PREP UPDATE: Catholic football moves on in 5A playoffs; Elmore County eliminated; Wetumpka hoops top PCA
COMBINED REPORTS
FOOTBALL
Williamson 42, Elmore County 14
ECLECTIC -- Todrick Withers rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries, scoring twice in the third quarter as the Lions pulled away for a 42-14 win over the Panthers at Burt-Haynie Field in the second round of the 5A state playoffs on Friday.
Williamson (12-0) will face Catholic (8-4) in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs next Friday in Montgomery. Elmore County ends the season at 8-4, its most successful year since 2008.
The game was tied early in the second quarter and was close through the first half, but the Lions scored three times in the third quarter to break open the game.
Jamarcus Lett scored on a 2-yard run to give Williamson a 7-0 lead, but Gage Davis tied it up in the second quarter with his 2-yard pass to Connor Pike. Lett came back with another 2-yard scoring run to give the Lions a 13-7 halftime lead.
Withers then scored on runs of 5 and 4 yards in the third quarter to put Williamson in front 28-7. Ellis McGaskin added a 48-yard touchdown run and Withers followed soon after with a 55-yard scoring run for a 42-7 lead.
Beau Taylor returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to close out the scoring.
Catholic 38, Shelby County 15
COLUMBIANA -- CJ Sankey hit tight end MJ Belser with a touchdown pass late in the third quarter to help the Knights break away from a tight contest with the Wildcats and pull away to a 38-15 win in the second round of the 5A state playoffs on Friday night.
The two-time defending state champions advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs for the seventh consecutive year and will play host to Williamson, who advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007, next Friday.
Shelby County ends the season at 7-5.
The Wildcats battled the Knights evenly throughout much of the first three quarters before Sankey’s touchdown jump-started the Catholic offense on a 21-0 run to take control of the game.
Sankey completed 19 of 26 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Belser had three receptions for 58 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Justin Outlaw added two receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown.
Ty Player had eight catches for 60 yards and Michael Sheffield had 70 all-purpose yards, including five receptions for 61 yards.
Zaylon Jackson-Ligon had 86 all-purpose yards, rushing 11 times for 53 yards and a pair of touchdowns and adding a reception for 33 yards.
JP Costa added a 36-yard field goal.
Defensively, Brandarius Daniels had a fumble recovery and Devin Hampton blocked a punt.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Wetumpka 66, Prattville Christian 40
WETUMPKA -- Cody Chapman had 16 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead Prattville Christian in its 66-40 loss to the Class 6A Indians on Friday.
Justin Chapman added six points, 14 rebounds and four steals, followed by Ethan Girlie with five point and four rebounds, Ethan Kiefer with four points and four steals, Carter Fiacco with four points and CJ Robinson with three points and four rebounds. Wade Mora added four rebounds, three assists and six blocked shots. PCA (2-2) will play host to Alabama Christian next Friday.
In the junior varsity game, Carter Montgomery had six points and Tanner Cantrell added four points in PCA’s 55-17 loss. Austin Baxley grabbed four rebounds and Ethan Kinne grabbed three, while Easton Carr dished out three assists for the Panthers (0-4).
Billingsley 63, Verbena 60
BILLINGSLEY -- Dequavion Ray had 19 points, nine rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots to lead the Bears to a 63-60 win over Verbena in the season opener on Monday.
Kyle Boice added 14 points, 10 rebounds and five steals for the Bears, followed by Kalvin Thomas with 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots and Jake Rawlinson with nine points and nine rebounds. Kyson Thomas had seven rebounds and five steals, while Kaden Cotton had five steals.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wetumpka 51, Prattville Christian 20
WETUMPKA -- Avery Mann led the Lady Panthers with nine points in a 31-point loss to the Class 6A Indians on Friday night.
Laney Little added three points and 11 rebounds for PCA, while Kayleigh Arthur had three points and five steals. Baylee Rogers added three points and three rebounds. Leah Cate Wilson grabbed five rebounds.
PCA (1-3) returns home to play host to Alabama Christian next Friday.
Brew Tech 48, Prattville Christian 34
Baylee Rogers scored 12 points to lead Prattville Christian in a 48-34 loss in the Brew Tech gym on Tuesday night.
Leah Cate Wilson added 10 points and five rebounds, followed by Laney Little with eight points and 13 rebounds and Avery Mann with four points and seven rebounds.