PAGE 10 October 2022
Week Six Highlights
Week Five Highlights
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger Some weeks are full of close and exciting match- ups. However, that was not the case in week six of the 2022 high school football season, as many games were one-sided. The Susan Moore Bulldogs blanked Brindlee Mountain 71-0 and the Fyffe Red Devils rolled to a 61-0 victory over rival Collinsville. Three other local teams blanked their opponents in week six. Geraldine picked up a 28-0 victory over Ohatchee, while Hokes Bluff defeated Plainview 28-0. Conner Masters was a perfect 9-for-9 passing for 193 yards and three touchdowns in Hokes Bluff’s Class 3A Region 6 win over Plainview. Piedmont’s Jack Hayes had 208 total yards to lead the Bulldogs to a 34-0 victory over Westbrook Christian in Class 3A Region 6 action. He completed 15-of-23 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 76 yards on nine carries. Teammate Sloan Smith kicked two field goals in the second quarter. His kicks of 30 and 29 yards tied his season high of two in a single game. Defensively, Trevor Pike had 13 tackles
and an interception, and teammate Brody Epps had 14 tackles for Piedmont. Drew Puccio helped lead Arab to a 48-7 victory over Crossville. Puccio was 9-of-10 for 224 passing yards and four touchdowns in the Class 5A Area 7 win. The Douglas Eagles flew past Sardis 49-8, while the Albertville Aggies fell to Huntsville 34-7. The Fort Payne Wildcats roared to a 56-12 victory over Lee-Huntsville. Sylvania whipped Glencoe 42-7 and Pisgah rolled past Whitesburg Christian 41-7. Valley Head remained undefeated on the season with a 34-6 win over Cedar Bluff. There were a few exciting and closer games around Northeast Alabama. The Etowah Blue Devils picked up a thrilling 31-7 victory at Oneonta. The Section Lions earned their first win of the season with a 28-19 victory over Ider. Scottsboro’s Druw Smith recorded an interception, a forced fumble and a tackle for a loss in a 17-14 win over Guntersville in Class 5A, Region 7. It was Guntersville’s first loss of the season. Boaz had an open week.
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger Several area players earned AHSAA honors for their performances during week five of the 2022 season on September 22-23. Piedmont Quarterback Jake Hayes completed 15- of-35 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns to become the AHSAA’s all- time career touchdown pass leader. Hayes had 195 yards and three touchdowns in the second half of the Thursday night match- up against Anniston. The three touchdown passes of 35, 31 and 15 yards went to freshman Rollie Pinto, senior Thomas Propst, and Sophomore Ishmael Bethel. However, that was not enough to hold off a strong visiting Bulldog program. Anniston roared back to take a 30-7 lead into the final quarter and held on for a 30-28 victory over Piedmont. In other highlights, Guntersville’s Julyon Jordan ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries in a 52-21 win over Buckhorn. With the win, the Wildcats improved to 6-0 on the season. The Boaz Pirates
fell to Southside. Panther quarterback Gauge Nesmith passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns to defeat the Pirates 41-20. Boaz quarterback Tyler Pierce finished the game with 21-for-40 passing for 271 yards. Teammate Wade Dobbins caught six passes for 121 yards. The Sardis Lions picked up the program’s third win of the season with a 12-7 victory over Brewer. West End’s Thad Pearce had seven catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns (48 and 50 yards) in a 44- 21 win over Sand Rock. Teammate Evan Stancil kicked a career-long 43- yard field goal and was 5-for-5 in extra points in the Patriots’ win. Sand Rock’s Ace Ashley led the Wildcats by completing 26-of-44 pass attempts for 383 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Jace Turner for 50 and 80 yards, in the Wildcats’ 44-21 homecoming loss to West End. Turner caught five passes for 161 yards and the two touchdowns. He also had three tackles and an interception on defense. Collinsville picked up a 48-12 win over Gaston. Mason McAteer completed
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Piedmont Quarterback Jack Hayes.
