Theodore, Baker, Mary Montgomery, Williamson, Jackson big winners in first round
Theodore quarterback Crishon Overton (4) celebrates one of the six touchdowns he accounted for Friday night in a 44-27 win over Stanhope Elmore in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs. (John O’Dell/Call News)
Staff Report
THEODORE — Crishon Overton accounted for all six of Theodore’s touchdowns in a 44-27 win over Stanhope Elmore Friday night in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Overton had TD runs of 11, 71 and 8 yards and scoring passes of 24, 64 and 51 yards for the Bobcats (8-3), who visit Benjamin Russell in the second round after their first playoff win since 2022.
Overton, who had 142 yards on 10 carries and completed 7 of 11 passes for 152 yards, responded to a telling halftime message from Theodore coach Steve Mask.
“I told him he has a great momma and daddy and now it’s time to go make them proud,” Mask said.
The final minute of the first half was the turning point in the game. The Mustangs led 14-10 and had a chance to run the clock out but a forced fumble by Julian McDonald and recovery by Daniel Bruton gave the Bobcats the ball at the Stanhope 26 with 28 seconds left. On third down, Overton found running back Kendrick Able in the right flat and Able never broke stride as he hauled in the low pass and crossed the goal line as the final second ticked off the clock.
“In the first half, we did not play up to the Theodore standard,” Overton said. “Coach talked to me at the half and I went out and made plays.”
In the third quarter, a long Mustangs drive stalled at the Theodore 29 and Overton ran a reverse option to the right for a 71-yard TD.
After forcing another quick fumble, Overton connected with Chris Cunningham on a 64-yard scoring pass.
“I thought that play was really a big one in the game,” Mask said.
Able had 153 yards on 23 carries and Stanhope’s Damarion Barnes had 122 yards on 23 carries and TD runs of 11 and 64 yards.
Baker 38,
Florence 14
MOBILE — Jailen “Speedy” Wheeler ran for three touchdowns as the No. 7-ranked Hornets claimed a resounding win.
Wheeler scored on an 80-yard run and a pair of 2-yarders enroute to a 171-yard rushing night as Baker (9-2) advanced to visit Opelika in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.
“No disrespect to the teams in our region but we don’t see speed like this,” Falcons coach Kenny Morson said. “We’ll see speed from one, two or three guys but we don’t see teams like this in north Alabama … Lord have mercy.”
After a sluggish start, Baker led 31-7 at halftime.
“They did some things early that we hadn’t seen, so therefore it took a little adjusting,” Hornets coach Eric Scott said. “We were very efficient in the first half.”
Quarterback Tate Graham found Khatori Marion with a 73-yard strike for a 7-0 lead midway the first quarter and Marion also had a 77-yard punt return wiped out on a holding call.
Graham found Marion for a 30-yard TD and Kayson Lawrence hit a 34-yard field goal before Wheeler’s 80-yarder and his first 2-yard score produced the huge halftime spread.
Mary Montgomery 45,
Austin 7
SEMMES — Kam Smith ran for 117 yards on 15 carries and a pair of touchdowns as the No. 6 Vikings rolled to victory to set up a huge second-round Class 7A playoff game at No. 3 Thompson.
Smith scored on runs of 1 yard and 37 yards as MGM (10-1) built a 21-0 lead at halftime.
Jeremy Menhennett tossed a pair of TD passes — 38 yards to Jakenyon Allen and 4 yards to D.J. Broughton — and Elijah James added a 74-yard TD run as the Vikings set a school record for most points scored in a season (421).
“We are in a great place as far as focus and fighting for each other,” MGM coach Zach Golson said. “The loss (to Baker) earlier in the season really reset us and made us get better.
Williamson 50,
Eufaula 14
MOBILE — Todrick Withers rushed for 180 yards on 28 carries and scored on a 2-yard run as the No. 1-ranked Lions romped in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Withers also scored on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Alvin Dinkins, who finished 7-of-12 passing for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
Dinkins scored on a 9-yard run, Jamarcus Lett scored on a 3-yard run, Jacob Massey scored on a 52-yard touchdown pass and John Austin had a 75-yard pick-six for Williamson (11-0), which visits Elmore County in the second round.
Lions coach Antonio Coleman said Withers had a stellar night.
“He’s a 1,000-yard back and a straight-A student,” Coleman said. “He’s committed to West Alabama right now and he’s a really good running back. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, he can get downhill and get the tough yards. He’s the complete running back.”
Eufaula (6-5) managed only 28 yards rushing.
Jackson 34,
Ashford 0
JACKSON — Quarterback Landon Duckworth scored four touchdowns in the first half on his birthday as the No. 2 Aggies easily advanced to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
In the first half, Duckworth completed 11 of 18 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 1-yard run for defending state champ Jackson (9-2), which visits Handley in the second round.
“You have to come into the playoffs with a different mindset,” Duckworth said. “With it being my birthday, I couldn’t let myself get distracted. As long as we play together as a team, we’ll be good.”
E.J. Crowell ran for 101 yards on 11 carries in the first half, including an 18-yard TD run.
The Aggies led 34-0 at the half and played the backups in the second half.
“On the path to the championship, there’s all these things you have to handle,” Jackson coach Cody Flournoy said. “Next week we’re off two days, so we’ve got to be able to handle that but I’m proud of the guys coming in from having an off week and getting the job done.”
The Aggies held Ashford to 91 yards of total offense.
