Mary Montgomery finishes strong, Logan’s late pick-six lifts McGill-Toolen, Saints fall

 

 

 

By ROBERT LADNIER

THEODORE — Kam Smith ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns and caught a TD pass as Class 6A Mary G. Montgomery beat Theodore 35-13 Friday night to close their season on a six-game winning streak.

“(This win) means we got better and better all throughout the year,” said MGM coach Alex Page, whose team finished 7-3 and would have made the playoffs if not for being on probation. “We had to jump on these guys.”

Ethan McCutcheon blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a 14-0 Vikings lead that MGM built to 28-0 at halftime.

“The big momentum changer was the blocked punt for a touchdown,” Page said.

Elijah James picked up a fumbled snap a threw a 51-yard scoring pass to Smith only two minutes into the contest. In the second quarter, Smith raced 28 yards and 4 yards for scores.

Kendrick Able, who led all rushers with 158 yards on 20 carries, scored on a 74-yard run in the third quarter to get Theodore on the board.

Midway through the quarter, Smith scored on a 1-yard run to make it 35-6 but James Davis returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for the Bobcats (5-5), who visit Homewood in the first round of the playoffs.

 

McGill-Toolen 35,

Baker 28

 

Carter Logan’s 84-yard pick-six off Hornets quarterback Tate Graham with 1:51 remaining gave the visiting Yellow Jackets the win.

Jamien Pryor had a career-high 14 catches 215 yards and three touchdowns of 33, 29 and 15 yards for Baker. Graham scored on a 1-yard run.

McGill-Toolen (8-2) got TD runs of 2 and 3 yards from Ladarien Miller and 4 and 79 yards from Kevin Daughtry.

The Jackets will host Faith Academy in the first round of the Class AA private school playoffs while the Hornets (5-5) will host Enterprise in Class 6A.

— John Vella

 

Spanish Fort 35,

St. Paul’s 14

 

MOBILE — The Toros used a second-half explosion to break open a close game to defeat the Saints in the regular-season finale for both teams.

J.J. Thibodeaux was 13-of-16 passing for 243 yards and three touchdowns for the Spanish Fort (7-3), which visits Helena in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Thibodeaux also scored on runs of 1 yard and 7 yards. All three of his touchdown passes were to Devin McKenzie, who had eight receptions for 159 yards and scored on catches of 35, 10 and 75 yards.

St. Paul’s (4-6), which visits Montgomery Catholic in the first round of the Class AA private school playoffs, got touchdown runs of 7 yards from Roberts Law and 4 yards from Will Abrams.

The Saints managed only 21 yards total offense and one first down in the first half.

— Arthur Mack