8-of-17 attempts for 203 yards and three scores and added a 4-yard touchdown run in the Panthers' win. Collinsville Teammate pass Keaton Deboard grabbed six passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns (65, 23, 38 yards) and added 90 rushing yards on seven carries. He also had with a 51-yard touchdown in the win. The Sylvania Rams handed the Pisgah Eagles their first lost of the season, as the Rams defeated the Eagles 34-7. Valley Head continued
its undefeated season with a 56-30 win over DeKalb County rival Ider. Fyffe also remained undefeated with a dominating 56-13 victory over rival Plainview. Fort Payne spoiled the Arab Knights homecoming with 21-0 victory. Douglas defeated West Point 49-21. Crossville fell to Southeastern 48-20. Westbrook Christian rolled past Section 59-6. Brindlee Mountain fell to Locust Fork 35-14. Albertville, Etowah and Geraldine all had the week off.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Douglas Defender Tanner Holland Edmondson (#99) attempts to stop Sardis runner Joshua Garrett Burns (#8) during AHSAA football action on September 30. Douglas defeated the visiting Lions 49-8.
Etowah Senior Briggs Freeman (#10) runs behind his blocker Braylon Mostella (#60) during the Blue Devils 31-7 victory over Oneonta on September 30, 2022.
Fort Payne's Dax Varnadore looks for running room during the Wildcats 21-0 win over Arab. Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Week Seven Highlights
By Brandon K. Pierce The Sports Ledger The Fyffe Red Devils football program has set many records over the past few years. In week seven of the 2022 season, the program set another milestone by scoring the most points in school history. Fyffe improved to 7-0 with a whopping 70-14 Class 2A Region 7 victory over Sand Rock. The 70 points scored are the most ever for the Red Devils football program. The record-setting total came in the school’s 893rd game overall since its first season in 1933 and it is the 329th victory for Red Devils Head Coach Paul Benefield. Benefield is now 329-55 overall and 284- 44 at Fyffe in 26 seasons. His 284 wins at Fyffe ranks third all-time for most wins at one school. Buddy Anderson set the record with 346 wins in 43 seasons at Vestavia Hills High School, and Jamie Riggs won 293 of his 316 coaching victories at T.R. Miller High School.
Brodie Hicks led Fyffe in the record setting win with three carries for 104 yards and two touchdown runs of 64 and 34 yards. Hicks also blocked a punt and returned it for a Red Devils touchdown. Sand Rock’s Ace Ashley completed 22-of- 38 passes for 259 yards in the 70-14 loss to unbeaten Fyffe. In other games of interest, the Geraldine Bulldogs rallied for a fourth quarter touchdown and held on late for a 16-13 victory over Westbrook Christian. The Plainview Bears rallied in the second half and kicked a field goal in the final minute to upset DeKalb County rival Sylvania 33-30. Collinsville eighth grader Mason McAteer completed 6-of-10 pass attempts for 176 yards and two touchdowns of 47 and 80 yards against Ider. McAteer also rushed for 98 yards on 10 carries and two scores of 14 and 7 yards in the Panthers’ 41-12 homecoming win over the visiting Hornets in Class 2A Region 7.
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Adien's touchdown passes covered 47, 30, 84 and 21 yards. Boaz receiver Gavin Smart grabbed 10 pass receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Arab Asbury fell to 0-8 overall with a 49-6 loss to Danville. Etowah moved to 6-1 with a 48-7 victory over Hanceville. Piedmont’s Jake Hayes continued his impressive season, completing 17-of- 25 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns – to four different receivers – as the defending Class 3A State Champion Bulldogs defeated Glencoe 45-10 in Region 6 action. Cherokee County’s Jack Amos was also recognized by the AHSAA for his efforts in week seven. Amos returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown and caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in the Warriors’ 60-0 win over Fultondale in Class 4A Region 6 action. Gadsden City picked up a 53-0 shut out victory over Mae Jemison.
Wildcats their homecoming game with a 46-14 victory over Hazel Green. Skyler Cody caught four passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns in the Wildcats Class 6A Region 8 victory. One of the most won impressive teams this year continued its undefeated season, as the Valley Head Tigers moved to 7-0 with a 34-28 victory over Appalachian. Pisgah’s Legion McCrary ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries in a 41-14 win over North Sand Mountain. Scottsboro shut out the Sardis Lions 25-0 and Section fell to Whitesburg Christian 36-24. The Albertville Aggies continue to struggle this season, falling to Grissom 17-13. The Boaz Pirates dropped their homecoming game, falling to the visiting Arab Knights 56-17. Arab’s Aiden Cox passed for 273 yards and four touchdowns in the Class 5A, Region 7 matchup against the Pirates.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Geraldine defenders Andrew Freeman (#14) and Elijah Schlageter (#13) break up a pass during the Bulldog's 16-13 victory over Westbrook Christian on October 7, 2022.
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