(upbeat music) - [Announcer] It's pregame show.

(energetic music) - [Kevin] Good morning, everyone.

Welcome to Jordan-Hare Stadium, the site of some of the most iconic moments in football history from the Drive By Alabama in 2009 to the Kick Six by Auburn in 2013.

More history will be made today and tomorrow as we are about to kick off day two of the Super Seven Alabama High School Athletic Association Championships.

We've got a great day of football on tap for you, and we're making history no matter what happens on the field.

For the first time, these games are available on broadcast television thanks to Alabama Public Television.

Let's set up the schedule for today.

We'll be playing three football games, deciding three State Championships.

First, between the 3A State Championship between Piedmont, which is won two of the last three titles, and St. James from Montgomery.

We'll follow that at three o'clock with the 1A Championship game between Leroy and Pickens County.

And then the night cap at seven o'clock, the 5A State Championship game between Charles Henderson from Troy and Ramsey from Birmingham.

Good morning everyone.

Again, I'm your host, Kevin Scarbinsky, pleased to welcome in one of the best football coaches this state has ever seen on the high school level.

He won his his last two seasons at Prattville.

They won State Championships, went undefeated, then he moved on to South Alabama, helped build the program there and then authored one of the most amazing stories we've ever seen at any level of football at UAD.

Let's say hello to Coach Bill Clark.

Bill, how are you this morning?

- Good morning, Kevin.

Good to Be here.

- Thank you for being here.

Bill, you understand better than most what's happening in those locker rooms, in the hearts and minds of the coaches, the young men about to step out there on that field.

What is happening in the locker room right now?

- Well, you know, this is a culmination of a lot of hard work.

So first, congratulations to the players, the parents, the staffs, the administration, band, cheerleaders, everybody to make this happen.

And it is a big deal.

It's a big deal.

All the work they put in all that off season and spring training and all that work to get here.

You know, what a dream come true to get to play in this game, both teams.

- What is your most vivid memory of your two State Championships at Prattville?

- You know, '06 was to get over the hump.

You know, we were trying to win our first one.

We had got beaten in '04, you know, beating the Power House of Hoover, and so the big win there and then '07, you know, we felt like, you know, we were trying to repeat and just what a great scene, those games, you know, with two teams on the other side, fighting it out and you know, just to finish it up with a win, which is what, you know, what you're trying to do, ultimately.

- We expect to see some great football here today.

Last year's 3A championship game, Piedmont authored an incredible comeback at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.

We will be previewing that game, setting up the entire day for you when we come back on the AmFirst pregame show.

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- [Announcer] Welcome back to the AMFirst pregame show.

- Welcome back to Jordan-Hare Stadium.

As we're getting ready for the 3A State Championship game here in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Let's meet the coaches in today's matchup.

First of all, for the visitors from Piedmont, the Bulldogs, coach Steve Smith, winners of two of the last three and four of the last seven State Championships.

I had a chance to catch up with Coach Smith.

Let's hear what he had to say.

We're here with Coach Steve Smith from the Piedmont Bulldogs getting ready for the class 3A State Championship game.

And coach, congratulations again on getting back to this point.

When we last saw you on this stage, you gave a lot of people some excitement that incredible State Championship comeback last year.

Tell us your memories of that and did any of that carry over to this season with this team?

- You know, I think a lot of everything that goes on from year to year carry over.

I think a lot of what happened in that game last year was part of just the culture of our program at Piedmont.

The kids, the never say die attitude, the resiliency they had.

I was telling this people a little earlier, you know, it was crazy.

We went in that game down 29 to six at half, and there was kind of a common presence there amongst coaches, players.

Hey, we can go in here and regroup.

Let's get everything back together and just see what happens, play the second half.

And I really felt like our kids, our coaches, had confidence we could come back and win that game.

And then the way it started happening, transpiring, you know, Montgomery Academy played a great first half, had a great team, you know, and they were wing tee traditional team that really could take the air outta the ball and really slow the game down.

And we were worried about, well, will we even have enough possessions to have a chance to come back and win that game.

And things just kind of fell into place.

Defense forced a couple turnovers, offense scored, and had some big kicking game plays, you know, that got flipped the field and got good field position for us.

So just a lot, you know, everything coming together.

