"Gip's Piks"
By Donald Gipson
Week 3 saw me drop to 7-3 after two consecutive 8-2 weeks. As
close as some of the game were I could have just as easily dropped to 5-5,
so you won't hear me complain about 7-3.
What did this third week of high school football in North Alabama prove?
It proved to me that's it still difficult for a Huntsville team to
travel south to the Birmingham area and win football games. I really thought
Johnson would defeat Jess Lanier.
Week 3 also proved that, as far as I'm, Huntsville coach Greg Patterson
is an excellent football coach. What Patterson's Panthers almost accomplished
against Bob Jones this past Friday night is proof enough for me.
What will Week Four bring? It will, for sure, be complete with surprises,
frustrations and elation.
This week's picks are:
BUCKHORN @ BOB JONES
Both teans eased by last week's opponents by only two points.
The Bucks edged MCHS 30-28, after leading 24-0 at the half.
Bob Jones squeaked by Huntsville 19-17 when a Panther field goal attempt
went just wide-right with only a few ticks left on the clock.
Both teams have potent offenses, but the Patriots have the edge on
defense.
It's also homecoming for the Patriots.
Buckhorn - 20, Bob Jones - 42
HAZEL GREEN @ ROGERS
The Trojans won last week. downing New Hope 6-0 on a TD pass with two
seconds remaining. Can they use that to start a win streak?
Since this column is for fun, we'll say they can.
Hazel Green - 13, Rogers - 7
PISGAH @ MCHS
The Tigers showed they are a team to be reckoned with. Lamar Frith is
building a tradition at Gurley.
Unfortunately, Pisgah already has a tradition, a winning one.
Pisgah - 23, MCHS -13
NEW HOPE @ VINEMONT
The Indians came close last Friday, but it was just another long night.
in what I told you earlier, would be a long season for New Hope.
New Hope - 7, Vinemont - 20
BUTLER vs LEE
Both squads are 1-2.
Lee won big. Butler lost big.
The Rebels may have a hard time shutting down a General ground game
that has apparentl found itself.
Score will probably be close.
Butler - 17, Lee - 23
SPARKMAN @ EAST LIMESTONE
I don't really want to pick a winner here.
Both teams have fine coaches, great fans and good, dedicated athletes.
Since this column is for fun, maybe neither community will be upset
with my pick.
Pluses for Sparkman include the running of Jamil Wallace, the defensive
end tandum of Robbie Sacco and Jonathan Dobbins and a 5A classification.
East counters with the running, pass catching, kicking and line backing
play of Marlon Bush, a defensive unit that won't quit and the home field
advantage.
Sparkman - 20, East Limestone - 21
GRISSOM vs HUNTSVILLE
The Tigers are stumbling.
The Panthers are stalking.
Huntsville has a better team than most expected. It's offense is run
by an intelligent, deceptive quarterback named John Steakly.
Paul Parvin's Tigers will be up for this one, but not high enough.
Grissom - 13, Huntsville - 24
JOHNSON @ MINOR
Another road trip to Birmingham.
Alabama's largest city hasn't been very hospitable to the Jaguars,
this year or last.
Johnson has the talent to be a major player in this season's playoff
picture so they have to beat Minor.
Johnson - 13, Minor - 7
ATHENS vs NORTH JACKSON
North Jackson is always tough, especially at home.
Athens has best team in years.
A close, exciting, hard hitting game is expected.
Athens - 27, North Jackson - 24
Until next week.
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CUTLINES
A.) I'VE GOT IT! That's what both Josh Blankenship (No. 10) of Bob Jones
and Huntsville's Matthew Delisle (No. 13), hope to say on this pass play.
Neither young man was successful as the pass fell incomplete. Bob Jones
won 19-17. (PHOTO BY DONALD GIPSON)
B.) ABOUT TO BE FLATTENED - Patriot QB Sean Sowles is about to be pancaked
by a Huntsville Panther defender. Sowles had the wind knocked out of him
but recovered to come back in as Bob Jones defeated Huntsville 19-17.
(Photo by Donald Gipson)
C.) KICKIN' - Huntsville place kicker, Ryan Hunt, just missed this 31-yard
field goal attempt. The kick came with only five seconds remaining in the
game. The miss enabled Bob Jones to hold on for a 19-17 victory and remain
undefeated at 3-0. (Photo by Donald Gipson)
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BOB JONES REMAINS UNDEFEATED
WITH 19-17 WIN OVER HUNTSVILLE
By Donald Gipson
The Huntsville Crimson Panthers came to play Friday night.
Against a Bob Jones team that had more depth,, more experience and
probably better athletes, the Panthers came within a foot of upsetting
the Patriots.
A foot is about how much a Ryan Hunt, 31-yard field goal attempt missed
by with :05 seconds left in the game.
