KICKOFF CLASSIC: Prattville, Pike Road enter Thursday matchup with high expectations
Pike Road’s Ja’Michael Jones runs through the Prattville defense in last year’s battle between the two powers. The second meeting is this Thursday at Cramton Bowl. (File Photo)
By TIM GAYLE
Pike Road senior Jordan Holmes remembers last year’s hard-hitting battle with Prattville and how three special teams miscues helped the Lions grab a 41-37 victory in the 2024 season opener.
“They’re a real physical team, hands on, they like to initiate contact,” Holmes said. “They brought it to us (last year). We responded but I felt like we were a little lackadaisical on special teams. If we clean that up, I feel like it’ll be a different outcome. We look forward to the game on Thursday because I feel like we have a point to prove.”
The two teams will kick off the season on Thursday in the annual Kickoff Classic at Cramton Bowl at 7 p.m. Several players from both teams were on hand last week at the Alabama High School Athletic Association office for the annual media day announcing next week’s game, followed on Friday by a game between Fyffe and Maplesville.
Pike Road reached the semifinals of the 6A state playoffs last year, but has lost three consecutive openers, including last year’s setback to Prattville which was played in Wetumpka while the Lions’ Stanley-Jensen Stadium underwent renovations.
“Going to Marist (a 42-14 loss in 2023) was not an easy deal at all and then Prattville, they are a team that expects to win with a lot of community pride and support,” said Pike Road coach Granger Shook as he prepares for his third season with the Patriots. “We’re excited to play on TV and play in the Kickoff Classic against one of the most well-known names in this state.”
Last year’s game was a tough pill for the Patriots to swallow after three special teams mistakes by Pike Road led to three Prattville touchdowns and the Lions added two more touchdown passes late to hold off the Patriots.
“We came out with the opening kickoff and scored a touchdown for the first touchdown, but then we got down, then we exploded for four touchdowns as a group to win the game,” Prattville running back Tristin Blackmon said. “Their running back (Ja’Michael Jones) had a good game, the linebacker (Braylon Outlaw) had a good game, but somehow we pulled it out with our receiving corps, which is something we really don’t do but we just had to do it that game.
“I expect their defense to fly around and do what they’re supposed to do all the time. They’re a really talented defense -- rangy, long, all that type of stuff. I expect a good low-scoring game.”
Blackmon managed 69 yards on 18 carries in last year’s meeting and the Patriots return Outlaw and Rufus Boone at linebacker, along with former Prattville linebacker Miles Khatri, who transferred to Catholic in 2023 and to Pike Road this summer.
“I look forward to being in space against those guys, one-on-one open field like backyard football,” Blackmon said. “We grew up with Miles. He’s a hometown kid so it’s going to be fun to go against him in a game.”
Shook said it will be difficult preparing for new Prattville coach Bobby Carr, who won championships at Edgewood Academy and Autauga Academy and coached at George W. Carver last year before being hired at Prattville in December.
“Bobby does an exceptional job,” Shook said. “He beat a very good Vestavia team (in the Kickoff Classic) last year, beat them pretty handily. There’s a lot of unknowns that our staff is trying to prepare for. As far as in-game adjustments, Coach Carr does an exceptional job with that. I’m sure we’re going to have to try and do the same to keep up with him. But I expect a very physical game, I expect a four-quarter game between two really good teams.”
Both teams are eager to take the field this season as Pike Road tries to improve on two consecutive trips to the 6A semifinals while Prattville wants to return to the glory days the Lions experienced a decade ago.
“We love the bigger competition,” Holmes said. “They’re 7A, we’re 6A. I feel like this helps jump-start our season. I’ve been ready to play since we lost in the semifinals. This game is highly anticipated, so I feel like we’ll come out with a lot of energy and ready to play.”
Jones cut through the Prattville defense for 160 yards on 27 carries in last year’s game and is looking forward to another high-profile opener for the Patriots.
“If anything, it just helps build up everybody,” Jones said. “From a coach’s perspective, you can see who really wants it, who wants to be out there. But one thing as a staff and as players that we do is you can’t overlook your opponent. We look at everyone the same and we treat everybody the same. We just have to come out with the same mentality, just come out ready to play and don’t play to somebody’s standard, just play to ours.”
Prattville wants to prove its back as a program and winning the Kickoff Classic is a step in the right direction.
“Just go 1-0 every week, just win the game that’s in front of you, handle what’s in front of you, and then next week do the same thing,” Blackmon said. “Keep building success over and over and you’ll finally get to your goal.”
Pike Road’s goal is to get back to the semifinals and then go one step farther.
“I’d say (the difference this year could be) the experience of knowing what it takes to get there and how those moments are,” Jones said, “so that when we get back there, it’s nothing new. We’ll have all the answers to get over the hump so we’ll know what to do and won’t be star struck.”