But I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that our kids were very confident that they could come back and went out and did it.

- I was fortunate to be there that day at Protective Stadium.

You had great fan support, as you always do at Piedmont.

And that was my first introduction in person to Jack Hayes.

He set virtually every record you can set as a quarterback in this state.

Just added one more breaking JaMarcus Russell's record for total career passing yards.

What can you say about him that you haven't already said as he goes into his last game?

- I think, you know that, I think the thing that the opposing coaches say about Jack probably compliment him as well as anything.

And most of the time you go around with what he is or what he's not, he's not big enough for this, he's too short for that, he does this well.

But every coach usually circles back around it.

He's just a winner.

He's a competitor and he is a winner.

You know, and I think a lot of times, Kevin, we get caught up in the next level and going to play at the next level and things.

And man, this is high school football.

This is 3A high school football we're talking about.

We're talking about a school that's well known statewide, academically, athletically, talking about kids playing for the name, you know, on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.

All those things that are cliche coaches like to talk about.

But at the end of the day, I think the best compliment that can be paid to your team or to your players is that they're just winners.

It's this high school football where these kids are going out there playing, you know, for the guy beside them.

And we don't have a lot of division one talent at Piedmont.

Very few kids that we've had that signed division one, just a lot of hard nose kids that love to play with each other.

And you know, Jack's just one of those guys.

He's a record holder.

We talked about it being team records, even though he's the guy with the name in the book.

All those receivers and lineman and people running backs that have played with him that have contributed to those statistics.

You know, he's the first one to admit that it's a team game and that's what makes him special.

- You mentioned obviously he's not a one man team.

Somebody's gotta catch those balls that he's throwing.

Your sophomore wide receiver, Ismael Bethel.

He is really growing.

Tell us how much he's improved and how big a part of the offense he's become.

- You know, Ismail's got a real high ceiling.

He's still right now, just tapping into his potential.

He's a very athletic kid.

He's a good two sport athlete.

He's a really good basketball player as well.

He's gotten better as the years went along.

He still get to put on some weight and has some things strength wise that he needs to improve on.

He's got a chance to be a really special talent and just a sophomore, you know, he's turned into a big play weapon for us and makes a lot of plays.

Thomas Probes is another kid that we've got, along with Max Hanson that have been big in our passing game this year.

Riley Pinto is a freshman that has come around and contributed significantly there.

Parker Thornton's been a mainstay in our back field for three years.

Cody Holloway coming over from the defensive side as a defensive back doubling up in the back field, some in the playoff run.

You know, we really are a bi-committee type approach there, you know, and Jack does a good job getting all those guys involved in our offensive line, you know.

We're starting five seniors on the line that's been in the program for a long time.

Those guys, you know, do a great job and, you know, it's been a really good team effort.

- Well, obviously winning is in the culture at Piedmont.

We're excited to see this 3A championship game.

The Bulldogs have won two of the last three, four of the last seven State Championships, and they're gonna go for one more in just a minute.

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- [Announcer] Welcome back to the AmFirst Pregame Show.

- We're getting ready for that 3A State Championship game between Piedmont and St. James.

Let's meet the head coach of the St. James Trojans, Jimmy Perry.

- [Announcer] Saint James getting ready for the 3A State Championship game.

And coach, first of all, congratulations on getting to this point.

What does it mean from- - Saint James getting ready for the 3A State Championship game.

And coach, first of all, congratulations on getting to this point.

What does it mean to your team to be 60 minutes away from a blue map?

- Wow, I mean, our little school had never been to the State Championship game.

So this is a first for them.

And you know, we want so much to try to put a ring on these young men's fingers as hard as they've worked.

You know, they've won a lot of ball games over the past few years, but we hadn't really taken that next step to get to the State Championship.

And this year we were able to do that.

And so now we go play a fantastic Piedmont team with that great quarterback, Jack Hayes.

So what a challenge.

And that's what life's all about is overcoming challenges and confronting challenges.

And so our young ones are pumped up, they're excited, and we're excited.

And, you know, play Steve Smith, who's won so many State Championships, a great friend of mine, you know, he's an old friend of mine, of course at my age, all my friends were old, but Steve's a great guy and he's been a big help to me this year.

He really has.

- You mentioned Piedmont's quarterback, Jack Hayes.

