White Plains, AL – White Plains began its week with a win in its appeal for playoff eligibility. With a packed house, Wildcats came up one yard short in overtime during a game with implications for a possible first playoff spot since 1994.
Scoreboard
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 23, Ranburne 12. FINAL
Randolph County 50, Beulah 29, FINAL
Wadley 42, Winterboro 8, FINAL
Wellborn 48. Weaver 27 FINAL
open: Jacksonville, Jax Christian, Saks.
By Joe Medley
Dylan Barksdale put 333 more all-purpose yards as well as four more touchdowns into his game to play White Plains High School football on Friday.
If four quarters weren’t enough to bring the Wildcats only player near 100% of their first playoff spot after 1994, the runner sprinted three more times through the face of the Munford defense that was aware of the fact that they would be able to stop him play in overtime.
He ran one more time, pushing hard with everything he could against several Munford players for the final yard, which could give the game to another time in overtime.
In the final analysis, White Plains stood on the short side of a score of 36-28 which made their chances of getting their second ever playoff spot significantly higher as one yard seemed as if it was a mile.
This is a great deal more to what White Plains’ football program has been for a long time and it was a tumultuous week that began with the announcement of Tuesday’s Alabama High School Athletic ruling on their request to be eligible for a playoff and ended with a full stadium.
The term “forfeit” is no longer affixed onto their helmets as a additional emblem. The Wildcats may have established something. White Plains football can dream again.
“This is huge, since there’s only one senior in the class,” Barksdale said. “None of them has had anything like this before which will give them the drive to get back next year and try it again.”
In the short term, immediately, the Wildcats (2-6) 2-3 in Class 4A Region 4 are still hopeful for a playoff run. A win over seventh-ranked Jacksonville at next week’s regional finals would make it easy however there’s no way to be easy to beat high-scoring Jacksonville.
Like the scenario White Plains hoped to achieve through a win over Munford the previous Friday they need Cleburne County to lose to Anniston next week.
This is the same as Munford falling to Handley the following week.
If the outcome goes this in that way If it does, it’s likely that Munford, Cleburne County and White Plains would end up in a three-way race for the the fourth playoff place. Munford defeated White Plains and was defeated by Cleburne County, which beat Munford.
The tiebreaker could be decided according to victories by non-regional opponents.
White Plains has no non-region wins, but they will conclude the regular season with Westbrook Christian (4-4) at home. Based on the present Westbrook’s four wins should suffice since Cleburne County’s sole non-region victory came at Northside (3-5) as well as Munford does not have any non-region wins.
A word of caution: Cleburne County closes out regular season play with a game against Wellborn (6-2).
“A number of things happen however we keep going,” first-year White Plains coach Blake Jennings said.
Similar can be said of Munford (2-6, 2-2) who recovered from a deficit of 21-14 and gained the lead after Amare Edmondson’s touchdown run of 3 yards on the third play of the game, and an extra-point run during the opening overtime.
Edmondson also scored touchdowns of both 7 as well as 38 yards. The 7-yarder tied it 21-21 shortly before halftime and the other gave Munford an advantage of 28-21 with 5:29 remaining.
He ran 37 times for more than 260 yards during the night.
Munford was also able to get B.J. Anderson’s 14-yard keeper to score, and then he threw the ball 42 yards for a touchdown to Kadarian McCoy in the 2nd quarter.
“That was a great performance,” said Munford head coach Michael Easley said, a long-time employee at Saksb prior to joining Munford. “Both teams were extremely hard-working. The crowds at both games were totally enthusiastic about the game.
“My goodness, look to your eyes at the White Plains side. I’ve been a coach against White Plains for 10 or 15 years and this is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen there.”
It was reported on Credit Tuesday that AHSAA’s Central Board of Control upheld the District 6 ruling which said that White Plains would, indeed be eligible for playoffs, despite the forfeit from a Sept. 22 regional game in Anniston.
Calhoun County Schools superintendent Dr. Jose Reyes ordered White Plains not to participate in the game after an incident involving Anniston students earlier in the week. Anniston cancelled the homecoming celebration and pep rally on Thursday.
Reyes tried to get the Saturday morning game time or a game on Friday night with no fans however, to no avail.
In rule, a forfeit of any regional game renders the forfeiting team uninspiring for the playoffs. White Plains lived under that cloud for almost one month prior to Tuesday’s Central Board ruling.
In a flash, the Munford game was White Plains’ biggest home game in a long time. When the Wildcats were on the field and played, they had to run through a gauntlet of students that extended past the midfield.
“Nobody’s had a chance to see anything quite like this in the world,” Barksdale said.
Barksdale, whose switch from running back to quarterback was the key to White Plains’ region victories against Talladega as well as Cleburne County on Oct. 6 and 13, did all that he could. He ran for 3 touchdowns and 146 yards and receiving three passes for an 89-yard touchdown, and then threw an 86-yard halfback pass that create his 15-yard direct-snap touchdown that gave White Plains a 21-14 lead at the 1:09 mark in the 2nd quarter.
His touchdown catch came off a screen from the quarterback of freshman Crew Martin. Barksdale made a catch with just one hand and then sprinted 68 yards to make it 28-28 with just 4:54 remaining in the regulation.
White Plains installed the screen pass a couple of weeks ago, but it was not run first time on Friday, Barksdale said. Jennings and staff put in the halfback pass last week.
“Number one we have him,” Jennings said. “Dylan Barksdale is our man. The man who leads us. The man is White Plains through and through.
“We discuss us, and that’s what is he. He is concerned about the institution more that he does for himself.”
White Plains typically goes with straight snaps to Barksdale in situations where the goal line is in play. With the score at 36-28, and a first overtime possession at Munford’s 10 Munford’s 10, the Wildcats attempted Barksdale three times.
The third time happened following P.J. Holloway who had an additional 131 yards rushing during the night, fumbled an Antoine Martin screen pass nine yards for 2 and a penalty for Munford made it move only half the distance.
With a lot to be built, White Plains naturally went to Barksdale.
“It was a tough time,” Barksdale said. “We put it in their throats all night and they were aware that they were in for it. It’s just that we need to execute better.”
