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| Clay Countys Kevin Pitts pitches the ball just as a Parrish defender makes contact during the Panthers 14-0 victory Friday. Photo: Kevin Qualls. |
ASHLAND
Back to Birmingham, was the cry at Horn-White Stadium Friday evening after No. 1-ranked Clay County downed Parrish 14-0 in a Class 1A semifinal game. Its a familiar refrain around Ashland. Three of Clay Countys four state championships since 1994 have come at Birminghams Legion Field.
The Panthers third shutout of the playoffs and eighth of the season propelled Clay County (14-0) into the state championship game against Autaugaville Thursday at 3 p.m.
The game matched the powerful Parrish (12-2) running attack, featuring tailback Tony Dixon and fullback Cole Mason, against Clay Countys rush defense.
Thats been our strength all year, run defense, Clay County coach Danny Horn said afterward. Friday was no different.
Dixon, who entered with 1,833 rushing yards on the year and an average gain of 12.6 yards per carry, carried 11 times and netted only 18 yards. Mason, with 1,711 yards and 10.3 yards per attempt, finished with seven carries and 31 yards. For the game Parrish rushed for 36 net yards on 25 attempts. Ten of those 25 runs resulted in no gain or lost yardage. Dixons fumble on the second play of the second quarter, recovered by Panther Brian Glenn at the Clay County 28, ended Parrishs only scoring threat of the first half.
By contrast, Clay County got 109 yards on 16 carries from fullback J.R. Hess, 90 yards on 15 attempts by Glenn and 43 yards and two touchdowns in 11 trips from Dewayne Duncan.
Parrish coach Scott Basden had hoped to keep the Panthers off balance with a mixture of runs and passes. His Tornadoes were able to gain 170 yards passing, but much of that came in the fourth quarter when Parrish trailed 14-0.
Theyve got a great defense, Basden said as he left the field.
I thought our defense played super again, said Horn. They (Parrish) were averaging 38 points a game.
Only once did the elusive Dixon get to the corner ahead of the Clay County pursuit. That 15-yard gain, on the opening possession of the second half, was his only double-digit carry of the night.
We forced him back inside, Horn added. We talked all week about pursuit.
We knew he liked to cut back, said Hess, a linebacker on defense. We wanted to get swarming around the ball.
Two plays after Dixons 15-yard gain around right end he tried left end. With Duncan up from his defensive back postion waiting at the corner, Dixon reversed his field and ran right into the waiting tackle of Michael Bass, the back side defensive end, for a 12-yard loss. Two plays later Parrishs bid to tie the game, or even overcome Clay Countys 7-0 halftime edge, on the first possession of the second half ended in a punt.
When we had to make a play somebody stepped up and made it, Horn said.
Clay County drove 73 yards in 10 plays on the opening possession of the game. Duncan scored the first on his two short-yardage touchdowns from four yards out, spinning away from a pile of humanity into the clear at left end. A 25-yard run by Glenn set up Duncan.
Jose Bermudez booted the first of his two extra points and Clay County led 7-0 with the game barely five minutes old.
Any Clay County partisans who thought the contest was about to become a rout were mistaken. The Panthers moved the ball effectively again once in the second period but did not score again until the midpoint of the fourth quarter.
On the first play of the final quarter Clay County held Parrish on downs at the Clay County 25.
We sure do need a drive here, Horn said to no one in particular after sending his offensive substitutions into the game. Whether they heard their coach or not, the Panthers responded. Ten plays later Clay County had a first down at the Parrish 1. Duncan then scored up the middle, following backfield blocks from Hess and Travis Zackery.
Once we got that two touchdown lead I felt a lot better, confessed Horn.
Ahead 14-0 with only 6:35 left, Clay County stopped the Tornadoes on downs at the Parrish 25, then promptly fumbled the ball back. Given new life, Parrish senior quarterback Eric Piper completed back-to-back passes to Adam Glasco for 23 and 20 yards to the Clay County 28.
Glenn seemed to end the threat with an interception near the goal line but fumbled on the return at the Clay County 39. Piper threw to Dixon in the right flat for a 15-yard gain to the Clay County 24 but Kevin Pitts intercepted Pipers next toss.
A pair of 7-yard runs by Hess gave Clay County the first down it needed to exhaust the clock. | 