Vigor Keeps Unbeaten Season Alive
Upstart Spanish Fort High School had visions of a perfect season slip away rather abruptly at Prichard Memorial Stadium last Friday night.
The Toros rolled into halftime leading 15-0 against unbeaten Vigor and stretched that lead to 22-0 early in the third quarter. From that point on, however, Coach Kerry Stevenson’s Wolves reeled off 35 straight unanswered points on the way to a 35-22 victory. The triumph gave the Wolves (8-0) the Class 5A, Region 1 crown. The come-from-behind win captured this week’s AHSAA Spotlight performance.
Spanish Fort (7-1) needs to beat Citronelle (5-3) this week to clinch the runner-up spot. The young Toros had not even won a varsity game before 2007.
The Wolves just needed to remind themselves of Vigor’s rich tradition that includes back-to-back state 6A titles in 1987 and 1988, a national championship in 1988 and a 6A state runner-up finish in 1998.
Now in 2008 Vigor is setting its sights on Legion Field again – this time in Class 5A.
"In our neighborhood, we go through a lot," Wolves center Fletcher Robinson told The Mobile Press-Register. "We’ve worked hard all season. ... I told the offensive line we had to put it on our backs and get it done."
Jalston Fowler rushed for 137 yards, including touchdowns of 58 and 60 yards, and Keith Ray threw two touchdowns to Marvin Shinn in the second-half comeback. Vigor’s defense and special teams got into the act with three interceptions in the final two quarters and a muffed kick recovery.
Vigor, out-gained 94 yards to 0 in the first quarter and 239-34 in the first half, went to a four-wide set and spread out the Toros defense in the second half and Wolves offense found its rhthym.
After driving 77 yards to cut the lead to 22-8 in the third period, the Wolves faked a punt and Fowler turned what looked like a foiled play into a 58-yard touchdown run when he reversed field and got outside the defense. A two-point conversion made it 22-16 and the Wolves followed by recovering the ensuing kick. Ray then connected with Shinn for a 40-yard TD pass to tie the game, Eric Dixon intercepted a Toros pass and Vigor scored again to take the lead for good.
Vigor has made a believer out of Spanish Fort coach Bryant Vincent. "They’ve got some of the best athletes in the State of Alabama,” Vincent told The Mobile Press-Register.
Other top performances reported last weekend include:
BARBOUR COUNTY (TEAM): The Jaguars (6-2), in just their eighth year since the merger of Clayton and Louisville into one high school, clinched the Clayton school’s first state playoff berth with a 20-6 win over Cottonwood. Prior to this year, Barbour County had a record of 12-68 overall since the consolidation.
DREW PHILLIPS, BOAZ: The junior tailback ran for 183 yards and scored two touchdowns – all in the first half -- as the Pirates downed Arab 38-7. Phillips set the school single-season rushing mark of 1,558 yards. His total, with two regular season games to go, broke the mark set by Josh Walker (1,553 yards) in 1998. Phillips scored his two touchdowns in Boaz’ first three offensive plays of the game, a 68-yard run on the game’s first play from scrimmage and a 65-yard run on second play of the next possession.
ALLEN BOASTEN, SATSUMA -- Hauled in three touchdown passes, including the leaping 25-yard game-winner on fourth down with four seconds left, as Satsuma came from behind to beat Baldwin County 34-27. Boasten’s other TD receptions covered 75 and 17 yards as he finished with nine catches for 206 yards. J.T. Baxter, the Gators quarterback, was 22-for-32 for 316 yards and five touchdowns, including another score with 47.6 seconds left to cut the Baldwin County lead to 27-20.
JAMAR CARTER, ROBERTSDALE: Totaled 426 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns as Robertsdale pounded Monroe County 51-14. The small Golden Bears runner had 287 yards rushing on 15 carries, caught two passes for 66 yards and added a 73-yard kickoff return for a score. Carter also had TD runs of 61, 5, 25 and 72 yards.
TANA PATRICK, NORTH JACKSON: Had 17 tackles at linebacker as the Chiefs downed Plainview 27-14.
LEANDER WALLACE, COLBERT HEIGHTS: Completed 11-of-18 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-28 win over West Limestone. Two TD passes went to Matt Smith covering 65 and 43 yards.
BRODERICK HALL, CENTRAL-TUSCALOOSA: Was 7-of-16 passing for 196 yards, including a 95-yard TD pass to Jonathan Edwards, as the Falcons (7-0) won their 22nd game in a row by beating Parker 23-16. The long TD came with the Falcons leading only 15-10 in the third quarter. Edwards finished with two receptions for 126 yards.
