A dominant Maplesville defense picked up the slack for a sluggish offense in Friday’s 47-0 win over McIntosh.

The first-round playoff win earns the second-ranked Red Devils (11-0) the right to host Geneva County, which defeated Notasulga on Friday by a 24-8 score, for a second-round contest.

Maplesville led 20-0 at halftime of Friday’s game despite holding a slight 4-3 edge over the visitors in number of first downs.

The Red Devils used long pass plays to receiver Anthony Johnson to build an advantage. Quarterback Colby Chambers completed two passes to Johnson in the first half—the first advanced the football to the 6-yard line and set up a Cameron Morrow touchdown run, and the other was a 47-yard touchdown play.

Maplesville’s first score was a 9-yard run by Morrow, aided by Brett Walker blowing up a McIntosh running play and causing a fumble that the Devils recovered.

Both teams went scoreless in the third quarter, but the period ended with Maplesville’s offense finding its rhythm and gashing the Demons with runs. The drive ended with a 7-yard run by Damian Mitchell with 11:44 on the clock.

McIntosh couldn’t manage a first down in the second half until a fake punt on fourth down and three yards to go with 2:41 remaining in the game.

In the meantime, Maplesville pulled away with a 2-yard scoring run by Demitrius Parker, a 15-yard run by Damian Mitchell and a recovered fumble in the McIntosh end zone for a touchdown by Forrest Stewart.

Brandon Morrow connected on five of the six point-after tries he got in the air. The snap was mishandled on one attempt.

Brintain Hill was Maplesville’s leading rusher with 69 yards on 12 carries.

Johnson finished with 102 yards on three catches.