Pinson Valley Back Runs Into Week 2 Spotlight
Gibson's 447-Yard Rushing Performance 5th Best In AHSAA History
Pinson Valley High School junior Nick Gibson turned in a spectacular effort Friday night with the AHSAA’s fifth best single-game rushing performance in state history to grab Week 2’s AHSAA Prep Spotlight.
Gibson, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound tailback, gained 447 yards on 34 carries and scored six touchdowns on runs covering 40, 12, 67, 75, 5 and 63 yards to lift the Indians to a 48-36 Class 5A win over Mortimer Jordan. The total was the first 400-yard plus rushing effort since Charles Johnson’s 454-yard night for Keith in a 45-6 win over Shades Mountain Christian in 2011. Brandon Burks of Daleville also had 411 yards in a 53-23 win over Bullock County earlier that year.
The state record is held by Tony Dixon of Parrish, who ran for 531 yards on 21 carries as the Tornadoes beat Hubbertville 81-58 in 2003. Dixon, who later played at the University of Kentucky, had 21 carries to become the only player in state history to run for more than 500 yards in a single game.
Gibson edged out other standout efforts by Barbour County defensive back Daquain Guice, Alabama Christian quarterback Chandler Taylor, and place-kicker Sage Ledbetter of Auburn.
Ledbetter booted 5-of-6 field goals, including long kicks of 45 and 46 yards, in the Tigers’ 45-18 win over Jeff Davis. The performance tied the AHSAA state record for field goals made in a game. Three other place-kickers have accomplished that feat – Josh Woodard of Decatur in a 15-0 win over Grissom (2001); Mountain Brook’s Tim Rogers in a 21-7 win over Huffman (1990); and Ricky Beck of Geneva in a 15-0 win over Pike County (1970).
Guice returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a victory-sealing 85-yard return on the final play of the game as Barbour County fought back from a 20-6 deficit to beat Pike County. He also had a 42-yard interception return earlier in the quarter to put the Jaguars ahead for good, and teammate Brion Patrick picked off another pass and scooted 40 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the quarter to tie the game at 20-20. Guice also had 14 tackles and scored a two-point conversion following his second pick to help keep Barbour County unbeaten at 2-0.
Taylor completed 21-of-38 passes for 425 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-41 loss at Headland. He also ran for 56 yards and a score. His 400-yard-plus passing performance ranks 23rd all-time and is the first such effort of the season. Three quarterbacks went over 400 yards last season including Locust Fork’s Geoffrey Bramblett, who threw for 423 yards in a 68-48 loss to Sardis in 2012 and also threw for 529 yards in a 70-40 loss at Cleburne County in 2011.
The single-game state record was set by Chris Smelley of American Christian in the 2005 Class 1A playoffs when he was 29-of-56 for 565 yards in a 43-31 loss to Brantley.
Other top performances reported for Week 2 included:
MILESTONES
Coach Mark Britton, Cullman: Senior running back Garrett Crider had 227 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 21 carries in the Bearcats’ 45-27 victory over East Limestone, helping Coach Britton record the 107th win of his career at Cullman High School to surpass Oliver Woodard as Cullman’s all-time winningest coach. Senior receiver Mason Jones also had nine receptions for 130 yards and a TD in the milestone win.
Coach Buddy Anderson, Vestavia Hills: The veteran Rebels head coach notched the 299th win of his career as Vestavia Hills beat Hewitt-Trussville 24-3. He will be going for win No. 300 Thursday night when the Rebels travel to Lawson Field to face Huffman. Anderson could become just the third coach to win 300 high school games in Alabama. Waldon Tucker retired with 309 wins after the 2011 season at Fayette County, and Glenn Daniel won 302 in his long career – mostly at Luverne. All three coaches have been inducted into the AHSAA Sports Hall of Fame. Anderson, however, will become the first prep football coach in state history to win 300 games at the same school with his next win. His entire head-coaching career has been at Vestavia.
RUSHING
Terrance “Tank” Hollingsworth, Berry: Rushed 27 times for 345 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 48-34 win over Marion County. He also had a 60-yard interception return, made nine tackles and caused a fumble on defense. The two teams combined for 41 first downs and 999 total yards with Berry rushing for 493 on 55 attempts and passing for another 94 for 587 total yards. Marion County had 412 total yards, all coming on 52 rushes.
Will Scoggins and Evans Alison, Randolph: The duo combined for 287 yards rushing as Randolph overcame a 13-0 deficit just three plays into the game to beat Pope John Paul II 58-31. The Raiders rushed for 405 yards and passed for 104 for 509 total yards. Scoggins had 168 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries and Alison had 119 yards and one TD on 21 carries.
Pope John Paul II stunned Randolph by scoring on two of the first three plays of the game as Dan Johnston broke three tackles and ran 65 yards to put the Falcons ahead 7-0 just 16 seconds into the game,. Teammate Monty Rice picked up a fumble and raced 33 yards two plays later to increase the Falcons lead to 13-0.
David Kirksey, Fairhope: Ran for 308 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries in a 35-19 victory over Enterprise.
C.J. Tolbert, Dadeville: Rushed for 301 yards and four TDs on 27 carries in the Tigers’ 49-34 win over Elmore County.
Ronnie Clark, Calera: Totaled 253 yards and accounted for five touchdowns as the Eagles beat Dora 56-32. The senior had 20 carries for 176 yards with TD runs covering 2, 5, 40 and 6 yards. He was also 4-of-5 passing for 77 yards and another score.
