Compiled by the AHSAA
MONTGOMERY – Five area high school football players were recognized Monday by the Alabama High School Athletic Association for their Week 3 performances from Friday night.
Gaylesville had a pair of players in the Spotlight in DJ Lee and Keylon Higgins.
Lee gained 202 yards rushing on 16 carries and scored on runs of 47, 48 and 6 yards in a 48-28 win over Coosa Christian. He also threw two touchdown passes (34 and 11 yards) and had a 2-point conversion pass.
On defense, he posted 10 tackles, recovered a fumble, had two interceptions, and a third pick on a 2-point conversion pass attempt.
Higgins had a pair of sacks, two tackles, four assists and a tackle for a loss.
A week after accounting for seven total touchdowns in a win over Springville, Cherokee County High School’s Slade Alexander ran for 121 yards on 24 carries and three scores (5, 2 and 1 yards). He also completed 5-of-7 pass attempts for 65 yards and 34-yard touchdown, and returned an interception for a fifth score in the fourth quarter to lead the Warriors to a 43-27 victory at Anniston.
Piedmont quarterback Jack Hayes completed 10-of-13 pass attempts for 164 yards and had touchdown passes of 14, 15, 16 and 33 yards to lead the defending Class 3A state champions to a 54-0 region football victory over Glencoe. He now has 10 touchdown passes to five different receivers this season.
Sand Rock’s Colton Cash had a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and sped 38 yards for another score on an interception return to pace the Wildcats to a 60-7 win over Gaston.
In other statewide happenings, Fyffe High School head football coach Paul Benefield admits there is any fancy about the Red Devils’ style of football. That is, unless, you fancy winning.
Benefield’s teams have done a lot of winning – more than any other high school in the AHSAA in this decade. Fyffe, playing in Class 3A for this season, handed their beloved coach a 49-20 win over DeKalb County rival Sylvania last Friday. The triumph was the 300th in his head coaching career, which is now in its 29th season.
That victory improved the Red Devils to 3-0 this season and earned their coach and team this week’s AHSAA Football Spotlight for Week 3 of the 2020 football season. Benefield and Fyffe have been setting tall standards for some time now. His career record is now 300-53, a state-leading an 85% winning rate. He is 255-42 at Fyffe in 24 seasons and was 46-18 at Sylvania his first five seasons from 1992-1996.
Since 2016, Fyffe has gone 60-1, won its last 33 games in a row and have three Class 2A state championships and a 17-1 playoff record. Win No. 300 came 28 years to the day after he posted his first victory. Victory No. 1 came on September 11, 1992 when Benefield, coaching at Sylvania, notched his first coaching victory with a 2-0 shutout over Ider. Turn the clock forward to September 11, 2020 and Fyffe beat his old team giving up the Red Devils’ first points of the season in the 49-20 win.
Benefield has proven time and time again his winning ways were no passing fancy. In fact, most years, his running backs score more rushing TDs than passes attempted.
In Friday’s win, Ike Rowell had 12 carries for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Kyle Dukes and Brodie Hicks added two rushing TDs each.
Fyffe has compiled a 122-7 record since 2011 – outscoring opponents 5,502 points to 1,272 during that stretch. Last year’s team went 15-0 and outscored their opponents 639-43.
Benefield joins an elite class of 300 winners in the AHSAA. He becomes the fifth coach to win 300 games all in the AHSAA. The 300-club currently includes:
Buddy Anderson of Vestavia Hills, Terry Curtis of UMS-Wright, Danny Horn of Central-Clay, Jamie Riggs of Houston Academy, Waldon Tucker of Fayette County, Glenn Daniel of Luverne and Fred Yancey of Briarwood Christian. All but Daniel and Yancey are still coaching.
Tucker had 25 of his 310 wins in Alabama outside the AHSAA, and Yancey posted 41 of his 319 wins at schools in other states. Anderson, 342-158, plans to retire after this season, his 43rd year at Vestavia Hills.