For a brief moment, the Panthers thought the kick was good a the official
under the opposite goal post from where the kick had just missed almost
raised his hands to signal the kick was good. However, the one person who
had the best vantage point, the official under the right goal post, emphatically
signaled that the kick was wide, and Bob Jones began to celebrate.
Patriot head coach Frank Sadler said, "I'm so proud of the kids." "This
is a big win for us," continued Sadler. "This was my first time since coming
to Bob Jones to come out a winner over Greg (Patterson, Huntsville's coach).
"It's been a while since we've been 3-0," Sadler said. "But I try to
take one game at a time." "Now we have to prepare for Buckhorn."
Patterson, obviously proud of the way his team's efforts, lauded his
Panthers.
"Bob Jones is loaded with talent but I thought we outplayed them."
"They've got the guy that made the difference," Patterson said, in reference
to the Patriot's running back Karll Jackson. Jackson had 177 yards on 12
carries, the most important yardage was a 55-yard touchdown run after Huntsville
had taken a 17-13 lead mid-way thru the final quarter.
Huntsville scored first on a Hunt 40-yard field goal at the 6:39 mark
of the first period.
The Panthers had recovered a Marlon Rice fumble at the Patriot 27.
Seven plays later after the drive stalled, Hunt connected for a 3-point
Huntsville lead.
The Patriot's Corey Glover intercepted a Huntsville pass at the Patriot
37, returning it to the Panther 40.
Following a Bob Jones first down at the Panther 28, Sean Sowles kept
the ball on an option play and was headed for the endzone when he fumbled
the ball.
An alert Josh Blankenship recovered in the endzone for a Patriot touchdown.
Carter's PAT gave Bob Jones a 7-3 lead with :23 seconds left in the first
quarter.
On the ensuing kick-off, Huntsville's Michael Bagale fumbled near his
own endzone. The ball bounced off a couple of players before Corey Glover
fell on the pigskin in the Huntsville endzone for a Bob Jones TD.
Carter's PAT attempt missed but Bob Jones was ahead 13-3 at the end
of one period.
The Panthers got a good runback, setting them up at their own 41. Two
plays later, Clarke Wine took a Steakley hand-off and rambled 28 yards
to the Patriot 19.
On a 3rd&goal from the one, senior fullback Ben Morehead bulled
in for six points. Hunt;'s PAT made the score 13-10 in favor of Bob Jones.
The score stayed that way until halftime.
With 7:50 left in the fourth quarter, Huntsville's Brandon Boyd went
26-yards to give his Panthers the lead again. Hunt's PAT made it 17-13.
Bob Jones struck back quickly.
On the third play following the Huntsville kickoff, Jackson picked
up the go-ahead touchdown for Bob Jones. The senior running back took a
handoff form Sowles, cut left and outran the defense 55-yards into the
Panther endzone. It was what proved to be the winning score.
Patriot coach Frank Sadler decided to go for two on the point after
attempt, but the try failed.
This set up the possible winning field goal by Hunts near the end of
the game.
"We had to go for two," said Sadler when asked about his decision to
try a 2-point conversion attempt. "If we make it, it would force Huntsville
to score a touchdown to win." "It didn't work out that way, but I would
do the same thing again."
Next week Bob Jones will host Buckhorn in the Patriot's homecoming
game. Huntsville will tee it up against Grissom.
Bob Jones remains the only Madison county school undefeated. The Panthers
drop to 2-1.
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EAST WINS, SPARKMAN LOSES;
FACE EACH OTHER NEXT WEEK
By Donald Gipson
The East Limestone Indians dropped West Limestone Friday night, 35-14
while thier next opponent didn't fare as well.
The Sparkman Senators had a tough go of against the Muscle Shoals Trojans,
losing 27-12.
Mistakes once again cost the Senators. Sparkman lst five fumbles and
was intercepted twice.
"We"ve got to work on eliminating our mistakes," said Sparkman coach
Obie Childers. "You can't make that many mistakes against a good Muscle
Shoals team and expect to win."
Down 13-6 at the half, Sparkman took the kick off in the third quarter
and went 55-yards in nine plays to get to 13-12. A two-point conversion
failed. That was as close as the Senators got.
The third quarter TD came on an eight yard run by Jeff Farrior.
Late in the second period Sparkman's Troy Brown blocked a Trojan punt.
Teammate Robbie Sacco picked up the loose ball at the Muscle Shoals 12
and carried it into the Trojan end zone for a TD. The PAT was blocked.
The East Limestone Indians hosted West Limestone after starting the
'97 season with two losses on the road.
East Limesone's Marlon Bush was too much for the West Limestone defense.
Bush scored on runs of 2-yards and 60-yrads. The formidable Indian also
caught a 10-yard TD pass from Brian Looney.
Looney and Shawn Andrews also scored for East Limestone.
Sparkman will travel to East Limestone this Friday. Kick-off is scheduled
for 7 pm.
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