You've got a pretty fair quarterback yourself in KJ Jackson.

And how does he make your team go?

- Well, what a great young, number one.

He's a great person and the kids rally around him.

Of course, you know, he's kind of statuesque, you know, he's six three, about two 218.

But what really, really makes him stand out is his character.

And all the kids love him.

The teachers love him.

He's very smart.

He's a very good academic student.

Matter of fact, he's taken both junior and senior level classes this year and handling that workload.

And at our place that is a workload.

- And he is, did I read this right?

He has set your school career rushing record over 5,200 yards.

- Well, that's passing.

- Passing.

Okay.

Yeah.

I didn't think that didn't sound right when I read it.

- Now running back, we'll talk about him a little bit- - But he may have set some records.

- He set some records at the school too.

But we we're so fortunate to have a once in a lifetime player like KJ Jackson come through.

I think he's thrown now 83 touchdowns and he's only a junior.

I think he's up to like 35 touchdowns this year if my maths' right.

But, you know he's such a threat for us because, you know, if we can't run the ball, we feel like we can throw it and if we can't throw it, we feel like we can run it.

So it gives us a real good one two punch.

- Yeah, that balance is tough to defend.

And as you mentioned, you're running back Cosner Harrison, you're not afraid to give it to him.

He had 32 carries in the semifinal victory, 165 yards, three touchdowns.

What makes him go?

- Well, he's just such a tough hard-nosed kid and, you know, he's a senior now, and so he's gonna graduate, and so we're gonna use up all his eligibility this year if we're going give him as many totes as we can give him.

But the team feeds off his toughness, you know.

I mean, he runs over people.

He's not gonna juke you.

He's gonna take that ball when he's gonna get north and south and try to make something happen.

And the kids, they feed off that.

- Now not unfamiliar with Jordan-Hare Stadium.

You spent a number of years there working on the Auburn University staff for Coach Tommy Tuberville.

Do you talk to your players about the venue, about the moment?

Or do you try to minimize the outside noise, if you will, and just convince him it's a football game, play between those hundred yard lines?

- Well, it's funny you said that Kevin.

'cause my first game on Tommy's staff, we were playing Wyoming on ESPN.

We the first game of the year.

And I was so nervous I couldn't even spit.

I had no water in my mouth and I was so tight.

But once we got on the field, and the kickoff, it was all about angles.

Everything's relative.

They had big players.

We had big players.

And so then it just becomes football.

And it was no different than coaching at Cramton Bowl, at Robert E. Lee or at St. Paul's.

It's just ball.

- Well Coach again, congratulations for getting to this point.

We're excited as we get ready for the Class 3A State Championship game.

He's coach Jimmy Perry with St. James.

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- [Announcer] Welcome back to the AmFirst pre-game show.

- We're here on the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium, getting ready for the 3A State Championship game, Piedmont and St. James.

We're here with Coach Bill Clark.

Coach, let's talk about these teams and what got them here.

Piedmont, again, no stranger to this stage, won two of the last three, including last year, four of the last seven.

And they've got a pretty special quarterback in Jack Hayes.

In fact, I think they ran outta paper in a copier machine listing all of his state records.

He owns four career records, passing yards, passing touchdowns, total offense, and touchdowns accounted for.

And he just set the passing yards record, passing a guy named JaMarcus Russell.

How good is Jack Hayes?

- Yeah, that's pretty good company.

Obviously if you go back and watch that championship game from last year where, you know, that was at Protective, our stadium.

And so I got to see him up close and personal and as Steve said earlier when you interviewed him, you know, this is a winner, you know, and he's a runner.

I mean, they've ran him a lot.

He's a passer and obviously somebody's gotta be on the other end of the line's gotta protect and make holes for him.

But he's a winner.

He's a done good football player.

- You mentioned that he can run the ball as well.

He's run for 1,378 yards this year, in addition to setting all of these passing records.

And this is a team obviously, because they've been here, and if they get down, they're not gonna panic, are they?

- No, and obviously that was, you know, you saw that last year, but I think that is a big deal.

You know, I could go back to when we showed up in '04 for our first championship game, you know, we were big eyed, you know, we were at Legion Field and I think having been here, that's an advantage.