“It’s special. It really is,” Benefield told Sand Mountain Reporter sports editor Shannon Allen. “It’s something that I hope my family and all my kids that played for me will be proud of too. The Lord’s blessed me in lots of ways and put me where I need to be right here.”
The milestone win edged out one of the wildest finishes in AHSAA football history – Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa’s touchdown on the final play of the game to beat Wetumpka 34-30.
Hillcrest wins with Boise State Play: Coach Sam Adams’ Patriots ran the “Boise State play”, he said. The play started with 2.9 seconds left – just 11 seconds after Wetumpka’s Alex Londell kicked a 19-field goal to put the Indians ahead 30-28. The final play, which started as a swing pass from quarterback Ethan Crawford from Hillcrest’s 41-yard line, concluded with more than 10 laterals, at least four scrambles for the loose ball and Crawford finally getting the ball back in his hands. He dashed the final 35 yards for the winning score – concluding a play that took 59 seconds from start to finish and attracted national attention and more than 1.5 million hits on social media.
Adams said he got the idea from watching a similar finish by Boise State and practiced the play with his own players.
MILESTONES
ALEXANDRIA WINS SCHOOL’S 600TH GAME: Alexandria shut out St. Clair County 38-0 Friday night to post win No. 600 in school history in the process. The Valley Cubs have had just four head coaches in that span — Lou Scales (1948-1985), Larry Ginn (1986-2006), Frank Tucker (2007-2017) and Todd Ginn (2018 – current), who is the son of Larry Ginn, now deceased.
Larry had a hand one way or another in many of those of the 600 victories either as a player, assistant coach or head coach.
Alexandria is now 600-333-29 overall and the 23rd AHSAA school to reach the 600 milestone, according to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society website.
Fayette County is the leader, winning its 697th game Friday night. The Tigers are 697-352-25.
THOMPSON’S HARRELL PASSES FOR 400 YARDS: Conner Harrell was 19-of-29 passing for 410 yards and three touchdowns as the defending Class 7A Warriors beat Spain Park 48-35. He became the first quarterback in the AHSAA to pass for more than 400 yards this season.
His favorite targets were J.B. Mitchell (7 catches for 163 yards) and Sam Reynolds, who had three catches for 111 yards and a 95-yard TD hook-up. Reynolds also moved to tailback when starter Brandon Franklin left the game with an injury and rushed for 91 yards and two scores on 12 carries. Harrell also rushed seven times for 58 yards and two TDs.
Thompson had 665 total yards (410 passing, 255 rushing) and Spain Park had 366 total yards. The two teams combined for 1,031 total yards and 54 first downs – 30 by the Warriors and 24 by the Jaguars.
AUBURN DEFENSE GETS ANOTHER SAFETY: Auburn High School defensive standout Joey McGinty sacked Dothan’s punter in the end zone for a safety Friday night – extending the Tigers’ streak to four games this season where Auburn (4-0) has earned a safety.
Auburn’s Kejaun Cason also returned an interception for a touchdown in the 43-13 win over the Wolves.
ARMONI GOODWIN SET HEWITT RECORD: The senior running back rushed for three touchdowns, giving him 33 career rushing TDs to set a new school record as the Huskies rolled past Tuscaloosa County 50-18.
In other highlights reported from Week 3 football action:
RUSHING
EMMANUEL HENDERSON, GENEVA COUNTY: Rushed for 367 yards and five touchdowns on 30 carries of the Bulldogs’ 54-41 Class 2A, Region 2 win over Ariton. Henderson scored on runs of 21, 85, 1, 35 and 36 yards.
DREW COOK, WINFIELD: Finished with 297 rushing yards on 31 carries in the Pirates’ 41-35 Class 3A, Region 6 win over Oakman. He scored on runs of 1, 4 and 74 yards.