Rashad Louie, Shades Valley: Totaled 420 yards offense and four touchdowns in the 42-28 victory over Mountain Brook. Louie completed 11-of-17 passes for 269 yards and two scores (70 and 89 yards) and rushed 23 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns (3 and 63 yards). Teammate Keith Mixon added 289 yards and three touchdowns on 21 touches. He also caught five passes for 115 yards and a touchdown (70 yards), gained 86 yards rushing on 16 carries with a 40-yard score and returned a kickoff 88 yards for his third TD.
Roderick Davis, Demopolis: Carried 20 times for 243 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a 24-yard touchdown reception in a 31-14 win over Citronelle.
Jakoby Aldridge, Sweet Water: Ran for 247 yards and TD runs of 8 and 70 yards on 23 carries in 41-6 win at Leroy.
Jamarius Henderson, Dale County: Rushed for 220 yards and all three touchdowns in the Warriors' 24-0 win over Slocomb.
Xavier McCollum, Winfield: Gained 218 yards on 16 carries and scored four touchdowns in a 50-19 win over Winston County.
Gage Davis, Gaylesville: The freshman tailback piled up 211 yards rushing on 20 carries and four touchdowns (49, 26, 21 and 49 yards) to lead the Trojans (2-0) to a 35-28 victory at Spring Garden.
Dantley Coker, Southside-Gadsden: Rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in the Panthers' 44-7 victory over Columbia.
Dallas Cockerham, Lamar County: Rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-19 win over Oakman.
Sebastion Fendley, Good Hope: The senior quarterback accounted for three touchdowns, including a 5-yard sprint into the end zone in overtime, to lift the Raiders past rival Hanceville 28-22. As time expired in the first half, Fendley scrambled free to fire a 36-yard pass to a wide-open Austin Crumbley in the end zone. Fendley also scored on a 17-yard run in the second quarter.
Jalyn Martin, Collinsville: Rushed for 172 yards on just seven carries and scored three touchdowns (61, 20, and 49 yards) to lead the Panthers to a 46-12 victory over Jacksonville Christian.
Chris Crowell, Aliceville: Ran for two scores and caught a touchdown pass to account for all three touchdowns in Aliceville’s 22-13 win over Hale County.
PASSING
Austin Ingram, Charles Henderson: The Trojans quarterback was 20-of-36 passing for 302 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-14 win over Beauregard.
Chance Key, Brilliant: Was 11-of-19 passing for 175 yards and a TD, rushed 10 times for 89 yards and had a 105-yard interception return for a TD called back due to a penalty as Brilliant beat Lynn 28-14. Teammates Seth Nelson and Heath Martin also had big games with Nelson rushing for 109 yards on 15 carries and six carxhwa doe 54 yards and Martin, 117 yards rushing and two TDs on 12 carries as well as five receptions for 122 yards and a T. He also had an interception and had a 40-yard TD run called back as the Bears totaled 490 yards total offense.
Seth Franks, Tuscaloosa County: Fired four touchdown passes in the first quarter in a 41-7 victory over Jackson-Olin. He was 6-for-7 for 175 yards on the night.
Marcus Wilson, Geneva: Had just 15 touches on offense but accounted for five touchdowns in a 41-40 win over Abbeville. The quarterback rushed eight times for 116 yards and two TDs, and was 4-of-7 passing for 143 yards and three TDs. His final TD pass came with just 1:28 remaining to seal the Panthers’ win.
Matthew Jordan, Jackson: Was 5-of-6 passing for 168 yards and three TDs and rushed for two others in a 59-21 win over Selma.
J.T. Hill, Cherokee County: The junior quarterback completed 10-of-12 passes for 146 yards and also rushed for 73 yards on 15 carries as the Warriors edged Alexandria 33-29.
Austin Mohlenbro, American Christian Academy: Accounted for four touchdowns – two rushing and two passing – as the Patriots downed Greene County 49-14.
Devonta Jenkins, Brookwood: Was 13-of-19 passing for 135 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-27 win over Fairfield.
DEFENSE
Tyler Boland, Vinemont: In an earlier-than-anticipated return from a second major knee injury suffered five months ago, the senior sparked the Eagles’ 32-7 victory over Danville with a pair of first-half interceptions and three deflections. Though he played primarily on defense, Boland also hauled in a 30-yard catch over two Danville defenders and converted a third down with a big run in the third quarter.
Will Redmond, Fayette County: Intercepted three passes and also snared two TD receptions on offense as the Tigers beat Greensboro 27-12.
Caleb Wooten, Cottonwood: Recorded 16 tackles, including two quarterback sacks, in the Bears' 35-7 win over Ariton.
Malik Reed, Dothan: Led the Tigers to a 57-20 win over rival Northview with 15 tackles, including four for losses. He also had a quarterback sack.
Chris Doster, Enterprise: Earned 15 tackles, including two for losses, in a 35-19 loss to Fairhope.
John Wesley Williamson, Spanish Fort: Had five sacks, two tackles, two assists and two quarterback hurries in a 43-0 victory over B.C. Rain
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jared McClure, Good Hope: The junior running back returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in a 28-22 win over Hanceville just one week after returning a punt 77 yards for a score on the Raiders’ very first touch of the season.
Logan Campbell, Cold Springs: Scored on an 80-yard kickoff return and added TD runs of 10, 25 and 30 yards as the Eagles blasted Sulligent 47-27 on the road to move to 2-0 for the first time since 2003.
Trace Johnston, Trinity: Returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and made two interceptions in a 29-21 win at Leeds.