And obviously to know that you can come back even, if it's a year ago, but you know, obviously they've had a special year this year to get here.

- I asked Coach Perry, you know, do you prepare your team for the difference in this venue?

The size of the stadium, the size of the jumbotron?

Things you don't normally see on a Friday night at your high school football games.

What was your philosophy in terms of getting ready for that ultimate game?

- Well, you know, you've played in a lot of big games, you've played with great crowds, you've not played with this expanse, and you're playing at a place that they've grown up watching.

You know, as a football player and a football fan, this is a big deal to you.

So that was why, you know, I had to learn it the hard way.

We came the night before, watched the game, saw what it looked like, got the feel for it, take pictures, you know, I mean, I didn't did that in college.

We tried to get there the day before, walk the field, take pictures, get the feel for it.

So you're not looking around game time.

- We're watching the, I guess we should call it the Bulldog Walk.

Piedmont and their fans entering the stadium.

One of the great parts of the State Championship games on campus is recreating the experience that you get at a UAV or an Alabama or an Auburn football game on Saturdays.

And there we see the St. James Trojans.

You know, it means something special to that school, that community.

As Coach Perry said, their very first trip to the State Championship game trying to win their very first State Championship.

And as good as Jack Hayes is at quarterback for Piedmont, St. James says a pretty special quarterback as well.

in KJ Jackson.

I love what Jimmy Perry said called him statuesque.

- (laughs) Yeah, yeah.

Different kind of guy, you know, I mean he's sounds like prototypical.

You know what you're supposed to look like, know he's a very good thrower.

They're balanced, you know, they have a good, you know, you got the guy to throw it and then you got the running back you hand it to him, but he's a good player.

Obviously Jimmy Perry, just like Steve Smith, another really good coach.

I've known both of them for years.

You know, congratulations to Jimmy to get his team here, as he said for the first time.

So that's a big deal.

- What makes them tick as coaches again, you know them well.

You've known them well for a long time.

They're both the winningest coach at their schools, so it tells you that they've established something there.

- Yeah, and I think you got two different, you know, two different philosophies, but both really good coaches.

Steve, I say is the perfect middle to small school coach.

He's the athletic director.

They win in all their sports, you know, and I'm sitting here looking at 'em now they've got, looks like every dang kid in the school out.

And that's what it looks like.

Jimmy, on the other hand, he was in big school football, he coached at Auburn and then, you know, has made his way back to the St. Paul's and now you know, this size school and you heard him talk about leaning on Steve.

You know, 'cause you do, and you try not to play guys both ways, but you know, you do have to share players and so there's a secret sauce in that at a smaller school, but obviously they've got big crowds out.

I know they play a lot of guys, so two really good coaches.

- You're very familiar with the Piedmont area.

What does football mean to that school and that community?

- You know, I think it's a big deal.

I think, you know, it goes back to, and you look, they've got a really good school.

I say this all the time when academics and athletics go hand in hand.

You know, I think Piedmont was one of the first places giving all their kids laptops, you know.

So they've got a great academic setting.

You've got a just a small community that's very close knit.

And I think then that's parlayed into their athletics, you know, and they've went out and built good facilities and maintained that.

And, you know, it shows in how they play.

And I always say if you, you know, if you invest in your school, you invest in your facilities, kids are gonna respond and that's gonna get 'em out, which is what we, me and you believe in, obviously.

We believe in our coach safety program.

Get out, be part of athletics and what it does for you and the whole community.

- Yeah, the values that it holds for young people.

I mean, studies have been done.

They do better in school.

They're more likely to go to college, they're more likely to be leaders, of course they're more physically fit, you know, they're more socially and mentally advanced to be able to handle adversity, which of course you're going to face.

I don't care how good a high school football team or program you have, you're always gonna face adversity.

And that's what Coach Safely is about.

And that's what both of these coaches seem to embody.

- Yeah and I wanna brag on, and obviously Jimmy as well, you know, what he's done at his place and this is a guy that understands what winning looks like.

You know, and we talk all the time about let's get every, you know, as a high school coach, I wanna get every kid out I could.

You know, how can we influence him?

You know, it's kind of a ministry, you know, that we wanna help these kids learn to be better people.

And of course, in all athletics, you know, this is boys and girls, but we're talking about specifically football, we're talking about young men.