DAMARIAN FINDLEY, FLOMATON: Had 17 rush attempts for 276 yards and three touchdowns in a 25-8 win over Cottage Hill Christian
MARTAVIOUS GLANTON, ABBEVILLE: Picked up 253 yards rushing and two touchdowns as Abbeville captured a 41-0 win over Cottonwood in Class 2A, Region 2. He also threw a TD pass for the Jackets.
GAGE PUGH, COLBERT HEIGHTS: Had 15 rush attempts for 251 yards and four touchdowns in a 51-24 win over Elkmont.
AUSTIN OWENS, WINSTON COUNTY: The senior running racked up 243 total yards and three touchdowns in a 40-33 Class 2A, Region 5 win over Lamar County.
JOSH NEUTZE, ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL: Had 14 carries for 236 yards and three touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 37-28 win over J.U. Blacksher. He was also 5-of-5 passing for 82 yards.
TRENT DAVIS, ETOWAH: Rushed for 224 yards and four touchdowns as the Blue Devils downed Fultondale 39-22 in a Class 4A, Region 6 battle. He scored on runs of 55, 10, 4 and 3 yards.
JAYLEN NOBLES, SLOCOMB: Gained 223 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 26 carries in the Red Tops’ 44-14 Class 3A, Region 2 win over Providence Christian. Nobles scored on runs of 20, 5 and 39 yards. He also caught two passes for 26 yards and had five tackles on defense in the game.
ERIC WATTS, OPELIKA: Ran for 215 yards, added 39 receiving yards and scored twice in the Bulldogs’ 28-21 win over Eufaula.
TROY BRUCE, CENTER POINT: Rushed for 213 yards on 20 carries and scored five touchdowns as the Eagles beat Lincoln 44-24 in Class 5A, Region 6. His first TD was a 69 –yard scamper.
ZAKEVIN PENNINGTON, PIKE COUNTY: Rushed for six touchdowns – two in a span of a few minutes right before the half, to lead Bulldogs to a 60-14 win over Dadeville in their first game on the field this season. Pike County was leading 18-14 in the Class 3A, Region 4 battle with four minutes to go before halftime when Pike County scored three times to take a commanding lead into intermission, Pennington scored twice on 7-yard runs in that short span. He finished with 114 yards on 14 carries.
JEVON JACKSON, AUSTIN: Ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns (58, 34 and 10 yards) on 22 carries in a 42-28 win over James Clemens in Class 7A, Region 4.
KENJI CHRISTIAN, PINSON VALLEY: Ran for 200 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns in the Class 6A Indians’ 33-28 win over Minor.
STROTHER GIBBS, MOUNTAIN BROOK: Accounted for all four scores in a 28-7 win over previously undefeated Huffman. He has 129 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 17 carries and added a 12-yard scoring pass.
KOVE HUGHES, HELENA: Tied a school record with five touchdowns as the Huskies beat Benjamin Russell 48-14 in Class 6A, Region 3. He had 12 rush attempts for 78 yards.
EVAN SMITH, OAK MOUNTAIN: The dual-threat quarterback ran for 146 yards on 18 carries with three scores and a 2-point conversion, completed 9-of-17 passes for 72 yards and led two scoring drives in the final four minutes as the Eagles nipped Vestavia Hills 35-28.
WILL NOLES, WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN: Accounted for 142 total yards and four touchdowns, three rushing and one passing, to lead the Warriors to a 24-14 win over Southeastern in Class 2A, Region 6.
BRAYLON McREYNOLDS, McGILL-TOOLEN CATHOLIC: Ran for 161 yards and four touchdowns on just 10 carries as the Yellow Jackets got their first win of the year with a 38-0 win over Gulf Shores.
PASSING
HAL SMITHART, OPP: Was 23-of-35 passing for 326 yards and three touchdowns in the Bobcats’ 35-0 Class 3A, Region 2 victory over Houston Academy. He also rushed for an 8-yard touchdown.
AVERY SEATON, MADISON ACADEMY: Completed 7-of-14 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns (54, 58 and 39 yards) on nine carries for 429 total yards in a 47-7 win over Westminster Christian.
