"Gip's Piks"
By Donald Gipson
I had a bit more fun last week. Seven and 4 with a couple of
close picks on scores.
Two area teams, Bob Jones in 6A and Athens in 5A, remain undefeated.
East Limestone took it on the chin last week in overtime 33-30 to West
Morgan.
In a game I really felt like the Huntsville Crimson Panthers would
win, Fort Payne eaked out a 22-15 victory.
There's a couple of homecoming games on this week's slate and some
interesting area match-ups as well.
The regular season is half-over. The crunch part of the schedule is
facing most teams.
Let's get started with Week 6.
BOB JONES @ BREWER
Patriot against Patriot, in a battle across the river.
Brewer is 2-3 while Bob Jones is 5-0.
I don't think Bob Jones has peaked yet, and that's a good thing. Being
undefeated at the half-way mark is a milestone for the Patriots of
Bob Jones.
It may not be a pretty sight Friday night if you're a Brewer Patriot
Bob Jones should, no, they will go to 6-0 with a convincing win over
Brewer.
Personally, the Bob Jones football team should be ranked in the Top
Ten. Maybe they'll break thru this week.
Bob Jones - 45, Brewer - 7
LAWRENCE CO. @ SPARKMAN
I haven't kept up with Lawrence Co. very well in '97. They usually have
a solid football team.
Sparkman will still be smoldering from the Athens Golden Eagles 55-6
spanking.
Look for the Senators to make their homecoming crowd happy.
Also the Senators, hopefully, will have Jamil Wallace back this week.
Lawrence Co. - 13, Sparkman - 24
EAST LIMESTONE @ ARDMORE
The Indians lost a heartbreaker to West Morgan in overtime 33-30,
Ardmore is having problems finding a way to win.
This is an area game, a Limestone County game and the Indians will
be Tiger hunting.
East Limestone - 35, Ardmore - 7
BUTLER vs GRISSOM
(At Milton Frank)
Is this a big game or what?
Homecoming for the Rebels and an area game for both teams. With both
teams having one area loss, another would be disasterious.
The Tigers have the potential to be a really good football team, -
next year.
However, the Rebels will struggle.
Lean toward the Tigers.
Butler - 14, Grissom - 32
HUNTSVILLE vs JOHNSON
(At Joe Davis)
The ripple effect from this game willbe felt throughout the city of
Huntsville.
The Panthers have played better than most so-called experts thought
they would.
Johnson hasn't lived up to pre-season expectations.
This will be a winner-take-all game in terms of city bragging rights
and a big area game.
The team that makes the fewest mistakes will probably hang on to win.
Huntsville - 17, Johnson - 27
"Gip's Quick Piks"
Buckhorn stuns Albertville, 24-21
Lee dumps Hazel Green, 28-14
MCHS over Section, 21-7
New Hope upsets Danville, 13-7
Athens downs Austin, 35-14
PATRIOTS RACK UP NO. 5,
TAMING THE TIGERS 35-13
By Donald Gipson
MILTON FRANK STADIUM - The outcome of the game played Friday night at
Milton Frank Stadium was never really in doubt.
The undefaeted Bob Jones Patriots, (5-0), raced to a 21-0 halftime
advantage en route to a 35-13 win over the Grissom Tigers. Bob Jones' victory
spoiled Grissom's homecoming on a night made for football and festivities.
Last season, Bob Jones won eight games, a record for the rapidly growing
school located in Madison. This year, prospects loom even brighter as the
Patriots have their first area win under their belts.
"I'm glad to get that first area win," said Bob Jones coach Frank Sadler.
""We're feeding off the emotions of these victories and," Sadler continued,
" I hope we're getting better." "I'll take 5-0 and be happy."
The Patriots scored on their first possession of the game.
A short punt off the side of the Grissom punters foot gave the Patriots
great field position at their own 48.
Two first downs later, Grissom was called ofr pass interference, setting
Bob Jones up at the Tiger 4.
Shaun Bush, playing fullback, supposedly to block for Karll Jackson,
got the call on a 2nd.&Goal at the Tiger 4.
Bush bulled his way into the endzone for his first ever touchdown with
3:54 left in the initial period. Carter's PAT made it 7-0 for Bob Jones.
The stalwart defensive linebacker was all smiles on the sideline as
his teammates congratulated him. But Bush wasn't through for the evening.
With 6:27 remaining in the first half, Bush picked off a Sam Dunlap
pass and rambled 65 yards untouched into the Grissom endzone.
