Alexandria, AL – Despite a week of challenges, Alexandria Downs Munford to finish the regular season 7-3 a year after going 1-9. Playoff battle with North Jackson next.
This week’s area scoreboard
THURSDAY, Oct. 31
Alexandria 28, Munford 21
FRIDAY, Nov. 1
Jacksonville at Anniston
White Plains at Cleburne County
Cedar Bluff at Donoho
Piedmont at Glencoe
Randolph County at Hokes Bluff
Jacksonville Christian vs. Russell (Miss.) at Tuscaloosa
Etowah at Lincoln
Oxford at Florence
Ranburne at Spring Garden
Locust Fork at Saks
Pell City at Southside
J.B. Pennington at Weaver
Westbrook Christian at Wellborn
Woodland at Horseshoe Bend
Open: Central-Clay, Cherokee County, Handley, Ohatchee, Pleasant Valley, Talladega, Wadley.
By Joe Medley
The way Todd Ginn sees it, that whole 1-9 thing from 2023? That was two whole seasons ago.
That’s because the Valley Cubs just finished the 2024 regular season with a 28-21 victory over Munford on Thursday. The new season starts with next week’s playoff opener at North Jackson.
The playoff restart is situation normal for Alexandria football, and the Valley Cubs have restored their norm.
“People talk about ‘Death Valley,’ and it’s starting to come back,” Alexandria’s seventh-year head coach said. “We’re starting to get that name back.
“We’re no longer the 1-9. Forget that garbage. Let’s just talk about going forward.”
Alexandria bagged its sixth win in seven games. They did it on a Thursday night, Halloween, on a week that saw the school’s volleyball team finish as state runner up.
Trips to Birmingham to watch the volleyball team on Tuesday and Wednesday messed with the Valley Cubs’ practice schedule.
With that and senior night as the backdrop, Alexandria closed out the regular season with a non-region game.
“I thought we were not focused this week,” Ginn said. “They handled it pretty well, but we lost focus yesterday, and I challenged them.
“At the end of the day, a win is a win.”
J.J. Beason led the Valley Cubs with 130 yards rushing at two touchdowns, including the 3-yard touchdown run that put Alexandria up 28-14 in the fourth quarter.
He also had a 9-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Ryan Brown added 66 yards rushing, and Alexandria got a 22-yard touchdown run from M.J. Morris and quarterback Cole Wheeler’s 2-yard keeper for a touchdown.
Munford made it challenging for the playoff-bound Valley Cubs. Tank Edmondson rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown, including his 7-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 in the third quarter.
Munford recovered an onsides kick after Edmondson’s score, and Alexandria regained footing with touchdown runs from Beason and Morris to make it 21-7.
Edmondson caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Braydon Nichols to close the final margin.
Munford finished 2-8 in a season beset by significant injuries but played one of its best games in the final game.
“Our young kids have grown up,” Mumford coach Michael Easley said. “We’ve had to play a bunch of young guys this year. We’ve had to play 10 different players on the offensive line this year, and six of them are sophomores.
“Our lack of experience combined with a really brutal region gave us some fits earlier in the year, but we’ve played our best ball from Week 7 on.”
