Week 7 provides pivotal games

By Staff
Glen Jackson
With only four weeks left in the regular season, two teams from Franklin County – No. 10 Red Bay in Class 2A and No. 2 Russellville in Class 5A – are still unbeaten. Below is a recap of last week's games and a preview of tonight's matchups.
Red Bay Tigers (6-0, 4-0)
The Red Bay Tigers made it look easy Friday night as they stung the Winston
County Yellow Jackets 34-14. The Tigers moved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in Region
8 with the victory. The Tigers recorded almost 500 yards of total offense.
Senior Anthony Horton paced the Tigers with 250-plus yards in the air with two touchdown passes and one rushing TD. The Tigers posted 24 first downs while holding the Yellow Jackets to just six.
The No. 10 Tigers, who are ranked for the first time this season in the Class 2A poll, will travel to Cherokee this Friday night to take on the Indians in another key region game. The game will feature two the area's most versatile wide receivers in Red Bay's Pablo Makepeace, who also kicks, runs and plays defensive back, and Cherokee's Dominque Croom, who has scored 11 touchdowns in the past two weeks. Cherokee defeated Phil Campbell last week 61-18.
Phil Campbell Bobcats (0-6, 0-4)
Two weeks ago the Bobcats saw the Adam McCarley show, and last week's premiere was the Dominique Croom coming-out party. Croom scored two receiving touchdowns, one rushing TD, and added a 60-yard interception return for a score. Phil Campbell is not loaded with speedy playmakers, and seven turnovers doomed the Bobcats.
Seniors Jonathan Dill and Caleb Thompson combined for a 57-yard touchdown the first drive of the game, a 3- yard touchdown midway through the first half, and another one early in the fourth quarter. Thompson had an outstanding night as he grabbed eight passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns for the Bobcats.
The Indians ran away with the victory 61-18, and now the Bobcats must regroup on the road tonight to take on a fifth-ranked Addison squad that is starting to find its identity.
Tharptown Wildcats (4-2)
The Wildcats used a potent rushing attack netting over 430 yards to blast
Lyman Ward last Friday night 48-28. The Wildcats led 32-16 at the half. The game also featured two 100-yard rushers.
Daniel Scott had 14 carries for 180 yards, while Trevor Hallmark had 16 carries for 105 yards. Quarterback Tyler Cagle was 7-of-8 passing for 110 yards.
The Wildcats picked up their fourth win this season and will play Mt. Hope tonight. Tharptown won the first contest between the two teams earlier this season.
Vina Red Devils (2-4, 1-3)
The Red Devils defense played hard and kept the game close for a while, but
in the end the Speake Bobcats defeated the Red Devils 35-0. Speake's Dez
Polk scored three touchdowns with two coming in the second half to pace the Bobcats to victory. Tyler Gillespie and Zack Taylor also scored touchdowns for Speake.
Vina, who fell to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in Class 1 A, Region 8 play, has played star running back Nash Creekmore at the quarterback position to replace injured starting quarterback Brett Townsend, who is expected to miss the remainder of the season with rib injury.
The Red Devils will host the fourth-ranked Hazelwood Golden Bears tonight. Hazelwood defeated Phillips last Friday night.
Russellville Golden Tigers (6-0, 4-0)
Living on the edge is the theme of this year's Golden Tigers for they must feel they have to get behind to bring out the best in the ability.
Playing without senior tailback Michael Abernathy, No. 2 Russellville relied on junior tailback Scotty Freeman to handle the running game. He plunged over from one yard out for the game winner in last Friday's 14-10 win at defending 5A champion Athens, but it was the defense that won the game and came up with four interceptions of Golden Eagles quarterback Justin Peppers.
Athens managed a mere 36 yards rushing, which made them a one-dimensional team. The Golden Eagles still held a 10-7 lead in the fourth quarter before Russellville's late comeback victory. Junior Kevin Vincent secured the victory with an interception at the end of the game.
Senior Cory Trapp completed passes to Caleb Mitchell, who also had an interception, and Blake Jackson on the final drive. Jacob Daniel and Kory Suggs also made big plays on the night, including an interception apiece.
The Golden Tigers are 6-0 and face maybe their toughest region tonight at home against the Decatur Red Raiders, who are battling Russellville for Class 5A, Region 8 supremacy.
Glen Jackson is a guest columnist for The Franklin County Times. Jackson is president and CEO of Southeastern Athletics, Inc. He can be reached at (256) 332-5513.