New territory
- Updated: November 16, 2019
Roundup: Jacksonville earns first trip to quarterfinals with record win; Oxford wins, Alexandria loses heartbreaker, Donoho falls
By East Alabama Sports Today
HUNTSVILLE – Ron Wiggins rushed for 320 yards and five touchdowns and Taj Morris scored three times as Jacksonville earned its first ever trip to the state quarterfinals with a 55-22 rout of St. John Paul II.
The Golden Eagles (10-2) will host Northside (11-1) in their deepest playoff advance in school history. They had been 0-7 in second-round games before Friday night.
Wiggins had 239 yards and four touchdowns in the first 14 minutes of the first half as the Golden Eagles opened a 35-14 halftime lead. The 56 points were the most they’d ever scored in a playoff game, beating the 55 points they scored in their opening-round win over Cordova. They have scored more than 50 points five times this season.
The Falcons had won seven in a row. Jacksonville has now won six in a row.
Oxford 35, Cullman 0
CULLMAN – In the run-up to his first season as Oxford’s head coach Keith Etheredge talked about getting the Yellow Jackets to the next level of the playoffs and the team that had always stood in their way to do it was Clay-Chalkville.
The Cougars have knocked Oxford out of the playoffs in the third round each of the last two years, but the fourth-ranked Jackets (11-1) get another chance to settle the score after blanking the Bearcats.
J.B. Carlisle rushed for 231 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries for Oxford, while quarterback Trey Higgins completed 12 of 19 passes for 100 yards and rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
Carlisle’s 40-yard scoring run in the first quarter staked the Jackets to a 7-0 halftime lead, but Oxford turned it on in the second half and finished with 504 yards of offense. Carlisle (4 and 9 yards), Trey Higgins (2 yards) and Shannon Morris (3 yards) all found the end zone during the final 24 minutes on the game.
Oxford’s defense, meanwhile, delivered a Herculean performance against Cullman. The Bearcats (6-6) registered just 20 yards and three first downs on 39 plays from scrimmage.
Cullman was playing in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Bearcats also won their first-ever 6A postseason game with a 20-0 victory over Mae Jemison last week. – Jake Winfrey, sports editor Cullman Times
Cover photo: Oxford’s J.B. Carlisle scores the first of his three touchdowns against Cullman. (Photo by Amanda Shavers/Cullman Times)
Madison Co. 28, Alexandria 27
GURLEY – Brayden Parton’s 2-yard run with 21 seconds to play capped a 73-yard drive that lifted Madison County to victory and knocked the Valley Cubs out of the playoffs.
The Valley Cubs had come so close to pulling out a fourth-quarter victory for the second week in a row. Ronnie Royal snapped a 21-21 tie when he went 69 yards to give Alexandria the lead with 1:44 to play, but the Valley Cubs missed the extra point giving the Tigers an opening.
Madison County needed six plays to answer Royal’s touchdown and Jesse Saunders kicked the extra point to give the Tigers their ninth win in a row. The drive was boosted by a pair of 24-yard passes and a major penalty.
Royal rushed for 196 yards on 25 carries to lead Alexandria’s offense. Royal (30 yards) and Grady Trantham (50) both returned interceptions for Valley Cub touchdowns in the third quarter. Antonio Ross had a 5-yard touchdown run.
Alexandria 0 7 14 6 – 27
Madison Co. 7 7 7 7 – 28
Scoring plays
M – Mekhi Burdette-Barnes 4 run (Jesse Saunders kick)
A – Antonio Ross 5 run (Grayson Forrest kick)
M – Brayden Parton 2 run (Jesse Saunders kick)
A – Grady Trantham 50 interception return (Grayson Forrest kick)
A – Ronnie Royal 30 interception return (Grayson Forrest kick)
M – Mehki Burdette-Barnes 28 run (Jesse Saunders kick)
A – Ronnie Royal 69 run (PAT failed)
M – Brayden Parton 2 run (Jesse Saunders kick)
Decatur Heritage 20, Donoho 2
DECATUR – After a tight first half, Decatur Heritage scored two touchdowns in the second and held Donoho to only a safety in the Class 1A playoff battle. Donoho scored its points in the fourth quarter when Reid Williamon tackled Colton Keith in the end zone for a safety. Williamon led Donoho’s defense with 11.5 tackles, four for loss.
| Don (2) | DH (20) | |
| 13 | 1D | 15 |
| 33-108 | Run | 35-200 |
| 10-21-1 | CAI | 3-6-1 |
| 53 | Pass | 69 |
| 2-2 | F-L | 1-1 |
| 4-28.3 | Punt | 3-27.3 |
| 4-30 | Pen | 2-20 |
Donoho 0 0 0 2 – 2
Decatur Her. 7 0 7 6 – 20
Scoring plays
DH – Arthur Orr 40 pass from Alex Malone (Ben Lovelace kick), 5:51 1Q
DH – Colton Keith 1 run (Ben Lovelace kick), 2:03 3Q
D – Safety, Reid Williamon tackles Colton Keith in end zone, 7:37 4Q
DH – Garrett Rogers 31 fumble return, 0:07 4Q
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