Anniston, AL – Auburn commit Lewis scores all over the place to assist Anniston come back from behind and overpowering Wellborn 38-22.
The scores this week
Thursday, Aug. 24
Ohatchee 32 Saks 8
Friday, Aug. 25
Cherokee County 48, Alexandria 14
Anniston 38 Wellborn 22
Weaver 40, Donoho 13
Handley 22. Valley 8
Jacksonville 43, Boaz 21
Jacksonville Christian 48, Tuscaloosa Christian 32
Lincoln 31, Talladega 7
Childersburg 27, Munford 22
Oxford 33. McAdory 23
Ranburne 31. White Plains 28
Guntersville 14, Southside 10
Spring Garden 48, Sand Rock 22
Wadley 35 Horseshoe Bend 7
Westbrook Christian 42, St. John Paul II 27
Woodland 38 Victory Christian 7
Central Clay 21, Cleburne County 7 (Jamboree)
Pisgah 33, Glencoe 21 (Jamboree)
Piedmont 14 Fyffe 14, (Jamboree)
Randolph County 34, Fayetteville 0 (Jamboree)
Collinsville 7 Pleasant Valley 6 (Jamboree)
Hokes Bluff 7, Pleasant Valley Hokes Bluff 7, Pleasant Valley (Jamboree)
By Joe Medley
Jayden “J-Money” Lewis’ decision to remain at Anniston while other players were able to follow a coach elsewhere
“I did not want to get nowhere,” Lewis said. “This is where I belong. This is my home. This is my community. I’m obliged to help.”
The Auburn player gave and then gave on Friday, netting four touchdowns almost in every way possible. Anniston came back from behind in the first quarter and rolled his way to a 38-22 win against Wellborn in Lott-Mosby Stadium.
Lewis scored with the return of a punt that was 83 yards, 95-yard interception return, an 85-yard kickoff return, and a 30-yard catch-and-run from a short screen that saw him escape the Wellborn defense for a good portion of time before moving down the field.
He also had two conversion runs, as well as the recovery of a fumble.
Primarily an offensive back, and kick returner, Lewis also plays spots on offense. Lewis held Class 4A’s seventh-ranked Anniston above water when it faced 3A unranked Wellborn.
“He’s amazing,” first-year Anniston coach Rico Jackson said. “That’s the only word I could come up with. It’s what it is. There’s a reason why he’s headed to Auburn and he’s showing that.”
When asked which show impressed him the the most Jackson was unable to decide.
“All are of them” the man said. “I cannot decide which one.”
It took all Lewis could do to help Anniston keep Wellborn from being a threat.
Like he did last season during his time at Wellborn, Lewis scored the first points of the game on an unreturned punt. His 83-yard punt return as well as conversion run brought Anniston in front 8-0 by 3:55 of the opening quarter, however, Wellborn responded. Carlos Hubbard’s kickoff return of 64 yards was the catalyst for Jabari’s 8-yard touchdown run. Kyle Bright’s catch for the touchdown brought the score to 2:54.
Williams the 52-yard touchdown sprint as well as Bright’s run to convert led to Wellborn ahead 16-8 at 7:33 in the second quarter. Wellborn was in danger of scoring again shortly before halftime. Noah Screws lobbed a fourth-down pass to the middle, as Bright began to make a break right and Lewis was able to get under it on the five-yard mark.
Lewis was able to get on the field and sped through the traffic before he was able to get past the last of the players close to midfield. He completed his 95 yards return to score the touchdown. Gavin Doss added the conversion to make it a tie with 57.3 seconds remaining in the first half.
“It simply was playing, watching the play and doing the things I do,” Lewis said. “Just playing ball and bringing it back into the crib.
“I realized that the team would need this, so I donated the item the players.”
Anniston was scheduled to receive the kickoff in the second half, but Lewis allowed the offense to have the extra time to play, running 85 yards in the return. Doss the conversion run gave the score 24-16 at 11:20.
The Bulldogs quickly turned it into 32-16 after recovering an Wellborn mistake to create Doss the 2-yard keeper, and Lewis his kickoff at the 8:27 mark.
Anniston might have to take out more J-Money at the time Screws was able to throw high at Brennan Talley, who got in the back of Anniston’s defense and scored an impressive 48-yard touchdown that brought the Panthers close to 32-22 after an unsuccessful conversion.
It was the second game Lewis made a score in the offensive. He snatched Doss the receiver’s screen and working laterally, while evading players along the 30-yard line. He then went downfield to clear grass. It was 38-22 with 9:18 remaining.
“He’s an excellent football player” Wellborn coach Jeff Smith stated. “He scored on the kickoff, a punt an offensive touchdown, and also an interception. Unbelievable.”
Lewis’s signature game was the reason he was a key player in Anniston in a game in which Wellborn performed well enough to raise the question: what would the Panthers have prevailed without Lewis?
“We were down by 16 and a large part of that was our fault,” Smith said. “Listen to him, he’s an excellent player, but the issue was that we let him play his game. We should have stayed away from the ball out of his reach in every way we could have.”
