Playing at home
- Updated: October 27, 2023
Oxford gets big plays at crucial times, downs Center Point 35-14 in game to determine which team opens playoffs at home.
Friday scoreboard
FRIDAY, Oct. 27
Alexandria 50, Talladega 15, FINAL
Anniston 38, Cleburne County 36, FINAL
Central-Clay 30, Russell County 14, FINAL
Cherokee County 56, Ashville 7, FINAL
Geraldine 54, Glencoe 7, FINAL
Handley 35, Munford 14, FINAL
Piedmont 22, Hokes Bluff 21, FINAL OT
Jacksonville 62, White Plains 0, FINAL
Tuscaloosa Christian 56, Jax Christian 48, FINAL
Leeds 30, Lincoln 14, FINAL
Plainview 34, Ohatchee 18, FINAL
Oxford 35, Center Point 14, FINAL
Pleasant Valley 50, Gaston 20, FINAL
Ranburne 64, Central-Coosa 39, FINAL
Randolph County 32, Dadeville 22, FINAL
Wellborn 62, Saks 34, FINAL
Moody 34, Southside 21, FINAL
Spring Garden 41, Ragland 27, FINAL
Wadley 47, Talladega County Central 0, FINAL
Beulah 38, Weaver 31, FINAL
Isabella 55, Woodland 14, FINAL
Open: Donoho.
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — D.K. Wilson brought the wiggle for Oxford’s offense Friday, and Keenan Britt brought the sack when the Yellow Jackets needed it most.
As a result, they’ll have the chance to do it all over again on their home field in two weeks.
Oxford finished off Class 6A, Region 6 play with a 35-14 victory over Center Point in the game to determine second place in region play. Oxford (7-2, 5-1 region) earned the right to play host to its first-round playoff game on Nov. 10.
The top two of each region’s four playoff qualifiers opens at home. Oxford will play host to the No. 3 seed from Region 7.
“It’s great,” Oxford coach Sam Adams said. “Any time you get to play at home, it’s huge, especially in Oxford, Alabama. The playoffs just makes the stakes a little higher.
“We’ll be playing against a strong team, looks like Athens, coming in here in two weeks.”
Center Point (7-2, 4-2) gave Oxford a scare in the fourth quarter. Julius Finnerson’s 2-yard touchdown run trimmed Oxford’s lead to 21-14 at 11:40, and the Eagles recovered the ensuing short kickoff when Oxford failed to field it.
Center Point took over at Oxford’s 25-yard line, but Oxford’s defense forced fourth down and three. Britt got home to Eagles quarterback Therman Moore for the sack.
“I knew we had to make a big play,” Britt said. “They tried to doubleteam me, but I went in the A gap instead of going into C because they had been going out on me all night, then the quarterback tried to step up.”
The Yellow Jackets took control from there. Jaydon Thomas’ 2-yard touchdown run made it 28-14 at 6:40, and run, and Nick Richardson’s 38-yard, catch-and-run score with 3:47 to play provided the final margin.
“We did a good job of getting the momentum back after we lost it for a little bit there in the second half,” Adams said. “Keenan, he makes play after play. We rely on him sometimes maybe a little bit too much, but generally speaking, when he’s playing his best, that’s when it’s hardest to score on us.”
Oxford built a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on Mims’ 5-yard touchdown pass to Richardson and Mims’ 2-yard keeper.
Moore’s 10-yard touchdown pass to JaQuoryae Busby and conversion run closed the gap to 14-8 at halftime, but Mims’ 2-yard touchdown pass to Camare Hampton made it 21-8 at 1:41 of the third.
Though Wilson never found the end zone, he made a few highlight reels between the goal lines. He made two stop-and-go moves on a 50-yard catch and run to set up Oxford’s first touchdown.
The yen to Thomas’ yang finished with 132 yards total offense, including 88 receiving yards on five catches.
“We have two backs who play back there and two different kinds of things,” Adams said. “They’re a very athletic team and did a good job off blocks, and D.K. did a good job of getting some extra yards in there when it looked like he was hemmed up a few times.
“He’d get another five or 10, and that’s the kind of things he’s done all year.”
Mims completed 24 of 27 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Richardson had 138 yards on five catches and two scores.
Thomas rushed for 61 yards and a score.
“I feel like we’re going to go long in the playoffs, maybe win state,” Wilson said. “We’ve just got to believe.”
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