Handley takes the lead
- Updated: October 8, 2021
Top-ranked Handley takes sole possession of first place in 4A Region 4, Jacksonville climbs back into playoff picture
| STANDINGS | |||||
TEAM | OV, REG RECORD | REGION WINS | REGION LOSSES | REGION REMAIN | NRW |
| Handley | 6-0, 4-0 | Munford, Jacksonville, Cleb. Co., Cher. Co. | Anniston, WP | 12 | |
| Cherokee County | 5-2, 3-1 | Anniston, WP, Munford | Handley | Cleb. Co., Jacksonville | 4 |
| Anniston | 5-2, 3-1 | WP, Munford, Jacksonville | Cherokee County | Handley, Cleburne Co. | 8 |
| Jacksonville | 4-4, 3-2 | WP, Munford, Cleb. Co. | Anniston, Handley | Cherokee Co. | 0 |
| Cleburne County | 4-3, 2-2 | WP, Munford | Handley, Jacksonville | Cher. Co., Anniston | 5 |
| White Plains | 2-5, 0-4 | Cleb. Co., Anniston, Jacksonville, Cher Co. | Munford, Handley | ||
| Munford | 2-6, 0-5 | Handley, Cleb. Co., Jacksonville, Cher. Co., Anniston | White Plains |
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Anniston 26, Munford 3
Handley 42, Cherokee County 14
Jacksonville 35, Cleburne County 28
By East Alabama Sports Today
ROANOKE – Cherokee County had a chance to make a big splash around the state and take over the region lead in the process, but top-ranked Handley had too much for the Warriors in the end.
Jamarius Haynes rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns and Ty Fetner passed for 219 yards and a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to Maurice Cameron as undefeated Handley turned back the Warriors 42-14 in the battle for first place in Class 4A Region 4.
The third element of the Tigers’ three-headed monster – Tae Meadows – rushed for 89 yards and two scores.
The defending state champion Tigers (6-0, 4-0) have now won 11 games in a row overall and 12 straight within their region. The loss dropped the Warriors (5-2, 3-1) into a tie for second in the region with Anniston, and they own the tiebreaker.
Touchdown runs by Meadows and Haynes staked Handley to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter, but Cherokee County cut the deficit in half when Jack Amos hauled in a 27-yard pass from Cade Hopper for a touchdown less than two minutes into the second quarter.
Meadows scored again right before halftime and Fetner threw his touchdown passes to Cameron to make it 35-7. Damien Ramsey stopped the Tigers’ surge briefly when he intercepted Fetner and brought it all the way back for a touchdown with 2:02 left in the third.
Haynes closed the scoring with a 44-yard touchdown run with 3:13 left in the game.
Handley 42, Cherokee Co. 14
| Cherokee Co. (5-2, 3-1) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 — | 14 |
| Handley (6-0, 4-0) | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7 — | 42 |
H – Tae Meadows 1 run (Davey Towers kick), 7:16 1Q
H – Jarmarius Haynes 9 run (Davey Towers kick), 12:00 2Q
C – Jack Amos 27 pass from Cade Hopper (Daniel Majia kick), 10:11 2Q
H – Tae Meadows 2 run (Davey Towers kick), 3:42 2Q
H – Maurice Cameron 2 pass from Ty Fetner (Davey Towers kick), 7:51 3Q
H – Maurice Cameron 62 pass from Ty Fetner (Davey Towers kick), 4:31 3Q
C – Damien Ramsey interception return (Daniel Majia kick), 2:02 3Q
H – Jamarius Haynes 44 run (Davey Towers kick), 3:13 4Q
| Cher (14) | Hand (42) | |
| 9 | 1st Downs | 17 |
| 25-113 | Rushes-yds | 36-293 |
| 10-29-0 | C-A-I | 16-22-1 |
| 108 | Passing yds | 219 |
| 1-0 | Fum-lost | 0-0 |
| 7-33.7 | Punts-avg | 3-23.7 |
| 7-50 | Pen-yds | 23-200 |
Jacksonville 35, Cleburne Co. 28
HEFLIN – Jacksonville quarterback Jim Ogle delivered one the sharpest passing games of his career when the Golden Eagles needed it most.
Ogle hit on his first nine throws and completed 20 of 24 for 254 yards and five touchdowns as the Golden Eagles won a game that got them back in the Class 4A Region 4 playoff hunt.
Four of Ogle’s scoring throws went to Jacoby Zackery, including his longest of the night – a 68-yarder that gave Jacksonville a 35-14 lead with 7:28 left in the third quarter. Zackery caught 11 passes for 156 yards.
The loss knocked Cleburne County out of a potential three-way tie for second in the region and into a virtual tie with Jacksonville for the fourth playoff spot in the region. Both teams have two region losses, but Cleburne County has played one fewer game.
The Tigers held a 14-7 lead after two Devante Cantrell touchdowns in the first quarter, but Jacksonville scored 28 straight points (four Ogle touchdown passes) to take a 35-14 lead into the fourth quarter.
Cantrell scored all four of Cleburne County’s touchdowns. He rushed for 232 yards and three scores and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Kyler McGrinn to make it 35-28 with 2:44 to play.
The Tigers got the ball back less than a minute later for a chance to tie, but wound up turning it over on downs with less than 30 seconds to play.
Jacksonville 35, Cleburne Co. 28
| Jacksonville (4-4, 3-2) | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 — | 35 |
| Cleburne Co. (4-3, 2-2) | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 — | 28 |
C – Devante Cantrell 20 run (Noah Morgan kick), 5:20 1Q
J – Kydric Fisher 6 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 3:15 1Q
C – Devante Cantrell 2 run (Noah Morgan kick), 2:03 1Q
J – Jacoby Zackery 3 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 10:05 2Q
J – Jacoby Zackery 2 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 1:09 2Q
J – Jacoby Zackery 8 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 10:05 3Q
J – Jacoby Zackery 68 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 7:28 3Q
C – Devante Cantrell 18 run (Noah Morgan kick), 10:50 4Q
C – Decante Cantrell 9 pass from Kyler McGrinn (Noah Morgan kick), 2:44 4Q
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