Leroy downs Maplesville in second round
Published 9:58 pm Friday, November 11, 2022
Maplesville High School’s Payton Cook makes a cut on a Leroy High School defender. (BRANDON SUMRALL | SPECIAL)
The Red Devil’s defensive unit makes a tackle on a Leroy ball carrier. (BRANDON SUMRALL | SPECIAL)
Coleman Gill rumbles through Leroy tacklers for extra yards. (BRANDON SUMRALL | SPECIAL)
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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer
Maplesville High School met Leroy High School in the second round of the AHSAA Class 1A state playoffs as the lone remaining Chilton County program still playing football. Leroy prevailed 33-8 to advance to the quarterfinals. Maplesville was led by Jakavion Jackson with 75 yards rushing on 14 carries and one touchdown.
“Their defensive line was very athletic and very big,” Maplesville coach Brad Abbott said. “It was hard to sustain drives against them because their line was so good tonight.”
Leroy led 13-0 after the first quarter, and added another touchdown in the second quarter to take a commanding 20-0 lead. Jackson punched in a 14-yard touchdown run and the two-point conversion run to cut the Bears lead to 20-8 going into halftime. Coleman Gill contributed in the Red Devil’s backfield as well running for 43 yards on 11 carries.
“The resiliency and leadership this senior group showed was great, and they were a really fun bunch to coach,” Abbott said.
Leroy extended its lead to 27-8 with an eight-yard touchdown run with five minutes left in the third quarter. Another rushing touchdown just before the end of the third quarter brought the game to tis final score. Leroy outgained Maplesville 338-172 in total offense behind a potent running game that produced five rushing touchdowns and 324 yards.
Maplesville quarterback Troy McMillian went 9-for-19 passing, and Evan Harrison caught five passes and Payton Cook caught three. Cook led the Maplesville defense with 7.5 tackles, and the defense forced a fumble and interception from Leroy.
The loss snapped a two-year stretch of Maplesville making the quarterfinals in the Class 1A state playoffs. It is only the second time since 2010 that the Red Devils did not win at least two games in the playoffs.
“All of those seniors are great kids who have come up through this program,” Abbott said. “I told them that tonight was not a good memory, but they had so many other great memories they have made the last six years. I am very proud of them.”
The Red Devils finish the 2022 season with an 8-4 record.
