Top Dawgs

October 23, 2021  
By East Alabama Sports Today  

Anniston wins first region title in 10 years with highest scoring game in White’s’ tenure, Jacksonville claims third

FRIDAY’S 4A REGON 4 SCORES
Anniston 62, Cleburne County 26
Handley 43, White Plains 14
Jacksonville 44, Cherokee County 21

HEFLIN – The last thing the Anniston Bulldogs needed was a letdown. They put themselves in this position to win a region championship with a huge victory last week, but they still had some work to do to not leave it hanging.

The Bulldogs sealed the deal in a big way Friday night. Getting career nights from quarterback Kam Sandlin and receiver Antonio Kite, they overran Cleburne County in their regular-season finale 62-26.

It was the most points the Bulldogs scored in a game in coach Rico White’s four-year tenure, the most they’d score since putting 67 on Locust Fork in 2011 and, more importantly, officially clinched their first region title since 2011.

They finished region play tied with Handley, but hold the tiebreaker by virtue of their one-point victory over the Tigers last week.

“The biggest thing is we just wanted to finish the season strong,” White said. “This is what we’ve been talking about since Day One, even getting the job, about building a program where Anniston will be a team that you can’t overlook and you’ve got to play us tough.

“It’s not so much about revenge. It’s about us doing things to build a program that you can be proud of and Anniston, the city, can be proud of.”

The Bulldogs (7-2, 5-1) jumped on the Tigers early and often. They scored two touchdowns before their hosts even took an offensive snap. 

Sandlin threw for 211 yards in the first quarter and finished with 382 yards and five touchdowns in the game on 17-of-21 passing. Kite caught six balls for 230 yards and three scores, including one that went for 96 yards, and also had an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

“The first goal every year is to get in the playoffs, the second goal is to win a state championship,” White said. “We completed the first goal – getting in – our next goal is try to win it.”

The victory and championship celebration comes while questions continue to dog the Dawgs over player eligibility relating to the school’s use of the state’s Dragonfly reporting software. White says his program has faced questions throughout his tenure and this year several opponents have raised the alarm

Team officials have been to Montgomery to answer questions. AHSAA officials have been to Anniston to ask. White said he’s heard “all kinds of things” that might happen as a result of the inquiries, including the forfeiture of some games.

All he knows is as of today the Bulldogs are in the playoffs and they’re their No. 1 seed in the region.

“We won our last four games we needed to win to get in the playoffs, that’s our ultimate goal,” he said. “It’s out of hands. You’re at someone else’s mercy.

“We try to run a Grade A program and do things the right way. If the Good Lord sees fit to take it, so be it, but I know we’re in the playoffs right now, so we’re good.”

Jacksonville 44, Cherokee Co. 21

JACKSONVILLE – The Golden Eagles scored four touchdowns in a seven-minute stretch of the third quarter to pull away from a close game and clinch the third playoff spot out of the region.

The Golden Eagles (5-4, 4-2) held a 16-7 halftime lead before their eruption. Quarterback Jim Ogle alternated touchdown passes to Joseph Pridgen and Jacoby Zackery with two of Taj Morris’ three touchdown runs in the game during the breakaway stretch. 

The Warriors (6-3, 4-2) finally stopped the spree when Damien Ramsey scored on a 2-yard run with 53 seconds left in the quarter. Cade Hopper and Lamycal Mitchell scored Cherokee County’s other touchdowns in the game.

Ogle completed 13 of 21 passes in the game for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Morris rushed for 165 yards on 16 carries. Zackery caught four passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Xay Turner led the Jacksonville defense with nine tackles, including three for loss. Tito Canales had five tackles, three of loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

The result of the game left two teams tied for the final two playoff spots in the region standings, but the game served as the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving the edge to Jacksonville.

Jacksonville 44, Cherokee County 21

J – Jacoby Zackery 31 pass from Jim Ogle (kick failed), 10:29 1Q
J – Taj Morris 19 run (Mason Terrell kick), 10:38 2Q
C – Cade Hopper 2 run (Daniel Mejia kick), 7:51 2Q
J – Mason Terrell 24 FG, 6:09 2Q
J – Taj Morris 49 run (Mason Terrell kick), 9:53 3Q
J – Joseph Pridgen 40 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 7:47 3Q
J – Taj Morris 17 run (Mason Terrell kick), 6:16 3Q
J – Jacoby Zackery 20 pass from Jim Ogle (Mason Terrell kick), 3:07 3Q
C – Damien Ramsey 2 run (Daniel Mejia kick), 0:53 3Q
C – Lamycal Mitchell 3 run (Daniel Mejia kick), 5:10 4Q

Handley 43, White Plains 14

ROANOKE — Tae Meadows rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns as coach Larry Strain’s team bounced back from last week’s one-point loss to Anniston to beat his former team and secure the No. 2 seed from the region.

Meadows led the Tigers’ 331-yard rushing attack with scoring runs of 14, 67 and 33 yards. Quadae Lewis caught a touchdown pass from each of the Tigers’ quarterbacks, Ty Fetner and Cannon Kyles.

Meadows opened the scoring with a 14-yard run and two-point conversion. The Wildcats answered back with Dylan Barksdale returning the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, then Handley scored the next five touchdowns to pull away.

Walker Osteen scored White Plains’ other touchdown on a 38-yard pass from Hayden Howard. Howard completed 5-of-8 passes for 77 yards. Osteen was the Wildcats’ leading rusher with 62 yards on 16 carries. 

Strain coached the Wildcats in 2014. Chris White, his current defensive coordinator, coached them the four years immediately after Strain left for Handley.

Handley 43, White Plains 14

H – Tae Meadows 14 run (Tae Meadows run), 9:37 1Q
WP – Dylan Barksdale 89 kickoff return (Dylan Barksdale kick), 9:29 1Q
H – Quadae Lewis 15 pass from Ty Fetner (Davey Towers kick), 4:38 1Q
H – Tae Meadows 67 run (Davey Towers kick), 11:04 2Q
H – Quadae Lewis 21 pass from Cannon Kyles (Davey Towers kick), 2:43 2Q
H – Maurice Cameron 60 punt return (Davey Towers kick), 0:15 2Q
H – Tae Meadows 33 run (Davey Towers kick), 8:14 3Q
WP – Walker Osteen 38 pass from Hayden Howard (Hayden Howard kick), 5:59 3Q