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ASHLAND
If Clay County coach Danny Horn was worried entering Fridays opening-round Class 1A playoff game against Spring Garden and Horn always worries about how his Panthers will perform the week after the Lineville game he didnt have to worry long. Clay County scored on its first two possessions and steadily pulled away to a 55-0 win.
I thought we played well, Horn said afterward. The defense played well. We stayed in good field position all night long. Our defense put our offense in good position to score.
The numbers support Horn. Clay Countys eight touchdowns came on drives of 45, 78, 18, 16, 43, 56, 57 and 34 yards.
Spring Garden is well-coached and they played hard, continued Horn. We had more size and speed and that was hard for them to overcome. They had a good scheme.
Clay County, ranked No. 1 in 1A in this weeks final Alabama Sports Writers Association prep poll, improved to 11-0 and will travel to Addison Friday. Addison defeated Marion County Friday night, 20-14. Spring Garden ended the year 5-6 with its first playoff appearance in Stan Jones five years as head football coach.
We thought with this group, if we stayed healthy, we had the chance of winning some ball games, said Jones of what was probably his final Spring Garden team. We won the games we could have won. I dont think we lost a close game.
I think this group of seniors smelled that they could make it. They worked hard in the weight room, Jones continued. Athletically, theyre not tremendous athletes. Weve had some leadership we just have not had in the past. They were willing to sacrifice to get here.
Eleven players ran the ball for Clay County and six of them scored. Senior Dewayne Duncan led the charge with 117 yards rushing and two touchdowns on six carries. Duncan opened the scoring with a 30-yard jaunt around right end on Clay Countys first possession. Duncans 6-yard scoring run capped a 56-yard drive to start the second half and ended the night for Clay Countys first-team offense.
I thought he ran the ball extremely well tonight, ran hard, said Horn of Duncan. Hes coming on. He has matured as much as anybody on the team. Hes a class act.
Halfback and linebacker J.R. Hess had only three carries but also scored twice for Clay County. His second-quarter touchdown runs of two and 11 yards completed the first-half scoring. Clay County led 34-0 at halftime.
Fullback Tommy Hunter scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter. He ended the game as Clay Countys second-leading rusher with 60 yards on nine carries and, as Horn observed, played well at linebacker. Hunter had a second touchdown run called back early in the second but quarterback Kevin Pitts put Clay County on the board again on the following play, an 11-yard keeper at right tackle.
Corey McLemore tallied on a 12-yard run with 1:38 to play in the third quarter. Freshman Kendall Wilson, Clay Countys third fullback of the night, completed the scoring on a two-yard run with 1:14 remaining in the contest. Jose Bermudez kicked seven of eight extra-point attempts.
Carl Hairrell and Nick Pope, Spring Gardens leading ball carriers entering the game, ended with 60 and 13 yards on the ground, respectively. Pope also completed a 20-yard pass to Charles Doss. | 