JHAROD JOHNSON, FULTONDALE: Completed 23-of-47 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-22 loss to Etowah.
JOSH LUNDY, HOOVER: Threw for 276 yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading Class 7A Hoover to a 38-0 win over visiting Gadsden City.
COLE McCARTY, GUNTERSVILLE: Completed 13-of-17 passes for 259 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for s 30-yard TD as the Wildcats beat Crossville 49-7. All his yardage and touchdowns came in the first half.
KADEN CUPP, NEW BROCKTON: Accounted for 349 all-purpose yards with five touchdowns in the Gamecocks’ 47-8 Class 3A, Region 2 win over Daleville. He was 6-of-16 passing for 222 yards and three scores and rushed for 127 yards and two TDs on 13 carries.
LANDON LARY, BAKER: Completed 12-of-17 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns and added 77 yards rushing on three carries in a 50-18 win over Alma Bryant.
MALEK LOWE, JACKSON-OLIN: Completed 9-of-12 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 80 yards and a third score as the Mustangs topped Mortimer Jordan 42-14.
TRACE THOMPSON, ETOWAH: Completed 11-of-17 passes for 218 yards and one TD in the Blue Devils; 39-22 win over Fultondale.
WILL BIRDSONG, GENEVA COUNTY: Completed 7-of-7 passes for 203 yards and touchdown passes of 60 and 31 yards to Colby Fuller as Geneva County beat Ariton 54-41. Birdsong also scored on a 2-yard run.
DANIEL MILLER, WILLIAMSON: Was 10-of-15 passing for 203 yards and a TD as the Lions nipped St. Michael Catholic 20-19.
TYLER NELSON, CALERA: Completed 13-of-23 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown and added 93 yards rushing with two scores in the Eagles’ come-from-behind 24-21 Class 6A, Region 3 win over Chilton County.
HAYDEN FLOYD, J.B. PENNINGTON: Was 10-of-13 passing for 188 yards and five touchdowns, all in the first half, in the Tigers’ 56-8 win over Holly Pond. He also had a 56-yard TD run. Sawyer Heptinstall was on the receiving end of three of Floyd’s touchdown heaves.
TUCKER KILCREASE, BRANTLEY: Finished 11-of-13 passing for 178 yards and four touchdowns and tacked on a 50-yard TD run as the Bulldogs beat McKenzie 61-2. The two points was the first allowed by Brantley all season.
TREY HIGGINS, OXFORD: Completes 11-of-17 passes for 166 yards and four TDS, and also rushed four times for 52 yards and two more scores, all in the first half of the Jackets’ 56-0 win over Southside-Gadsden.
KOBIE STRINGER, G.W. LONG: Threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns and added 69 yards and two TDs rushing in a 42-21 win over Houston County. Stringer completed 5-of-6 passes with scoring tosses of 78, 44 and 32 yards and rushed only twice, but both went for TDs (63 and 6 yards). He also blocked a punt on defense.
ELI MUSSO, HALEYVILLE: Was 11-for-19 for 159 yards and two touchdowns, including a 73-yard strike to receiver Kristian Gravitt Tucker, in Haleyville’s 27-25 loss to Good Hope.
CHRISTIAN ROBERTS, ADDISON: Was 5-of-7 passing for 77 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 65 yards and also had an interception on defense to spark the Bulldogs to a 33-8 win over Midfield.
PASS RECEIVING
QUINDARRIUS MAYES, HUEYTOWN: Caught four passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns against in the Golden Gophers’ 62-0 win over Brookwood.
PEYTON ELLIS, OPP: Caught 12 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns (22 and 14 yards) in the Bobcats’ 35-0 win over Houston Academy.
OLLIE FINCH, ETOWAH: Had five receptions for 165 yards and a TD in Etowah’s 39-22 win over Fultondale.
RODARIUS THOMAS, EUFAULA: Caught eight passes for 141 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown pass, in the Tigers’ 28-21 loss to Opelika.
