"Gip's Piks"
By Donald Gipson
Whew! It sure is a good thing I do this column for fun. If I
wasn't, last week's picks would have me crying in my beer. If I drank beer
that is.
The fourth week of area high school football action saw me go down
in a wimpering heap of miscalculations. I'm glad THE RECORD had to
cut some of this last week's column.
But I'm going to 'fess-up'>
After an impressive three week total of 23 and 7, the tally at
the end of four weeks stands at 26-13.
Yes, your math is correct. Last week I got only 3 right while missing
6.
I hope this week is better.
BOB JONES vs GRISSOM
The Bob Jones offense still hasn't hit all on cylinders, YET. Their
defense has improved and will continue to do so. Hey, can't argue to much
with a 4-0 start. The Patriots are the only unbeaten team in Madison County
and that includes the City of Huntsville teams.
This Friday the Patriots take their road show into Milton Frank Stadium
to do battle with the Grissom Tigers.
The Tigers are reeling. 1-3 after last week's 28-0 drubbing by Huntsville.
Grissom is having its worst start in years. By the way, that was Huntsville's
12th win in 13 games played between the two city neighbors.
Grissom will play hard against Bob Jones, but it won't help.
Bob Jones - 45, Grissom - 13
SPARKMAN @ ATHENS
Sparkman is 2-2 after beating East Limestone 21-7 last week. That's
the good news. Well, that's not all the good news. The Senators defense
is playing well and the two young running backs picked up the offense in
the absence of premier tailback Jamil Wallace. Wallace is out with a knee
injury but is expected back in possibley three weeks.
Meanwhile, the bad news.
Athens is 4-0. The game is at Athens. It's an area contest and the
Golden Eagles have their best team in years.
Sparkman coach Obie Childers won't let his team be intimidated. Athens
will know they've been in a football game.
But Athens is just too tough. They have too many weapons.
Sparkman - 7, Athens - 33
EAST LIMESTONE vs WEST MORGAN
In the locker room following the Indians 21-7 loss to Sparkman, East
Limestone coach Phil Cavner told his team only one thing. "I'll have you
ready next week."
Cavner took the blame for the defeat.
East Limestone begins it's area schedule this week with the West Morgan
game. It's a big game.
West Morgan has a good team. It is also homecoming for East Limestone.
I believe in Cavner's statement. East will be ready.
East Limestone - 21, West Morgan - 12
BUTLER @ DECATUR
The Rebels are sky-high after shutting out the Lee Generals. Decatur
lost to Bradshaw.
Butler gets a win on the road.
Butler - 28, Decatur - 7
BUCKHORN @ CULLMAN
This is an interesting match-up.
Cullman is 1-3. The Bucks 2-2. A win by either squad will give them
a leg-up in the area.
I'm going with Buckhorn because of a great backfield. May be a high-scoring
affair.
Buckhorn - 28, Cullman - 24
HAZEL GREEN vs JOHNSON
The Jaguars will take out the frustrations of a two-week losing streak
on the road.
Hazel Green - 0, Johnson - 52
MCHS @ GUNTERSVILLE
My hat is off to the Tigers. They went to Pisgah last week and
came back with a huge win.
MCHS shut out the Eagles. This week's opponent is Guntersville. What
you can say about Guntersville's football program that hasn't already been
said.
The Tigers won't go down with out a fight.
MCHS - 13, Guntersville - 27
HUNTSVILLE vs FORT PAYNE
Don't doubt it folks. The Panthers are for real. 3-1 with their lone
loss to undefeated Bob Jones. Greg Patterson has taken a team that many
thought would be fortunate to break even and has them in the hunt for a
city crown and a possible spot in the playoffs.
Fort Payne always has a representative team, even though they may be
down a little this season.
Huntsville - 27, Ft. Payne - 14
GIP's QUICK PIKS:
New Hope over Susan Moore, 14-10
Lee downs Bradshaw, 28-7
Donoho defeats Madison Academy 42-7
- 30 -
PATRIOTS REMAIN UNDEFEATED
WITH 31-14 WIN OVER BUCKHORN
By Donald Gipson
For 8:48 seconds it looked as though the Bob Jones offense could not
be stopped.
The Patriots had a 17-0 lead and emotions on the Bob Jones sideline
were sky-high.
Buckhorn had not even been able to cross midfield into Patriot territory.
That soon changed.
Buckhorn took the ensuing kickoff at it's own 19 returning it to their
own 43.
La'Berrick Williams picked up 23-yards and a first down at the Bob
Jones 34. A face mask penalty against Bob Jones took the ball down to the
12.
