County High Beats Gardendale 38-28, Advance to Round 2

The County High Wildcats (9-2) were under pressure early, but shot back with 28 unanswered points to get past the Gardendale Rockets (7-4) 38-28 to advance to the second round of the Alabama 6A football playoffs.

Gardendale shot out of the gate early as sophomore running back Juan Jackson sped past the County High coverage team for a 98 yard kickoff return to put the Rockets up 7-0. With the Wildcats on the ropes early, Gardendale’s Jordan Howard raced 51 yards for a crushing 14-0 lead. However the play was for not as there was a flag -a play that would come back to haunt the Rockets.

After finally taking that 14-0 lead on a 31 yard double pass from Connor Reed to Jesse Blackburn, the Wildcats bit back to the tune of 28 unanswered points.

After finally settling in Tyler Gates corralled his offensive unit and began to march his unit down the field at will, Finding Tylan Perry late in the first quarter for a 14 yard touchdown reception to swing the momentum back to the County High sidelines. Ted Colburn (1yd) and Derrick Burns (10yds) added a pair of touchdown runs to put County High on top 21-14, but the real theatrics came on the final play of the quarter.

From the Gardendale 30 yard line, Gates stood strong in the pocket finding Tylan Perry underneath. Once the ball was in the hands of the receiver turned running back, Perry did the rest skating his way into the endzone to give the Wildcats an emotional 28-14 lead into the locker room.

The second half began with a quick Conner Reed touchdown run, but was answered with Gates’ third touchdown pass of the night to Allen Cooks. While A 16 yard Reed touchdown reception pulled the game back to within 7 points, 35-28, an Emilano Rameriez field goal put the game out of reach early on in the fourth quarter.

The County High Wildcats will play next week against Clay-Chalkville. Join Mick Gillispie, Ryan Fowler, and Chad Haynie next Friday, November 16th at 6:45 on Tuscaloosa’s Sports Authority 99.1 WDGM.

Other Scores from Friday are as follows:
Mountain Brook 23 Hillcrest 14
Walker 30 Central High 7
Demopolis 49 Sylcacauga 20
Leeds 61 Sipsey Valley 27
Midfield 35 Gordo 14
Trinity 34 Northside 14
Fayette County 35 BB Comer 16
Lamar County 39 New Brocton 24
Linden 39 Kinston 7
Hubbertville 42 Ragland 35
Pickens County 63 Falkville 0
Berry 28 Addison 8
Restoration Acad. 32 Marengo Acad. 13
Pickens Acad. 46 Ashford Acad. 32
Tuscaloosa Acad. 34 Fort Dale Acad. 0