Wellborn, AL – Wellborn has won six times in a row, and clinches the first regional title since 1995, and marks 100th victory under Smith. Oxford, Piedmont suffer region setbacks. Handley, Cherokee County clinch the region title. Ohatchee, Southside get region wins. Anniston, Spring Garden roll. .
This week’s scoreboard
THURSDAY, Oct. 19
Woodland 35 Fayetteville 27 FINAL
FRIDAY, Oct. 20
Southside 49, Alexandria 21, FINAL
Anniston 54, Talladega 0, FINAL
Central-Clay 49 Beauregard 7. FINAL
Cherokee County 49, Etowah 0, FINAL
Handley 38 Cleburne County 14, FINAL
Spring Garden 49, Donoho 7, FINAL
Ohatchee 42. Glencoe 26. FINAL
Sylvania 28, Hokes Bluff 21, FINAL
St. Clair County 18, Lincoln 11, FINAL
Munford 36 White Plains 28, FINAL
Clay-Chalkville 28, Oxford 14, FINAL
Geraldine 42, Piedmont 27, FINAL
Southeastern 27. Pleasant Valley 13, FINAL
Thorsby 22. Ranburne 12 FINAL
Randolph County 50, Beulah 29, FINAL
Wadley 42, Winterboro 8, FINAL
Wellborn 48. Weaver 27 FINAL
OPEN: Jacksonville, Jax Christian, Saks.
Wellborn was subject to what coach 15th year Jeff Smith called a “reset” in its open day.
If only resets could work similarly on computers and TVs.
Jabari Williams ran to 213 yards of the Panthers with 430 yards of rushing with two touchdowns. they defeated Weaver 48-27 in the night of milestones on The Hill.
Wellborn’s sixth win in a row following an 0-2 beginning brought it to the Class 3A region 4 title, which was the first regional title for the school since 1995. One of the closest places that Panthers got was a third place finish in a tie of three teams atop Region 6 in the 2019 season.
Wellborn is likely to become Calhoun County’s sole regional champion in 2023.
“Actually this is our first regional title and that’s all,” Smith said. “In 1995 it was an area game. We didn’t get to regional play until 2000.
“We’ve had some great squads, yet we’ve not been a region champion. It’s our first and we’re extremely proud of it.”
Wellborn also won its 100th win under the guidance of Smith who was an Wellborn student who was a player in the team of Mike Battles.
“That;s 15 teams of ours which have achieved this,” Smith said. “I’m extremely satisfied with these teams. Inside our room for lockers, there are photos of the team for all the teams we’ve been a part of. There are 15 teams and they’ve won 100 times.”
Some coaching might have may have been a factor in Wellborn’s turnaround in the early seasons. Smith took advantage of the date of open after the season’s opening defeats in Anniston and Ohatchee to conduct the purpose of a “reset.”
“We were just having some great training sessions this week” the coach said. “We were just reiterating some points and had some excellent practice sessions, and we informed them that the season would begin during the following week, and that’s exactly what they’ve been doing.”
Williams His performance has was enough to put him at 1,375 yards on the year.
The Panthers also scored 65 yards plus two scoring touchdowns by player Noah Screws. Kyle Bright added 65 yards and scored, while Fullback Raymond Williams rushed for 67 yards.
CLAY-CHALKVILLE 28, OLXFORD 14: In a key 6A game, a Region 6 match in Oxford, Mason Mims threw touchdown passes of 19 and 17 yards, but the ninth-ranked Oxford was defeated by the No. 2 Clay-Chalkville.
Clay-Chalkville improved its overall record to 8-0 and 5-0 overall and won the title for the region.
Oxford (6-2 4-1) will play host to Center Point (7-1, 4-1) next week in a match to determine the second-place team in the standings. The winner of both games will host an initial round playoff game.
On Friday, Clay-Chalkville snatched an advantage of 28-6 with the assistance from a fumble return touchdown. In addition, the Yellow Jackets also suffered a blocked punt, which set up the Clay-Chalkville touchdown.
GERALDINE 42 (PIEDMONT 27)Hayes Gunn’s touchdown truncation of 10 yards led Piedmont close to 28-27 with 7:25 to go however Geraldine prevented an extra score and scored game’s last two touchdowns.
Piedmont was beaten 3-5 and 3-3 in the Class 3A division of Region 6, and was tied with Ohatchee (5-4 3-3) for the four and final spot in the playoffs, with only one regional game left to play. Ohatchee is the tiebreaker the virtue of winning 38-21 over Piedmont on September. 22.
Piedmont ends its region play with a game against Hokes Bluff (5-3 4-2)) at home the following week. Ohatchee will play its regional final at Plainview.
Piedmont quarterback Cole Wilson completed 13 of 24 passes for two touchdowns and 187 yards both of which went to Ish Bethel, who racked up 85 yards in his team-high five catch. Wilson also ran for 42 yards, which was a record-setting performance.