Seven plays and an unsportsmanlike conduct call against the Patriots,
Buckhorn scored on a one-yard run by Williams. Corey Johnson's PAT cut
the Bob Jones lead to17-7 with :33 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Patriots appeared to be getting that touchdown back, but a fumble
by Marcus Orr gave the ball back to Buckhorn at the Buck's 13-yard line.
Eight plays later, Buckhorn had driven 87-yards and another TD. Williams
this time scored from the 19. Johnson's PAT was good and the score was
Bob Jones-17, Buckhorn-14.
The score stayed that way until the fourth quarter.
"I thought we came out at first and did what we wanted to do," said
Bob Jones coach Frank Sadler following his team's win. "But then we slowed
down. We lost focus on the game. I think it was the worst game we've played
all season, but we won and I won't complain too much."
Buckhorn coach Steve Mask gave his team credit for coming back. "We
dug us a hole early," said Mask, but our guys came back and made a game
of it against a good football team."
After both teams failed to score in the third period, Bob Jones quarterback
Sean Sowles punched it in from the one to give the Patriots a little breathing
room. Carter's PAT made it 24-14.
Bob Jones scored again late in the game for the final 31-14 advantage.
In the first quarter, the Patriot's initial touchdown came on an electrifying
double-reverse, 50-yard TD pass from flanker Josh Blankenship to wide receiver
Marlon Rice. The play was set up when Sowles handed off to running back
Karll Jackson who in turn handed off to Blankenship. Rice was streaking,
down the right side of the field. Blankenship hit Rice in stride and the
fleet, wide receiver went untouched into the Buckhorn endzone.
Less than three minutes later, the Patriots struck again. Danny
Atkinson recovered a Buckhorn fumble at the Buck 23. Jarvis Noel was dropped
for an 11-yard loss setting up a 2nd & 21 at the 34.
After an incomplete pass, Karll Jackson took a pitchout from Sowles
and out raced the Buckhorn defense into the endzone for six points. Carter's
PAT was again good and gave Bob Jones a 14-0 lead,
Dennis Euting gave the Patriots another scoring opportunity with an
interception at mid field. Euting took the ball back to the Buckhorn 14.
Buckhorn's defense stiffened for the first time in the game, stopping
the Patriots, forcing a 30-yard field goal attempt by Brandon Carter. The
attempt was good, making the score 17-0 with 3:52 remaining in the first
period.
Jackson had 96-yards on 15 carries for Bob Jones with one TD.
Williams had two touchdowns on 15 carries and 96 yards for Buckhorn.
The Patriots (4-0) travel into Huntsville next Friday to take on Grissom
(1-3) at Milton Frank Stadium.
Buckhorn (2-2) goes to Cullman (1-3) for an important area contest.
- 30 -
SENATORS EVEN SCORE,
INDIANS FALL 21-7
By Donald Gipson
The Sparkman Senators used 21 first half points to even the score at
one each in their renewed rivalry with the East Limestone Indians.
Sparkman, on the road at the Indian's field just across the county
line, defeated East Limestone 21-7.
A 65-yard punt return by Sparkman's LeRay Davis put the Senators up
early, midway thru the first period. Wyatt Carpenter added the PAT to give
Sparkman a 7-0 lead at the end of one.
The Senators scored twice more in the second quarter,both coming after
Indian turnovers.
Jeff Farrior, Senator running back, picked up thr first of his two
TDs on a five yard scamper following a blocked punt by teammate Gary Harrell.
Carpenters PAT made it 14-0 in favor of the Senators.
A few minutes later, the Indians fumbled deep in their own territory.
Sparkman recovered setting up Ferrior's second TD. Carpenter successfully
kicked his third PAT giving the Senators a commanding 21-0 advantage.
"Our kicking game and turnovers just killed us," said a disappointed
Phil Cavnar as he headed toward his Indian's lockerroom. "I thought we
outplayed them in the second half but we couldn't get out of the hole we
dug in the first half."
Cavnar took the blame for the Indians loss. In the locker room as his
team listened solumly, Cavnar told them one thing, "I'll have you ready
next week!"
Sparkman coach Obie Childers, with just a hint of a smile on his face,
praised his Senators effort. "Our offensive and defensive lines controlled
the game," Childers stated. Childers added, "turnovers created by our defense
played a huge part in this game, especially in the first half."
Another important factor for Sparkman was how it's offense played without
it's stellar running back, Jamil Wallace. Wallace, out with a knee injury,
was last season's leading ground gainer in Madison County and is a major
college prospect.
Sparkman got a much need lift from running back, Jeff Farrior. Ferrior's
two touchdowns and consistent rushing was a plus for the Senators. "Jeff
(ferrior) was sick, but he really came through for us," said Childers.
Both Sparkman and East Limestone begin the important area phase of
their season's next week.
The Senators (2-2) take on Athens (4-0) while East Limestone (1-3)
hosts West Morgan.
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