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Under the Lights | Week Three | Sept. 12, 2024

The Observer Staff

The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 28-21.

BY D MARK MITCHELL
FOR THE OBSERVER

LEE COUNTY — The following is a wrap-up of our local high school football teams:

Central prolongs dominance of Smiths Station with blowout win

BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FOR THE OBSERVER

SMITHS STATION — Last Thursday, Central-Phenix City extended its winning streak against the Smiths Station Panthers to 16 with a 69-15 win.
The Central Red Devils now lead the all-time series 28-5, and they have a scoring margin of plus-611 over its current 16-game win streak. Not having lost the head-to-head matchup since 2008, Central has now won by 30 points or more in four consecutive games against Smiths Station.
Despite scoring 15, its most points in a single game against the Red Devils since 2014, the Panthers turned it over five times in the first three quarters and allowed the most points in a game in the history of the rivalry. Central’s senior quarterback, Andrew Alford, went off for four passing touchdowns, while senior running back Tristan Williams added a pair of scores to his resume.
The Panthers got off to a promising start, forcing the Red Devil offense to a three-and-out, but it went downhill from there. After two big offensive plays, Smiths Station punted on its first offensive drive, to which Central responded with five straight quick offensive drives for TDs. Three Panther fumbles made their deficit go from a little to a lot in a flash.
Before the half, Smiths Station seized what little momentum it could grasp. Sophomore QB Cohen Thomas dove in behind his blockers for a two-yard TD on a QB sneak with 44 seconds on the clock. The Panthers capitalized on their first score against Central in four years by running it in for a two-point conversion to make it a 35-8 game going to halftime.
But that momentum only lasted the duration of halftime.
On its first play of the second half, Thomas threw an interception that was returned near the Panthers’ 10-yard line by Central. The ensuing play was a TD pass to senior receiver Daylyn Upshaw – his second on the day, giving him a team-high five scoring grabs on the year.
After another interception returned to the goal line by Central senior defensive back, Cameron Westberry, on the next drive, Alford threw his fourth and final TD pass of the night. He now has nine TDs through the air on the year.
The highlight of the night came on the next Central possession. With sophomore Bobby Coleman subbed in at QB, sophomore WR Mychal Bass went up and snagged a 50-50 ball one-handed in the corner of the end zone and dragged his toes in bounds to give the Red Devils a 55-8 lead.
Two Coleman passing TDs and a rushing score from sophomore RB Jayshaun Woodhouse capped off an explosive offensive performance for the Red Devils. Coleman now has four TDs on the season in addition to Alford’s nine, Woodhouse notched his second score on the ground, junior RB Donovan Crow scored his third of the season, Williams has three TDs on the year, sophomore WR Barion Brown hauled in his third scoring grab and Bass scored his second.
Smiths Station did answer, however, and the Panther’s student section was still hyped as ever. Senior WR Devan Parham outran the Red Devils to the end zone on a kickoff return with the clock winding under two minutes in the game. Even that was answered by Central, once again stealing the Panthers’ spotlight hastily, on a long passing TD to sophomore WR Tjay Ware to cap off the scoring with 1:04 remaining in the game.
Prolonging its reign upon winning their third 7A State Championship in 2023, the Red Devils’ win streak now sits at 16 dating back to the end of the 2022 season. Central improved to 3-0, while Smiths Station is 0-3 and still searching for its first win of the season.
On Friday, Sept. 13, Smiths Station will stay home and look to reverse its fortunes against Carver Montgomery (3-0). Oppositely, Central will look to extend its win streak to 17 at Dothan (2-1).