Kale Austin recovered the ball 45 yards to score the touchdown.
OHATCHEE 42 GLENCOE 26Nate Jones ran for three touchdowns and 202 yards and was the defensive leader with 11 tackles. Ohatchee recovered from a deficit of 26-6 to beat the ex-coach.
Scott Martin is in his second year as Glencoe’s head coach.
Ohatchee has improved to 5-4 overall with a 3-3 record in Class 3A, Region 6. Ohatchee is now 5-4 overall, 3-3 in Region 6. Indians remain tied with Piedmont for fourth and are in the head-tohead tiebreaker due to the 38-21 win at Piedmont on September. 22.
Each team has one region game remaining … Ohatchee at Plainview next week, and Piedmont at Hokes Bluff. Hokes Bluff.
Jones had also returned an interception for 56 yards to score a touchdown. He also forced the Fumble.
Colby Hester added 166 yards in rushing, and two touchdowns.
HANDLEY 38 CLEBURNE COUNTY 14, Cannon Kyles threw two touchdown passes in Handley’s 21-point scoring first quarter and the Tigers won to claim the Class 4A region 4 title.
Handley increased to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the region. They will conclude regional play in Munford the following week. The Tigers have the tiebreaker head-to-head against second-place Jacksonville (7-1 4-1).
Kyles the first quarter touchdown pass included the distance of 48 yards, to Daquavian Slaughter and 33 yards to Montrevious Black. Kyles added an 85-yard touchdown run at the end of second quarter.
E.J. Goss added a four-yard touchdown run during the opening.
ANNISTON 54 TALLADEGA 0.Fresh after signing to Auburn, Jayden Lewis accounted for three touchdowns in the game as Anniston triumphed over a winless Talladega for the Class 4A region 4 play.
Anniston has improved to 5-3 overall with a 3-2 record in region play, and could secure the third playoff spot for the region by defeating Cleburne County (3-5 3-4) in the coming week.
Lewis The touchdowns he scored included a punt return of 73 yards and a 68-yard speed sweep pass and a 42-yard direct snap run.
Quarterback Damon Pope was 5-for-5 for 3 touchdowns and 178 yards with a 43-yard touchdown passing to T.K. Downie along with a 25 yard pass at Jaden Dobbins.
Khamar Holder was the Anniston’s defensive leader with 15 tackles, which included four for loss.
Spring Garden 49 DONOHO 7. John Welsh accounted for three total touchdowns to lead Spring Garden past winless Donoho in Class 1A, play in Area 6.
Welsh completed 148 miles over eight carries and scored a touchdown. He also caught two of passes that accounted for two scores and 84 yards by his quarterback Noah Barber, who was 3-for-5 with 102 yards and three touchdowns.
Barber’s touchdown throw came for Eli Ledbetter. Barber also intercepted two passes, as well Colton Driskell recovered a pair of Fumbles.
Clayton Sadler ran for 79 yards with seven carries to the Panthers (7-2, 4-1). Chapel Pope added 52 yards on seven tees and scored an interception.
Connor Bates collected 37 yards on seven carries, and scored a score.
Spring Garden jumped out to an initial lead of 20-0 behind Bates as well as Welsh. The Panthers extended their lead to 34-0 at the half and had a 49-0 lead in the third quarter.
CHEROKEE COUNTY 49 ETOWAH 0.Behind Jacob Cornejo’s 274-yards and 4 touchdowns Cherokee County clinched its second consecutive Class 4A Region 6 football title, and recorded its second consecutive shutout.
Cornejo also scored an interception while playing defense in the Warriors (8-0 5).
Quarterback Carson Tittle ran for two scores The Warriors gained a 21-0 early advantage to cruise to the victory.
It was also the fourth shutout that their defense has recorded this season. They beat Fultondale 35-0 in the last game, Hanceville 55-0, and Good Hope 35-0 in region games earlier in the season.
Cherokee County travels to Ashville on Friday. Etowah (3-5 3-3) is in Cullman.
SOUTHSIDE 49 ALEXANDRIA 21:Mason Teague ran for 220 yards and a touchdown, and Southside increased its record to 7-1, 5-1 heading into the crucial Class 5A, Region 6 game against Moody. Moody (7-2 4, 4-0).
Teague’s touchdown runs spanned 49 and 77 yards. Southside also had touchdown runs of 39 and 17 miles by Jordan Bryan and a touchdown run each of Koal Garrett as well as McCade Wright. Kolby Dodd returned an interception for 99 yards to score an interception touchdown.
Elijah Hunter led Alexandria (0-9 Elijah Hunter led Alexandria (0-9, Elijah Hunter led Alexandria (0-9) by accumulating 88 yards of rushing as well M.J. Morris rushed for two scores. Jeremiah Heathcock threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Morris.
