Contributed
(Dec. 13, 2009)

MOBILE – Alabama’s All-Stars posted two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a matter of 13 seconds to take a 21-13 come-from-behind victory over Mississippi on Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in the 2009 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic.

The victory for Alabama, coached by Hoover’s Josh Niblett, was its second in a row, 10th in the last 12 games and 16th overall in the 23-game series that began in 1988. All games have been played here at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Mississippi took a 3-0 lead with 1:09 remaining in the first half on a Will Scott 29-yard field goal as the visitors’ defense shut down Alabama for the first two quarters, limiting the hosts to one first down and just 11 total yards.

Alabama was almost as effective as Mississippi managed only two first downs and 16 total yards by intermission. Even the Mississippi field goal took two tries. The first, a 34-yard attempt, came up short, but Alabama was called for rushing too many defenders, a violation of the special rules in this all-star classic. On his second try Scott nailed the 29-yarder for the game’s only first-half points.

Things changed quickly in the second half, however. Alabama’s defense stopped Mississippi on the first possession with Greenville’s Kenneth Carter picking up a sack of quarterback Dominque Sullivan on third down at the Mississippi 27 to force a punt.

With Cherokee County quarterback Coty Blanchard at the throttle, Alabama marched 71 yards on 12 plays with Hoover receiver Maudrecas Humphrey hauling in a 21-yard TD strike from Blanchard for the game’s first touchdown with 4:34 left in the period.

It was Blanchard’s running on quarterback keepers that kept the drive alive time and time again as he reeled off runs of 7, 13 and 10 yards in the march. The drive survived a fumbled option pitch when Vestavia Hills offensive lineman Drew Dearman recovered the miscue at the Mississippi 38 for what turned out to be a four-yard gain.

Prattville return specialist Corey Shelton boosted Alabama’s spirits with a 17-yard punt return on the first play of the fourth quarter to midfield. Fairhope quarterback Daryl Norris, after two straight incompletions, scrambled out of the pocket to his right on third down and found Murphy receiver Solomon Patton behind the Mississippi defense for a 50-yard touchdown connection. Foley kicker Jorge Santamaria’s boot made it 14-3 with 11:20 left to play.

Following the kickoff, Mississippi took over on its on 30 and disaster hit again. Sullivan’s pass down the left sideline was picked off by Gadsden City defensive back Dale Trimble. The speedster then ran the interception back untouched 36 yards for a touchdown just 13 seconds after Patton’s TD score.

Mississippi picked up a 27-yard field goal by Scott with 6:07 to play and scored again with 1:22 left on Sullivan’s 38-yard touchdown pass to Markese Triplett to cut the Alabama lead to 21-13. Mississippi’s Taurice King recovered an onside kick to add a little drama to the finish. Alabama’s defense held, however, got the ball back and the offense ran out the clock.

Trimble was named Alabama’s game MVP with three tackles, the interception return for the TD and two other passes broken up. Scott, from George County, was named the Mississippi MVP with two field goals and a 38.9 average on 10 punts.

Blanchard finished as the game’s leading rusher with 14 carries for 60 yards. He also was 2-of-10 passing for 20 yards and Norris was 4-of-12 for 47. Blanchard also had eight punts for a 32.4 average.

Alabama finished with 71 yards rushing, 67 passing and 138 total. Mississippi had minus-6 yards rushing for the game and was 7-of-27 passing for 50 yards.

John Propst of Hoover led Alabama’s tacklers with seven. He also had one of Alabama’s seven sacks on the day. LaDarius Owens of Jess Lanier had five stops and three sacks while Jared Morse of Oxford recorded four tackles with three sacks. Patrick Black of Forest Hill had eight stops for Mississippi.