DAVID BRIA, THOMPSON: Trailing 23-22 with just 36 seconds remaining, Bria connected with Jordan Chism for a game-winning 48-yard touchdown strike as the Warriors beat Oak Mountain 30-23. Bria finished with 12-of-24 passing for 183 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 59 yards and two more scores.
CRAIG SANDERS, ARITON: Sanders rushed just five times but scored four touchdowns of 35, 55, 25 and 7 yards before being pulled for the night as the Purple Cats routed Florala 55-0. Sanders finished with 133 yards. He added an interception return for a touchdown and had nine tackles on defense, including a sack and also one for a loss. He also caused a fumble.
DESMOND WARREN, HOUSTON COUNTY: Warren threw for 265 yards and two scores with 17-of-25 passing, had 62 yards rushing and another score (1-yard run) and added a 65-yard kickoff return in the Lions’ 28-26 loss to New Brockton. He also had five tackles and an interception on defense.
TOMMY HALEY-RICKS, HUBBERTVILLE: Had 40 carries for 287 yards and two touchdowns and also made nine tackles on defense in the Lions’ 34-27 loss to Meek.
BRANDON SANDERFER, CLEMENTS: Rushed 21 times for 182 yards and scored three touchdowns on runs of 16, 28 and 64 yards in the Colts’ 38-25 win over Red Bay. Sanderfer also returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown. Teammate Jamison Bridges was 9-of-18 passing for 231 yards and two scores.
DEUNTRAE JOHNSON, SCOTTSBORO: Rushed for 107 yards on 14 carries with one TD. More importantly, he threw a 67-yard halfback pass to John Austin Deerman in the final two minutes to pull the Wildcats to within one, then connected with Khaleem Jones for all-important two-point conversion as Scottsboro nipped Albertville, 29-28.
ANTONIO HAGLER, FAIRFIELD: The senior quarterback scored the game-winning touchdown on a 3-yard dash with 22 seconds remaining to lift the Tigers to a 32-27 win over McAdory. Hagler completed 14-of-21 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown with an interception while also rushing for 62 yards and a score on 11 carries.
DONTA TURNER, WASHINGTON COUNTY: Caught the game-winning 6-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Beech with eight seconds left as Washington County came from behind to beat Excel 29-21. Friday night.
DYLAN BREEDING, HOOVER: The junior punter/place-kicker nailed five punts for 225 yards, a 45.0 average, and had two covering 50 and 59 yards as the Bucs won the Class 6A, Region 6 football title with a 17-2 win over Vestavia Hills. For good measure, Breeding also kicked a career-long 43-yard field goal.
CHRIS COFFEY, DECATUR: Rushed for 202 yards and scored all four Decatur touchdowns in a 28-26 win over Florence that gave Coach Jere Adcock his 100th career win. Coffee scored on runs of 17, 5, 1 and 71 yards.
JACOLBY PORTER, HAZLEWOOD: Rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 carries in Hazlewood's 46-7 win over Lynn. Porter had TD runs covering 64, 60 and 40 yards.
ARTURO CONTRERAS, WEST MORGAN: Kicked a 30-yard field goal in overtime to clinch the Rebels’ 24-21 win over Madison Academy.
TRENT WILLIAMS, PHILLIPS: The boys from Bear Creek, averaging 53.3 points a game, beat Shoals Christian 60-12 as Williams hauled in five receptions for 80 yards and one TD, caught a 2-point conversion, returned a kickoff 45 yards and on defense recorded 12 tackles, an interception and two passes broken up. Teammate Adam McCarley added 166 yards rushing on 12 carries with two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion and was 11-of-20 passing for 168 yards and three touchdowns.
FLAVIO GUERRERO, SUSAN MOORE: The junior linebacker helped the Bulldogs (7-1, 6-0) clinch the Class 3A, Region 6 title with 11 tackles—three for loss, a sack and two pass break-ups in an 8-6 win over Sardis (6-2, 4-2).
ERIES COPES, GENEVA: The Panthers running back rushed for 257 yards on 30 carries in the rain and had touchdown runs of 7 and 69 yards as Geneva beat Wicksburg 21-0.
JUSTIN WESLEY, DALE COUNTY: The Warriors quarterback rushed for 102 yards and two scores and threw for 104 and another TD as Dale County clinched a Class 3A playoff berth with its 34-12 win over Headland. Wesley had touchdown runs of 72 and 34 yards and his touchdown pass went for 21 yards to Dakota Finley.
BRANDON HART, ENTERPRISE: In a 48-20 win over Dothan, Hart rushed for 194 yards on 12 carries and had two touchdowns on runs of 4 and 23 yards while teammate Tony Gray at quarterback had 191 yards rushing on 20 carries with two touchdowns on runs of 3 and 7 yards. Gray also completed 4-of-10 passes for 39 yards with one score.