched a three and out to get the ball back in the hands of the offense. The offense scored for the fifth time in five tries to take a commanding 34-6 lead. The key play of the drive was a 3rd and 12 conversion as Hayes Hunt made an acrobatic catch on a 31 yard pass from Clark to set the Eagles up at the Warrior 14 yard line. Two plays later, Clark hit Corey Landers, coming out of the backfield, down the middle on a 14 yard pass. Clark finished the night completing five of seven passes for 81 yards and three touchdowns. Dale County fumbled the ensuing kick off and Otasowie Dion recovered for Alabama Christian.

Hayes Hunt holds onto a spectacular catch for a third down conversion.

As the fourth quarter started, the Eagles were unable to convert the turnover into points, but did run off 3:11 of the clock before they gave the ball back to Dale County after a missed field goal attempt. The Warriors had the ball for only five plays before they had to punt the ball back to ACA. Khalil Jackson and Grant Sutton combined for a sack that helped stuff the Dale County drive. The Eagles last scoring drive of the night started with a 53 yard Otasowie Dion jaunt and ended three plays later with a two yard Dion carry for a 40-6 lead with 5:17 remaining in the game. Dale County scored a late touchdown to cut the score to 40-12 and then received a gift from the Alabama Christian special teams on the kickoff as the Eagles failed to field the kick and the Warriors recovered at the one yard line. Dale County scored on the next play to make the score 40-20. The next kick went out of bounds and ACA ran off the final 3:13 of the game for the key Region win.

Khalil Jackson and Grant Sutton combine for a sack.

Jalen Clark led the rushing attack with 152 yards on 22 attempts and a touchdown. Otasowie Dion had 55 yards on two carries while Demari Moore had 29 yards on three carries as each scored a touchdown. Three different receivers caught touchdown passes on the night led by Hayes Hunt with two catches for 47 yards. Preston Hicks had two receptions for 20 yards and Corey Landers added one reception for 14 yards. Otasowie Dion led the defense with eight tackles and a fumble recovery. Khalil Jackson had seven tackles and a sack while Miller McCarthy and Jack Thomas each had five tackles. Jalen Clark, Kyle Jackson, Sanders Manning, and Grant Sutton each had three tackles with Sutton adding a sack.

Otasowie Dion rumbles 53 yards against the Warrior defense.

Next week, ACA (3-1, 2-0) takes on St James in a battle for sole possession of first place in the Region if the Trojans win their contest on Saturday.  

ACA Wins Weather Delayed Game Over BTW

The game between ACA and BTW started late and had an hour delay near the end of the first quarter with Alabama Christian leading 14-0, but in the end the Eagles walked away with their second win in a row and moved to 1-0 in the Area. The second, third, and fourth quarters were shortened to ten minutes each, but ACA was able to score three more touchdowns for the 35-6 victory.

Special teams set up the first Eagle touchdown as Avery Stuart blocked a BTW punt and set up the offense on the Golden Eagles’ 18 yard line. Three plays later, Corey Landers scored his first touchdown of the night with a six yard run to give ACA an early 7-0 lead. The defense once again forced a punt after only three BTW snaps to get the ball back to the offense. Like the previous drive, Alabama Christian scored in just three plays this time covering 61 yards. The drive opened with a middle screen from Jalen Clark to Corey Landers that gained 45 yards down to BTW’s 16 yard line. Trey Schlemmer caught a slant pass for 13 yards down to the three yard line on the next play. Clark finished the drive with his legs with a three yard run to stretch the lead to 14-0. BTW faced a third and twelve with 1:58 remaining in the first quarter when the game was delayed due to lightning.

Avery Stuart blocks a first quarter punt.

After the lengthy delay, the Eagle defense continued to impress with their third consecutive three and out to help put the offense back on the field. Corey Landers took the hand off on four straight plays and gained 48 yards, the last three on a touchdown run, to extend the lead to 21-0. Landers would finish the night with six rushes for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Despite an ACA turnover, the defense continued to shine shutting down the BTW offense on every possession. Alabama Christian held the Golden Eagles to ten yards of offense in the first half. The Eagles final score of the half came on a seven play 52 yard drive that ate up the last four minutes of the second quarter. Otasowie Dion got the drive kick started with a 17 yard run for a first down to the BTW 38 yard line. Three plays later, Jalen Clark hit a streaking Avery Stuart on a 32 yard pass play down to the two yard line. Clark completed three of six passes on the night for 90 yards and finished this drive with a four yard run with just 33.7 seconds remaining in the half. ACA headed to the locker room with a 28-0 advantage.

In the second half, the lightning stopped but the rain continued to fall. With a big lead and a wet track the run game was featured for the remainder of the game. The Eagles first possession of the half produced the last score of the evening as Jalen Clark raced through the BTW defense for a 51 yard touchdown run for a commanding 35-0 lead. Clark finished the game with eight carries and gained 62 yards with three touchdowns. ACA had the ball three more times in the half and took time off the clock, but failed to score. BTW scored a late touchdown to make the final score 35-6.

Jett Annis keeps a defender out of the backfield.

Through three quarters, while the starters were in against BTW, the ACA defense allowed just one first down and held the Golden Eagles to 18 yards of total offense. BTW gained zero yards or lost yards on 16 of 25 snaps through the first three quarters. Even with the 80 yard touchdown run given up late in the game, BTW ended the night with 89 yards of offense. Senior Miller McCarthy led the defense with seven tackles. Kyle Jackson ended the night with five tackles and a sack with Jack Thomas adding five tackles. Khalil Jackson and Trey Schlemmer each had four tackles and Donovan Emerson contributed three tackles with a sack.

Alabama Christian (2-1) continues Area play next week with a visit to Dale County.