VETERANS MEMORIAL STADIUM – Troy, Ala.

CLASS AAA
Tuscaloosa Academy 27, Lee-Scott Academy 26

Tuscaloosa Academy claimed its first AISA football state championship with a 27-26 victory over Lee-Scott Academy at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy on Friday.

Lee-Scott scored with 2:49 remaining, but Tuscaloosa’s Kyle Andrews blocked the extra point preserving the Knights one-point lead.

Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, TA quarterback Jonathan Plott connected with Parker Farley for a 36-yard strike. Lee-Scott answered 2:38 later, but failed to convert the two-point conversion.

Plott would finish 5-for-8 for 139 yards and one touchdown.

Just before halftime, Tuscaloosa’s Jaevon Walton capped a 16-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge. The extra point hit the right upright sending the team to the locker room tied 13-13.

The defenses stole the show in the third quarter. Lee-Scott defensive end Caleb Bethune intercepted Plott’s pass attempt and returned it 24 yards for a score. On the final play of the third quarter, Terrell Bush retied the game after returning a fumble 53 yards to the end zone.

Walton scored his second touchdown of the game with 8:31 left in the game to give Tuscaloosa a 27-20 advantage. Walton set himself up with a 70-yard reception from Plott two plays earlier. Lee-Scott then drove 65 yards in 13 plays capped by Jeremy Joseph’s 2-yard score. Andrews would come the offense’s left edge to block the extra point.

Clay Thomas finished as Tuscaloosa’s leading rusher with 71 yards on 16 carries. Walton had 58 yards on 18 attempts and led the team defensively with 10 tackles including a sack, which forced the fumble returned by Bush in the third quarter.

For Pickens, Thomas DeGrange had 61 yards rushing on eight carries and a score. Joseph was 11-for-21 through the air for 153 yards. Nick Buskill had 14 tackles for the Warriors while David Ruffin added 12.

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CLASS A
Restoration Academy 48, Pickens Academy 13

Restoration Academy took a 28-6 lead into halftime then scored 20 points in the third quarter to run away with the AISA Class A state championship, 48-13, over Pickens Academy.

Pickens scored first on Garrett Estes’ 3-yard run with 8:46 to go in the opening quarter.

Restoration responded with 34 unanswered points.

Restoration’s Courtney Wilbanks scored on a 16-yard reception from Kha’Darrius Davis, a 61-yard rush and returned a fumble 29 yards for another. Wilbanks also rushed for 137 yards in the game. Rashad Mosely led the Bulldogs defense with 10 tackles, five tackles for loss and one sack.

Pickens’ Josh Lewis finished with 97 yards on 13 carries. Estes had 10 tackles while Cody Scott finished with nine.

 

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CLASS AA
Edgewood Academy 41, Clarke Prep 29

Edgewood Academy claimed its thrid straight state title and fourth in five years with a 41-29 win over Clarke Prep. The Gators from Grove Hill struck first with a 10 yard touchdown run by Hayden Walker, and a Caleb Tucker field goal to lead 9-0.

Edgewood responded on its next possession when Rod Boykin plunged in from nine yards out. Boykin would score three times total in the game.

The Wildcats scored 28 straight points in the second and third quarters to take control and they never looked back down the stretch.

Edgewood quarterback Dylan Ingram finished the game with 390 yards passing and two touchdowns. During the game, Ingram broke the single season state passing yards record and he finishes the season with 4,182 yards.