Devils all alone at top of region standings
Published 12:52 am Saturday, October 12, 2013
Leaping grab: Maplesville’s Stevonta Bradley (2) leaves his feet to come down with a catch between two Autaugaville defenders on Friday.
By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
With a community behind them and alumni filling the stands, the Maplesville Red Devils faced off on Friday night against the Autaugaville Eagles for homecoming–but maybe more importantly for the Red Devils, the match-up was also for first place in Class 1A, Region 3.
With the offense firing on all cylinders and the defense giving the Eagles a tough time all night, the Red Devils cruised to a 51-25 victory and a fourth straight region title.
The Red Devils (7-0 overall, 5-0 region) scored at will in the first half, scoring on six of their seven first half possessions.
Kendall Greene (third from left) was crowned Maplesville’s homecoming queen. Her court included: Jayden Coats, seventh grade princess; Kellie Nicholas, eighth grade princess; Megan Weaver, freshman princess; Breanna Weaver, sophomore princess; and Rebekah Abbott, junior princess.
Damian Mitchell scored the first two Red Devil touchdowns with runs of five and eight yards. The Eagles (5-2, 4-1) answered on their second possession with a Juwan Howard 11-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-6 late in the first quarter.
Mitchell found the end zone again on the next Red Devil possession, this time from 13 yards out, to put the Red Devils up 21-6.
After a Stevonta Bradley fumble recovery, the Maplesville offense set up at the Eagles’ 22, and four plays later Jerry Nix found the end zone from five yards out to put the Devils up 28-6.
The Red Devils added two more touchdowns in the first half on another Mitchell touchdown and a 55-yard strike from Colby Chambers to Kendarius Bradley.
The Red Devils went into the locker room up 42-12.
Chambers added a 26-yard field goal late in the third quarter to make the score 45-12.
Howard struck again with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Stefan Palmer for the Eagles midway through the third quarter, but the Red Devils struck right back on a Cole Spencer-to-Trey Mixon touchdown pass. A Davonte Wells scoop-and-score from the Eagles’ 37 added one more late score for the Eagles, but it was too little, too late.
“Our kids played well, but they are disappointed in the mistakes we made,” said Maplesville coach Brent Hubbert. “We won, but we never like making mistakes.”
Mitchell led the way for the Red Devils with 169 yards on 17 carries. Chambers added 100 yards on 13 carries and passed 13 times with five completions for 145 yards and a touchdown.
