Baker quarterback Tate Graham prepares to fire a pass in the Hornets’ 24-14 win at Theodore Friday night. (Scott Donaldson/Call News)
UMS-Wright quarterback Max Fowler launches a pass against Mountain Brook Friday night. Fowler’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Dean Waite with 1:35 left lifted the Bulldogs to a 13-6 win. (Mike Kittrell/Call News)
Staff Reports
PRICHARD — Anthony Gill completed 12 of 16 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns while Zy Wilson grabbed a touchdown pass and returned a punt 62 yards for another score as Class 4A No. 2-ranked Vigor routed Class 6A Mary G. Montgomery 47-3 at Wolfpack Stadium Friday night.
Demetris Johnson had touchdown runs of 26 yards and 1 yard and Terrell Prince caught four passes for 94 yards and a score as the Wolves (2-0) rolled up 349 yards of total offense.
Defensively, Vigor held Vikings star running back Kam Smith to zero yards on 12 carries and quarterback Connor Tillman was sacked three times and completed 7 of 19 passes for 107 yards MGM mustered only 77 yards of total offense.
Despite the resounding win, Wolves coach Renardo Jackson said there is still room for improvement after Vigor lost two fumbles and was flagged eight times for 65 yards.
“We came in wanting to be better in some areas and I didn’t see the improvement I was looking for, so we’re going to go back to the drawing board on Sunday and clean up and be the best version of ourselves,” he said.
The Vikings cut the lead to 7-3 in the first quarter on Adam Ezell’s 22-yard field goal but MGM got no closer.
Gill’s TD passes of 7 yards to Wilson and 30 yards to Prince made it 27-3 at halftime. In the third quarter, Jhi Brown’s 1-yard touchdown run and Wilson’s 62-yard punt return put the game out of reach.
UMS-Wright 13,
Mountain Brook 6
MOBILE — Max Fowler overcame two earlier interceptions by tossing a 28-yard touchdown pass to Dean Waite with 1:35 left as the Bulldogs rallied past the Spartans in the second half.
“Sometimes you just have to find a way and we found a way,” Fowler said of the wheel route to Waite.
Mountain Brook led 6-0 at halftime on Glenn Drennan’s field goals of 41 and 51 yards but a massive goal line stand saved the day for UMS-Wright (1-1).
Drennan kicked a 19-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead but a roughing the kicker penalty on Colby Weaver gave the Spartans a first-and-goal at the 1. The Bulldogs forced another field goal try and Weaver atoned, blocking the 23-yarder and returned it 94 yards to tie the game.
“I got a penalty the first time and I had to make up for it,” Weaver said. “I saw my chance, shot down the line and blocked it and knew I had to score.”
Robert Baird and Matthew Warren each recovered fumbles and Benjamin Massey intercepted a pass for UMS-Wright.
“Those kids needed that and they deserved it,” Bulldogs coach Sam Williams said. “Last year, we had a lot of those that didn’t go our way. I don’t care how we win. We scored a defensive touchdown and we were physical all night. We responded from last week and that is what you want to see the kids do.”
Baker 24,
Theodore 14
THEODORE — Tate Graham tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Jamien Pryor (33 and 48 yards )and Gavin Wood added a 2-yard TD run as the Hornets bounced back from a season-opening 33-0 loss to Williamson.
Kendrick Able scored on an 80-yard run for the Bobcats and finished with 110 yards on 18 carries.
“We didn’t hang our heads after last week,” Baker coach Eric Scott said. “We came out strong tonight and played a solid 48 minutes.”
Bryant 23,
Greenville 20
The visiting Hurricanes had a big third quarter to break a 6-6 halftime tie and held on to win.
Jayden James ran for 120 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown run, quarterback Makai Vongsengphachanh scored on a sneak and a 2-yard run and Henry Nguyen kicked a 32-yard field goal for Bryant (1-1), which led 23-14 at one point.
“I think we corrected some things that needed to be but we are still not quite where we need to be,” Hurricanes coach Bart Sessions said. “I am proud of the team for being resilient and finding a way to win. I hope this springboards us in the right direction for our next game.”
Clarke Co. 27,
Leroy 8
GROVE HILL — The Bulldogs scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to send the Bears to their first 0-2 start since 2012.
Peebo Pugh struck first blood for Clarke County with a 37-yard touchdown run but Leroy scored on the opening possession of the second half when Jace Sellers connected with Jayden Collins for a 27-yard touchdown.
The Bulldogs then took control with Pugh’s 10-yard TD pass to Ja’Marion Jenkins, Isaiah Davis’ 50-yard TD run and Jenkins’ 43-yard scoring run.
(Arthur Mack, Robert Ladnier, John Vella and Hannah Slayton contributed to this roundup.)