Auburn edges Opelika to remain unbeaten

BY DAVID YOHN
FOR THE OBSERVER

AUBURN — A standing-room only crowd at Duck Samford Stadium watched the 99th edition of Auburn High versus Opelika go down to the wire. Auburn linebacker Alex Gamston tipped and intercepted an Opelika pass with just 1:42 remaining in the game to seal a 28-21 victory for the Tigers.
Auburn now leads the all-time series with the Bulldogs, 49-47-3, in a matchup that has history dating all the way back to 1930. From start to finish, missed opportunities costed Opelika as Auburn came from behind to steal the rivalry matchup for the eighth year in a row.
Auburn took the opening kickoff and managed one first down before rolling the dice early by going for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 47-yard line. Star running back Omar Mabson fumbled, and Opelika started their first drive in Tiger territory. The Bulldogs could only manage to advance to the Tigers’ 30-yard line before punting.
Getting on the board first, Auburn then struck quickly, going 80 yards in just five plays. Mabson ran the ball on three of those plays with the last rush going for 58 yards and the first touchdown of the game. The Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 2:59 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs needed just one 29-yard rush by Calvin Hughley to get out of the shadow of their own goalpost. Opelika could not overcome a high snap on the ensuing play and ended up punting very late in the first quarter.
The Tigers looked to be in good shape after converting a 3rd-and-11 when quarterback Jackson Kilgore connected with Josh Askew for a gain of 21 yards. Mabson rambled for 15 yards on the next third down, while Kilgore scrambled for 19 yards on 4th-and-4 later in the drive. Senior DB Kevian King stepped up big for the Bulldogs, intercepting a Kilgore pass.
Opelika pounded the Auburn defense with a steady rushing attack led by Hughley, Blake Johnson and Jordan Waits.
Sophomore QB Colby Key found Bennett Young for a gain of 10 yards on 3rd-and-4, followed by Johnson bulldozing his way 15 yards to score the Bulldogs first touchdown. The drive covered 68 yards in eight plays and consumed 3:40. With 4 minutes remaining in the first half, the teams were tied at seven.
Auburn was not content to go to the locker room with the score knotted, as they found the end zone in just six plays. Mabson ran it three times, but the big play was Kilgore finding Cash Reif for 25 yards on the second play of the drive. Charlie Ward answered when his number was called by running 15 yards for the Tigers second touchdown with 1:35 remaining in the first half. The home crowd enjoyed a 14-7 lead at the half.
The buzz was heard early in the second half on the visitors’ sideline as Hughley rambled for 49 yards on the first play of the third quarter. On the very next play, Hughley capped the 80-yard drive by finding the end zone from 31 yards out. Just two plays into the second half, the teams were tied at 14 a piece.
Both defenses stepped up for the remainder of the third quarter, and the stage was set for an epic fourth quarter. Hughley and Johnson found success on the ground, setting up the Bulldogs deep in the Tigers’ territory early in the final stanza. Key found Brodie Jones for a four-yard touchdown strike, and Opelika enjoyed its first lead of the game, 21-14.
That lead, however, was not safe. Auburn’s Kilgore connected with Josh Askew for 79 yards to set the Tigers up at the Bulldogs 1-yard line. It took Mabson two tries, but he pounded across the goal line to tie the game for the third time. Auburn covered 80 yards in three plays in just over one minute.
Opelika could not pick up one first down, so Auburn found themselves with possession of the ball at their own 43-yard line just two minutes after surrendering the Mabson touchdown.
The Tigers went 57 yards in just six plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. Kilgore had two short completions to start the drive, and Mabson smashed his way for three yards to move the chains on third-and-three. Another Mabson run was followed by a 14-yard pickup by Peyton Plott on a reverse. Kilgore then stunned the Bulldogs with the eventual game-winning toss to Askew from 29 yards out.
Trailing by seven with 5:15 to play, the Bulldogs found success in the air. Key found Hughley for gains of 10 and 22 yards. Hughley, Waits and Johnson all ran for positive yardage before Gamston sealed the victory for Auburn with the interception at the Tigers’ 28-yard line. Auburn ran out the final 1:57, sending the Bulldogs home with their first loss of the season.
“Really, really frustrated with the finish right there,” said Opelika head coach Bryan Moore. “There is no way to sugar coat this. We’ve got to go back to work and get better.”
The Bulldogs (2-1) will host J.A.G. and then Smiths Station the next two weeks, while the Tigers (3-0) travel to Enterprise and then host J.A.G.

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