JACKSON MEEKS, CENTRAL-PHENIX CITY: Grabbed six pass receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half, to lead the Red Devils past Jeff Davis 37-6.
COLBY FULLER, GENEVA COUNTY: Hauled in five receptions for 133 yards and TDs covering 60 and 31 yards as the Bulldogs topped Ariton 54-41.
KRISTIAN GRAVITT TUCKER, HALEYVILLE: Snagged seven passes 125 yards and two TDs in the Lions tough Class 4A, Region 5 loss to Good Hope. One TD went for 73 yards.
SAM REYNOLDS, THOMPSON: Had three receptions for 111 yards and one TD and added 84 rushing yards and two more scores as the Warriors downed Spain Park 48-35.
IZAYAH FLETCHER, HARTSELLE: Caught touchdown passes of 45, 55 and 11 yards in a 38-10 win over Decatur.
JAYVEN WILLIAMS, BAKER: Hauled in three passes for 109 yards and one TD in Baker’s 50-18 win over Alma Bryant.
DEFENSE
TAYLOR LOVE, OPELIKA: Had 18 total tackles, with for a loss and 1 sack, to lead the Bulldogs to a 28-21 win over Eufaula.
LANDON THRASH, ARITON: Registered 17 tackles and teammate Trevor McLaughlin added 15 in the Purple Cats’ 54-41 loss to Geneva County.
MIKE EDWARDS, HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE: The senior linebacker posted 11 tackles and also had two interceptions in the Huskies’ 50-18 Class 7A, Region 3 victory over Tuscaloosa County. He returned one of the picks 29 yards for a touchdown.
COLE JENNINGS, OPP: Had 11 tackles on defense and rushed for a TD on offense in Opp’s 35-0 win over Houston Academy.
SOLOMON SCOTT-WILLIAM, OAK GROVE: The Tigers defensive lineman had 11 tackles, including two for loss and a sack, in a 21-14 loss Class 4A loss to Hamilton.
L.Z. LEONARD, ENTERPRISE: Recorded 11 tackles and two quarterback hurries as the Wildcats beat Davidson 52-13. Teammate Tanner Rogers added 10 tackles for Enterprise.
MARQUES THOMAS, McADORY: The Yellow Jackets’ linebacker had 11 tackles, including three sacks as McAdory downed Paul Bryant 18-8. He also had a pass break-up in the Class 6A, Region 4 win.
DYLAN DAVIS, KINSTON: His second interception of the game came on a fourth-and 7 at midfield with 30 seconds left to seal the Bulldogs’ 21-19 Class 1A, Region 1 victory over Red Level.
JAKOBI ALBERT, FAIRFIELD: Returned an interception 71 yards for a TD, scored on s 77-yard run on offense and also caught a 32-yard TD pass in the Tigers’ 34-20 win over Carver-Birmingham.
DYLAN SELVAGE, NEW HOPE: Had an interception and a fumble recovery in a 20-9 win over Randolph.
SPECIAL TEAMS
FRANCISCO LAUREANO, SAMSON: Booted field goals of 32 and 36 yards as the Tigers beat Pleasant Home 12-7.
LEVI BERRYHILL, LEXINGTON: Returned a kickoff for a touchdown and rushed for three others as the Bears beat Tharptown 55-0.
TREVON MOORE, OPELIKA: Blocked a punt and teammate Jakai Stephens scooped the ball up and returned it for the go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs beat Eufaula 28-21 in a key Class 6A, Region 2 battle.
JOEY JONES, BAYSIDE ACADEMY: Kicked a 27-yard field on the first possession in overtime to lift the Admirals (4-0) to a 27-24 win over Hillcrest-Evergreen in a key Class 3A, Region 1 battle.
JAMAL PRITCHETT, JACKSON: Returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown and grabbed two TD receptions covering 34 and 28 yards in the Aggies’ 35-14 Class 4A, Region 1 win over Vigor.
