Keep on winning
- Updated: September 28, 2019
Friday roundup: Ohatchee, Wellborn, Alexandria all remain undefeated
FRIDAY’S CALHOUN COUNTY GAMES
Alexandria 21, Cleburne County 0
American Christian 24, Anniston 6
Donoho 17, Berry 14
Cherokee County 49, Weaver 6
Ohatchee 48, Leeds 7
Piedmont 35, Jacksonville 14
Pleasant Valley at Gaston, ppd. (noon Saturday)
Wellborn 62, Central Coosa 6
OCT. 4 GAMES
Alexandria at Sardis
Cleburne County at White Plains
Huffman at Oxford
Jacksonville at Anniston
Ohatchee at West End
Piedmont at Saks
Pleasant Valley at Glencoe
Randolph County at Weaver
Wellborn at B.B. Comer
By East Alabama Sports Today
OHATCHEE – The only thing slowing down the Ohatchee machine this season it seems is the weather.
The third-ranked Indians rolled over another opponent Friday night – this time Leeds, 48-7 – improving to 5-0 and extending their regular-season winning streak to 16 games. They have outscored their opponents this year 256-59.
The game was called with 50 seconds left in the third quarter because of weather, but even by then the Indians had rolled up 341 yards of rushing (on only 23 carries) and 384 yards of offense.
Domonique Thomas closed in on 1,000 yards rushing for the season with 144 yards on nine carries. He scored touchdowns on runs of 40 and 55 yards and returned the opening kickoff of the second half 91 yards for another score that ended his night.
For the year Thomas has 951 yards rushing on 55 carries – a 17.3-yard per carry average – and 18 touchdowns. He also has two TD catches and a kickoff return for a touchdown. Because the Indians have opened such big leads, he has played just 10 quarters in five games.
Coach Scott Martin said his headline back has improved beyond just what he did on the field last season.
“I just think he’s better period,” he said. “He’s really good. He’s special. Somebody better get on him quick because he could be really good in college. His work ethic and ball skills are so good he’s going to be a success if they come get him.”
But it wasn’t only Thomas. Ryker Lambright rushed for 109 yards on six carries and scored three touchdowns on runs of 22, 82 and 1 yards. Quarterback Eli Ennis scored the Indians’ other touchdown on a 48-yard run and kicker Emerson Abac returned after missing two games with an injury and kicked six extra points.
Lambright has rushed for 424 yards through five games and although the Indians don’t pass much Ennis has a pass efficiency rating of 333.71.
“Ryker is a really good football player, an outstanding linebacker and wing back; he just gets it done behind the scenes,” Martin said. “He’s got a good year going but because of Domonique you don’t really think about him. To be honest, he makes us go. Between him and Ennis, those two guys have 53 carries. Domonique has 55. We’re really balanced with those two versus Domonique.
“It’s not the Domonique Thomas show all the time. Other people are carrying the football.”
Ohatchee 48, Leeds 7
Leeds 0 0 7 x – 7
Ohatchee 7 28 13 x – 48
Scoring plays
O – Ryker Lambright 22 run (Emerson Abac kick), 5:53 1Q
O – Domonique Thomas 40 run (Emerson Abac kick), 10:26 2Q
O — Ryker Lambright 82 run (Emerson Abac kick), 6:26 2Q
O – Domonique Thomas 55 run (Emerson Abac kick), 2:00 2Q
O – Ryker Lambright 1 run (Emerson Abac kick), 1:01 2Q
O – Domonique Thomas 91 kickoff return (Emerson Abac kick), 11:40 3Q
O – Eli Ennis 48 run (kick failed), 7:24 3Q
L – Green Wave 4 run (kick good), 2:11 3Q
(Game called with 50 seconds left in third quarter)
Wellborn 62, Central Coosa 6
The Panthers erupted for 48 points in the first quarter – a touchdown shy of a state record – and scored all their points in the first half before playing a pair of four-minute quarters in the second half.
They are 6-0 for the first time since 1994, although a forfeit win awarded after the 2011 season gave them a 6-0 start that season.
Ten players combined to rush for 305 yards and seven touchdowns on only 18 carries. The Panthers blocked three punts and Christian Figueroa and Chase Carroll returned two of their three interceptions for touchdowns. They held Coosa to minus-30 yards net rushing.
Jesse Lewis was the workhorse with four carries for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Bryson Heath also scored two touchdowns. Kentrez Hunt had a 59-yard touchdown run on his only carry. Calvin Spinks and KV Wesley also had touchdowns.
“I’m proud of the players coming out and taking care of business,” Wellborn coach Jeff Smith said.
The Panthers have outscored their opponents 307-67 this season. They have scored 60 points or more three times, including each of the last two weeks.
Alexandria 21, Cleburne County 0
Nate McCallum rushed for 179 yards and scored a touchdown as the Valley Cubs celebrated their return to the statewide poll with its second straight shutout in a game in a game called in the fourth quarter due to weather.
The Valley Cubs, back in the poll for the first time since October 2017 at No. 10 in Class 5A, accounted for 324 yards of offense and held the Tigers to 178. They hadn’t posted back-to-back shutouts since 2004 (Wellborn, Jacksonville).
McCallum scored the Cubs’ third touchdown on a 6-yard run. Javais McGhee opened the scoring with a 23-yard run in the first quarter and threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Barnes in the second.
Rustin Roberts rushed for 50 yards to lead Cleburne County (1-5), which has lost five in a row after opening the season with a victory over Weaver.
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