FRIDAY NIGHT RECAP (Week 1 Playoffs): Montgomery Academy, Billingsley, Pike Road move into second round; ACA falters; Macon East moves on

COMBINED REPORTS

Pike Road 28, Bessemer City 17

PIKE ROAD -- The Patriots used a pair of big plays early, then held off Bessemer City late to advance to the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs with a 28-17 win over Bessemer City on Friday.

Pike Road will travel to Homewood next Friday for a second-round matchup in a battle of Patriots.

Gunner Gibbs completed 16 of 31 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns, including an 89-yard touchdown pass to Kameron Hooks.

Gibbs also threw touchdown passes of 6 yards to Julius Williams and 4 yards to Marquette Allen. Allen threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Caiden Thomas.

Hooks led the receivers with 121 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Thomas took his only reception to the end zone and Briece Baker added three catches for 53 yards.

The Patriots accounted for 305 passing yards and four touchdowns, but were held to 54 yards on 25 carries in the absence of starting tailback Quinton Robinson. Tavaris Capurs led Pike Road with 29 yards on 10 carries, while Kwat Richards added 14 yards on 11 carries.

Bessemer City kept the game close with a balanced attack that included 207 rushing yards and 314 total yards.

Mobile Christian 31, Alabama Christian 12

MOBILE -- Mobile Christian held the Alabama Christian rushing attack in check while building an 18-point lead in the first half on the way to a 31-12 victory in the first round of the Class A Private playoffs on Friday night.

Mobile Christian will travel to Montgomery to play Montgomery Academy in the second round of the playoffs, while ACA ends the season at 7-4.

ACA was held to just two first downs on the ground and to 34 yards on 24 carries. Micah Merritt scored the Eagles’ only touchdown on a 1-yard run in the third quarter, but managed just 39 yards on 16 carries.

Mobile Christian took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on a Tristan Aragon 1-yard run and added two more touchdowns in the second quarter for an 18-0 halftime lead. Hakeem Winston scored on a 7-yard run midway through the second quarter and Israel Benard threw 13 yards to Dwight King in the final minute of the first half.

Aragon countered Merritt’s run with a 39-yard touchdown run of his own and added a late touchdown after David Johnson kicked field goals of 22 and 24 yards to  trim the deficit to 25-12 late in the third quarter.

Aragon finished with 157 yards on 20 carries and Benard added 56 yards on 11 carries. Benard completed 18 of 31 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown. 

Montgomery Academy 50, Providence Christian 6

Quarterback Reid McBride was responsible for four touchdowns as the Eagles moved into the second round of the AHSAA Private A playoffs Friday at McLemore Field.

McBride was 8 for 9 passing for 169 yards with three touchdowns. He added another touchdown on two carries for 71 yards. Ali Nelson added 10 carries for 147 yards and a score plus a reception for 15 yards. He also had a kickoff return for 98 yard and a TD.

Jarrett Friendly chipped in four receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. William Marks had two receptions for 35 yards and a score. JaBarie Burton carried four times for 42 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, William Marks had five tackles with one for a loss and an interception. Will Kitchens recorded three tackles, one for a loss and an interception. Friendly had six tackles, two for a loss and one, quarterback pressure. Ridgeway Britt had five tackles and Liam Baker four tackles.

The Eagles (11-0) will face Mobile Christian next week in the second round.

Billingsley 14, McIntosh 8

The Bears advanced to the Class 1A second round with a close win over McIntosh on Friday at Mims Field.

Jaylen Cutler’s touchdown along with Tyler White’s score proved to be the difference.

Quarterback Trent Cobern finished with 72 yards passing and 90 yards on the ground. Cutler had eight carries for 17 yards and two catches for 37 yards. Tyler White added 74 yards rushing.

Trey Byrd led the defense with 12 Tackles, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. Caleb Massey finished with six tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss. Lane Plott  had seven tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss.

Tyler White had eight tackles while Cutler had three tackles and an interception.

The Bears (7-4) will be home again for the second round next week and will face University Charter.

Macon East 60, Trinity Christian 13

CECIL - Glynn Lott’s final home game as the head football coach of the Knights finished with a flurry as they advanced in the second round of the AISA Class A playoffs at Knights Field.

Brandon Fitch had three early touchdowns that gave Macon East a 30-0 lead. He finished with four touchdowns on the night.

Matthew Simpson added two scores while Tripp Jackson had a Pick 6.

Macon East (8-4) faces Escambia next week in the semifinals.