E.A. Sports Today

Friday roundup

Jacksonville plays flawlessly on road to beat Anniston; also reports from Alexandria, Randolph County games

Jacksonville’s Josh Glass (L) gets a handful of Anniston quarterback Savion Bethune’s jersey. Glass was valuable on both sides of the ball, scoring two red-zone touchdowns in the first half. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

By East Alabama Sports Today

To win on the road a team has to play a nearly flawless game. Josh Glass scored two red-zone touchdowns in the first half on his only two carries of the game, the line controlled the point of attack all night and the Jacksonville offense played without a turnover.

Altogether it added up to a 31-12 Golden Eagles victory over Anniston at Chink Lott-Mosby Stadium.

Glass scored on a 5-yard run to open the scoring and then scored on a 2-yard run in the final 30 seconds of the first half to give Jacksonville (2-3, 2-1) a 14-6 halftime lead.

Most of the heavy lifting went to Macey Carr. The White Plains transfer rushed for 148 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Colton Clark completed 9-of-12 passes for 82 yards.

Savion Bethune accounted for both Anniston (1-3, 1-2) touchdowns. The quarterback answered Glass’ first score with a 72-yard touchdown pass to Nathaniel O’Neal and snuck over the goal line from the 1 late in the fourth quarter.

Ben Patterson and Jakobie Calloway led the Golden Eagles with seven tackles apiece. Patterson had a pair of sacks, as did Josh Bell.

Preston Harvey showed a big leg on special teams. He kicked a 28-yard field goal and had a 45-yarder blocked, hit all four of his PATs and averaged 36.3 yards per punt, including a 51-yarder.

JACKSONVILLE 31, ANNISTON 12

Jacksonville 7 7 10 7 — 31
Anniston 6 0 0 6 — 12

J – Josh Glass 5 run (Preston Harvey kick), 9:41 1Q
A – Nathaniel O’Neal 72 pass from Savion Bethune (kick failed), 3:50 1Q
J – Josh Glass 2 run (Preston Harvey kick), 0:20 2Q
J – Macey Carr 1 run (Preston Harvey kick), 6:33 3Q
J – Preston Harvey 28 FG, 2:03 3Q
J – Rontarius Wiggins 51 run (Preston Harvey kick), 5:32 4Q
A – Savion Bethune 1 run (run failed), 2:48 4Q

Anniston’s Nathaniel O’Neal collects a pass in front of Jacksonville’s James Johnson that he turns into a 72-yard first-quarter touchdown. On the cover, Macey Carr (25) cuts between Anniston’s Jimmy Embry (58) and Jaeden Woods-Davis. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

ETOWAH 14, ALEXANDRIA 0: The Blue Devils found a way to shut down Alexandria’s powerful running game and knocked the Valley Cubs from the ranks of the unbeatens in a big region showdown.

Alexandria had averaged 42 points and 404 yards of offense (380 rushing) through its first four games of the season, but Etowah held the Valley Cubs to 93 yards rushing and 135 in total offense.

After scoring 169 points in their first four games, the Cubs were held scoreless for the first time since being blanked by Anniston in 2015, a loss that snapped the undefeated Cubs’ seven-game winning streak. The Blues Devils have held three of their opponents this season to three points or fewer.

The Cubs had 14 plays that went for zero or negative yardage, 21 that gained one yard or less. Their longest play was a 52-yard run by Woodruff, but it didn’t result in a touchdown.

Woodruff had been averaging 190 yards a game rushing and 13 yards a carry, but was held to 17 yards in the first half and 76 for the game (on 18 carries).

The win moved Etowah into a tie for the region lead with Crossville, while the loss dropped Alexandria into a tie for third with Guntersville.

[table id=66 /]

Alexandria 0 0 0 0 — 0
Etowah 7 0 0 7 — 14

E – Caleb Horton 4 run (Raul Flores kick), 10:51 1Q
A – Caleb Horton 3 run (Raul Flores kick), 4:41 4Q

Randolph County’s Aaron Knight (24) cuts back across the field on his way to a 59-yard touchdown run, his second TD of the game. (Photo by Jeremy Worthan/TigerDen Media)

RANDOLPH COUNTY 40, GLENCOE 14: The Tigers (3-1, 2-1) got back on the winning track after last week’s loss to Piedmont. Aaron Knight rushed for 155 yards and he and Trent Lane both ran for a pair of touchdowns. The win moved Randolph County into a tie for second in the region with Ohatchee (but owns the tiebreaker).

[table id=65 /]

Glencoe 0 0 14 0 — 14
Randolph Co. 0 21 12 7 — 40

RC – Trent Lane 4 run (PAT good), 11:18 2Q
RC – Aaron Knight 25 run (PAT good), 4:44 2Q
RC – E.J. Clark 30 pass from Brody Wortham (PAT good), 0:07 2Q
RC – Trent Lane 2 run (PAT failed), 10:32 3Q
G – Noah Huff 15 pass from Jakeb Amberson (PAT good), 8:17 3Q
G – Cade Alred 47 run (PAT good), 2:12 3Q
RC – Aaron Knight 59 run (PAT failed), 1:50 3Q
RC – Jai Wright 1 run (PAT good), 6:12 4Q

Randolph County’s defense swarmed over Glencoe all night, holding the Yellow Jackets to 21 plays of five yards or fewer, including seven for negative yardage. (Photo by Jeremy Wortham/TigerDen Media)

To see more B.J. Franklin photos from the Jacksonville-Anniston game, visit www.bjfranklin.smugmug.com

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