Bush hurled himself across the goal line at the end of his run and
was hit with an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty.
The Patriot linebacker told me on the sidelines that he thought someone
was about to tackle him. "I didn't want to look back, I just wanted to
score," Bush said.
Sandwiched in between Bush's two scores was 2-yard TD run by Patriot
QB Sean Sowles. The PAT was wide right, giving Bob Jones a 13-0 lead.
After the Bush interception for a TD, the Patriots went for two. Sowles
hit Marlon Rice, who was unnoticed to the right, making the score 21-0
in favor of Bob Jones.
The Patriots had an opportunity to widen their lead just before the
half. Time ran out with the Patriots trying to get a play off at the one-foot
line.
Karll Jackson got his first TD of the night on a 1-yard run with 4:02
left in the third. Brandon Carter split the uprights on the PAT, stretching
the Patriot lead to 28-0.
Grissom scored twice in the fourth quarter, capitalizing on two Bob
Jones fumbles, cutting the Patriot lead to 28-13. But that was as close
as the Tigers as they would get.
Jackson raced 48-yards with a little over three minutes remaining for
his second TD. Carter hit the point after making the score 35-13.
Bob Jones had 12 first downs and rushed for 178 yards on 34 carries.
Sowles was 5 of 13 for 139 yards with no interceptions.
The Patriots travel across the Tennessee River this Friday to take
on the Brewer Patriots.
Grissom plays Butler at Milton Frank Stadium. It is the Rebels homecoming.
SPARKMAN CLAWED BY EAGLES 55-6;
INDIANS FALL IN OVERTIME 33-30
By Donald Gipson
SPARKMAN-ATHENS
Athens, (5-0), remained undefeated as they trounced the Senators 55-6
at Toney.
Sparkman, even though they rushed for over 200 yards against one of
the best teams in the state, couldn't score. The Senator's lone touchdown
came with 1:33 remaining in the game on a 15-yard run by LeRay Davis. The
PAT was missed.
"They beat us in every phase of the game, - running, passing and kicking,"
said Sparkman coach Obie Childers. Childers added, "they are the best team
we've played this year."
This Friday, Sparkman hosts Lawrence County.
The Senators got some good news this week. Jamil Wallace, the county's
leading rusher last season, should be suited back up and raring to go.
EAST LIMESTONE-WEST MORGAN
After falling behind 24-0 at half time, and trailing 24-6 going into
the fourth quarter, the East Limestone Indians came clawing back.
East scored three touchdowns in the fourth to force the game into overtime.
"I am so proud of how these guys came back," said Indian coach Phil
Cavnar. "They could have given up but they really showed a lot of class."
In the overtime, East scored on a field goal by Patrick Vining after
the Indian's offense stalled at the 4.
The lead was short-lived. West drove to the Indian one where Tovaris
Burk went into the endzone for the winning touchdown.
East falls to 1-4 with a trip to Ardmore set for this Friday.
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SPORTS BRIEFS
ORANGE SALE UNDERWAY
The annual Holiday Orange Sale sponsored by the Bob Jones Athletic Department
is underway.
Deadline for placing an order is Friday, Oct. 31st. Orders will be
delivered December 4th.
Prices this year is $13 for a box of oranges or grapefruits and $18
for the Fancy Gift Pack filled with oranges, grapefruits and apples.
Bobby Jackson, athletic director, urges everyone to place an order
with any member of any sport at Bob Jones.
"The proceeds from this sale will benefit every sport in our school."
said Jackson.
SOFTBALL CLINIC
Four-time All-American, Lisa Fernandez, will be in Madison, Oct 17-19
for a softball clinic sponsored by Coach Les Studerman and her UAH Lady
Chargers.
Fernandez, former UCLA star, led the nation her senior year in hitting
and the ERA category.
Registration fee for the 3-day clinic is $150. If interested, please
call the UAH Athletic Department at 890-6144.
The clinic will be conducted at the Intergraph softball complex just
off I-565 at Madison.
UAH FALL SOFTBALL TOURNEY
AT BOB JONES FEATURES 4 TEAMS
The UAH Lady Chargers will host a 4-team, fast-pitch softball tournament
at Bob Jones High School on Saturday, Oct. 25th.
Featured in this one-day tournament will be UAH, Auburn, Athens and
Jacksonville with games starting at 9 am.
Watch next week's Madison County Record for details.
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