Tigers stay unbeaten
- Updated: October 8, 2022
Class 3A Region 4: Willis throws four 4 TDs to help Randolph County remain undefeated; Doss, Walker lead Saks over Weaver
| CLASS 3A REGION 4 | OVERALL | REGION |
| Dadeville | 6-0 | 4-0 |
| Randolph County | 7-0 | 4-0 |
| Saks | 5-3 | 3-2 |
| Wellborn | 4-3 | 2-2 |
| Beulah | 1-6 | 1-3 |
| Childersburg | 1-7 | 1-4 |
| Weaver | 1-6 | 0-4 |
By Mark Everett Kelly
For East Alabama Sports Today
What a difference a year makes. After surrendering 47 or more points in each of their six final games in a 1-9 season in 2021, the Randolph County stayed unbeaten Friday night with a 41-14 victory over Wellborn.
The win clinched a home playoff game for the Tigers (7-0), who are tied with Dadeville (6-0) for first in Class 3A Region 4. Both teams are 4-0 in region play.
“It’s good because that means we will be home in the first round; one of us (Dadeville) will be 1 and 2; we just need to take care of business for ourselves,” Randolph County coach Pat Prestridge said.
Junior quarter Avion Willis completed nine of 12 passes for 88 yards and four touchdowns (three in the first half), leading the Tigers to touchdowns on five of their six drives in the game.
His biggest throw with just 12 seconds remaining in the first half. Leading 14-6 and facing fourth-and-18 on the 22, Willis connected with Jonathan Wilson on a brilliant bullet pass, giving Randolph County a commanding 21-6 lead at halftime.
“It was nothing I did; it was thanks to my line and my backs blocking for me,” said the quarterback, who also ran for 20 yards on six carries.
In the second half, Austin Terrell iced the game with two rushing touchdowns. He finished with 145 yards on 15 carries.
“Our kids played well,” said Prestridge, now in his 17th season at Randolph County. “We are real versatile with the things we can do. Our offensive line did a great job; they stepped up and have done an outstanding job this year.”
Wellborn pulled to within 21-14 after Xavier Parker ran for his second TD of the game from 4-yards out. Parker set up the TD with a 38-yard run the previous play. He finished with 154 rushing yards on 21 carries.
However, the game turned when senior quarterback Grayson Johnson went out with an apparent concussion in the third quarter. After Parker gained nine yards on third-and-13 at the Tigers’ 39, the Panthers committed a false start and botched the punt, giving the visitors the ball back on Wellborn’s 34.
The Panthers gained just 20 yards on 11 plays from scrimmage after Johnson went down.
“I don’t think we played good from the start,” Wellborn coach Jeff Smith said. “We haven’t practiced well the past few weeks, and I think that was indicative of the game that was.”
The loss puts Wellborn at 2-2 in the region, a half-game behind third-place Saks in the Region. The Panthers are at least a game ahead of everyone behind them in the standings and have beaten two of the three head-to-head with one yet to play.
| Randolph County (7-0, 4-0) | 7 | 14 | 0 | 20 — | 41 |
| Wellborn (4-3, 2-2) | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 — | 14 |
RC- Isiah Wright 18 pass from Avion Willis (PAT kick), 6:56 1Q
W – Xavier Parker 17 run (conversion failed), 2:51 1Q
RC – Zack Caldwell 7 pass from Avion Willis (PAT kick), 8:53 2Q
RC – Jonathan Wilson 22 pass from Avion Willis (PAT kick), 0:12 2Q
W – Xavier Parker 4 run (two-point conversion), 8:59 3Q
RC – Jonathan Wilson 18 pass from Avion Willis (PAT kick), 10:34 4Q
RC – Austin Terrell 24 run (PAT kick), 7:43 4Q
RC – Austin Terrell 4 run (kick failed), 3:00 4Q
Saks 56, Weaver 6
Gavin Doss rushed for 163 yards and four touchdowns and Dorrien Walker rushed for 128 yards and three scores as the Wildcats crushed Weaver to move coach Jonathan Miller within two of 100 victories for his coaching career.
Doss scored on runs of 1, 48, 55 and 32 yards in the first half as the Wildcats opened a 42-6 halftime lead. Walker scored on runs of 31, 2 and 41 yards. Doss also threw for 98 yards on 5-of-6 passing.
Weaver, coming off an open date following its first win of the season, made it 7-6 early in the first quarter on Kaden Gooden’s 48-yard touchdown pass to Jeffrey Miles, but then it was all Saks. Gooden completed 11 of 23 passes for 117 yards
| WEAV (6) | SAKS (56) | |
| 9 | 1st Downs | 10 |
| 47 | Rushing yds | 295 |
| 11-23-1 | Comp-Att-Int | 5-6-0 |
| 117 | Passing yds | 98 |
| 0 | Fumbles lost | 0 |
| 2-17.5 | Punts-avg | 0-0 |
| 4-43 | Penalties-yds | 6-61 |
| Weaver (1-6, 0-4) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 — | 6 |
| Saks (5-3, 3-2) | 21 | 21 | 7 | 7 — | 56 |
S — Gavin Doss 1 run (PAT kick)
W — Jeffrey Miles 48 pass from Kaden Gooden (PAT failed)
S — Dorrien Walker 31 run (PAT kick)
S — Gavin Doss 48 run (PAT kick)
S — Gavin Doss 55 run (PAT kick)
S — Dorrien Walker 2 run (PAT kick)
S — Gavin Doss 32 run (PAT kick)
S — Jakari Streeter 6 run (PAT kick)
S — Dorrien Walker 41 run (PAT kick)
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