Calhoun County, AL – Munford gets players back, rallies in second half to beat Ashville in final regular-season game; PV rallies to edge Weaver
THURSDAY SCORES
Munford 24, Ashville 9
Pleasant Valley 28, Weaver 22
STATEWIDE SCORES
Autaugaville 70, Central-Coosa 20
Bessemer Academy 34, Cornerstone 8
Brooks 28, Lauderdale County 7
Center Point at Leeds, canceled
Central-Florence 49, Ardmore 41
Chipley (Fla.) 28, Excel 12
Colbert Heights 20, Decatur Heritage 13
Collinsville 27, Valley Head 22
Cordova 41, Carver-Birmingham 18
Corner 36, Hayden 14
Cottage Hill 36, St. Luke’s 15
Dothan 41, Jeff Davis 12
East Limestone 45, Mae Jemison 6
Falkville 30, Winston County 20
Foley 28, Jackson-Olin 12
Gordo 39, Hale County 0
Gulf Shores 56, B.C. Rain 27
Hackleburg 50, Cherokee 8
Headland 53, Cottonwood 26
Hueytown 35, Gardendale 21
Jackson 44, Davidson 14
Leroy 56, Washington County 6
McAdory 30, Calera 9
Montevallo 21, Tarrant 14
Morgan Academy 30, Pickens Academy 0
Mortimer Jordan 35, Fultondale 0
Mountain Brook 41, Baker 7
Munford 24, Ashville 9
Muscle Shoals 31, Sparkman 21
Oak Grove 47, Carbon Hill 18
Opp 20, Ashford 6
Orange Beach 31, Fruitdale 16
Pell City 70, Springville 40
Pickens County 51, Marion County 21
Pike Liberal Arts 50, Calhoun 6
Pleasant Valley 28, Weaver 22
Russell County 33, Greenville 13
Slocomb 48, Geneva County 8
Southside-Selma 56, Dallas County 36
Spain Park 35, Pelham 14
Stanhope Elmore 21, Minor 7
Straughn 19, Providence Chr. 7
Thomasville 31, Clarke County 6
Vestavia Hills 44, Helena 24
Winfield 47, Lamar County 14
Woodlawn 31, Shelby County 7
By Brant Locklier
They are breathing a little easier in Munford after Thursday’s regular-season-ending 24-9 win over Ashville. The Lions finished last week’s game against Handley with 70 percent of their season total in offense injuries, but they’re starting to get them back.
Tennessee commit quarterback Sylvester Smith (1,750 yards of total offense) and running back Tank Edmundson (687 yards) made their return to the lineup and the Munford offense was rolling again.
Smith had a huge night rushing for 200 yards, passing for 76 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Edmundson had 28 yards on five carries. Riley Brown added 105 yards on seven carries. Smith now has 2,036 total yards.
“Getting Tank back out there was a good boost for the offense and he was able to take some of the load off Sylvester and Riley tonight,” Lions coach Michael Easley said.
It was a strange game in the sense that Ashville ran the same running play 41 times and did not attempt a pass until late in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs lined up their offensive line with shoulders almost touching each other and then led with two running backs as blockers and ran the ball straight up the middle. The 41 plays only netted 143 yards.
They were successful in keeping the ball away from Munford in the first half as the Lions only had 18 offensive plays. The Bulldogs would grind out first down after first down by the narrowest of margins.
This strategy worked as they put together two long drives that enabled them to take a 9-7 halftime lead. The Lions had several long runs by Smith called back on holding penalties. Smith had runs of 78, 38 and 10 called back to penalties after scoring on their opening drive.
The Lions ended up with nine holding penalties for the game and 105 yards in penalties. These penalties kept the game close, but Smith got the ball in the end zone on touchdown runs of 68 and 22 yards.
“We struggled with penalties tonight and that has to improve before next week,” Easley said. “We didn’t play as well as we wanted to tonight, but Ashville had a lot to do with that. They had a great game plan and their kids played extremely hard.”
In the second half, with no threat of a pass, the Lions piled everyone on defense within three yards of the line of scrimmage and held the Bulldogs to just 36 yards rushing.
Ashville (2-8) controlled the ball for 10 minutes in the second quarter and only scored three points — a William Simpson field goal in the final minute.
“I’m proud of my guys for regrouping at halftime and taking control of the game in the second half, particularly the defense,” Easley said. “Javion White and Devin Elder made some big plays for us on that side of the ball. The entire defense just really stepped up their play in the second half.”
It was a real busy day for some of the Lions. Kicker Dakota Frank returned after winning a sectional cross country race earlier in the day and nailed three extra points and a 36-yard field goal.
The Lions (6-4) will face American Christian Academy (8-2) next Friday night in Tuscaloosa in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs. That winner will face either Andalusia or Jackson. Ashville’s 2022 season ended as it did not make the playoffs.
Munford 24, Ashville 9
| ASH (9) | MUN (24) | |
| 9 | 1st Downs | 12 |
| 42-141 | Rushes-yds | 30-324 |
| 0-5-0 | Passing (C-A-I) | 4-6-0 |
| 0 | Passing yds | 86 |
| 3-31.6 | Punts-avg | 2-34.0 |
| Ashville (2-8) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 – | 9 |
| Munford (6-4) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 – | 24 |
M – Sylvester Smith 2 run (Dakota Frank kick), 9:10 1Q
A – Jalen Williams 3 run (kick blocked), 5:17 1Q
A – William Simpson 25 FG, 0:41 2Q
M – Sylvester Smith 68 run (Dakota Frank kick), 11:44 3Q
M – Sylvester Smith 22 run (Dakota Frank kick) 11:16 4Q
M – Dakota Frank 36 FG, 7:14 4Q