Learn how to handle adversity, learn how to take coaching, learn how to play for the guy beside you.

All those things that are so great.

And then of course, when you win, it makes it that much better and then to get to play in a championship game.

And just like that walk, those little kids that are standing there.

I mean, how many Piedmont guys where maybe those guys in the line watching those kids come through that line, you know, the championship game said, hey, I wanna be that guy.

And now here they are today.

- It creates a winning culture.

- Correct.

- Quick question before we head to break, Coach.

St. James has won its playoff games by 47, 21, 25, and 28 points.

Any concern that if they don't get off to a quick start, that it could be a struggle?

- Yeah, you know, you just always, as a coach, you always were when you really hadn't faced that real test or where you had to come back.

Now, you know, sometimes you're just that good, you know, that you're just really that much better.

You never know how the bracket falls where maybe, you know, maybe the other competition aren't as good or maybe you're just that good that year.

So I'm sure that's something Coach Perry's probably maybe a little bit concerned and maybe he had in the regular season.

He had a few of those games.

So we'll see how that turns out.

- All right, my heart starting to beat a little faster, getting very, very close to kickoff.

You'll be carried throughout the game by Mickey Shadrix and Rick Rhoades upstairs.

We'll be back at halftime, and then for the post game, of course.

Thank you for joining us on the AmFirst pre-game show as we get ready again for the Class 3A State Championship game between Piedmont and St. James, right here on Alabama Public Television.

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- Welcome to the Alabama High School Athletic Associations football championships.

Congratulations to the 14 boys teams and the two girls flag football teams for making it to Auburn.

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It's time now for the Class 3A State Championship game as the Piedmont Bulldogs get set to take on the St. James Trojans from Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.

And good morning everyone, and welcome in to our continuing coverage of the Super Seven Football Championships.

Mickey Shadrix joined by coach Rick Rhoades.

And coach, we begin by stating the obvious.

It's no surprise that Piedmont is back in this position again.

They've dominated this classification with four of the last seven State Championships.

Meanwhile, St. James brings a good football team in here today, but this is their first appearance in this game.

- First time they've ever been past the quarter finals, as a matter of fact.

You know, you gotta be a pretty good football team to get here but you never know how you're gonna approach the big dance until you get to the dance.

So it's gonna be another exciting game.

- Well, if you like quarterbacks, you're gonna love this game today, which leads us into our impact layers.

- [Rick] Well first, Jack Hayes for Piedmont owns every conceivable quarterback record in the state of Alabama.

Can beat you with his legs and his arm.

You see those 37 touchdown passes which is outstanding.

KJ Jackson, the junior quarterback for St. James.

Strong young guy, a little bit more of a drop back passer.

He's got 37 touchdown passes as well.

- [Mickey] Well it may be morning time here in Auburn, but I tell you these fans in attendance are ready to go for the 3A State Championship game as we inch our way toward kickoff.

We'll check out keys to the game coming up next.

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- [Announcer] Want to give back to the student athletes in your community?

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- [Announcer] This message presented by the AHSAA.

- [Mickey] Back at Jordan-Hare Stadium, getting set for the 3A State Championship game, Piedmont and St. James.

You know, coach Rhoades, the old saying goes, if you want to be the best, you've gotta beat the best.

That's the challenge ahead today for St. James.

Let's take a look at our keys to this game.

- [Rick] Well, for Piedmont, I really think St. James is gonna try to pressure Hayes, which is a dangerous thing to try to do, but the Bulldogs are gonna have to protect him, give him time to throw and use those good legs.

Defensive balance.

What that means is they're gonna have to control the passing game, not give up the big play, and try to stop that run cold.

For St. James, this big play offense depends an awfully lot on the arm of Jackson and Cosner Harrison.

Their fine running back is a good one as well.

They'll try to have that balance.

Defensively, it's pretty simple.

You gotta stop Jack Hayes.

- [Mickey] Well, it is a chilly morning in Auburn, but we expect the action to heat up pretty quickly in this one.

The kickoff to the 3A State Championship game is coming up next.

- [Announcer] You're watching Alabama Public Television.

Broaden your horizons.

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I have such a pride in this state and I know that there's something I need to tell you that's of great importance.

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- [Mickey] And what would a football game in this stadium be without this scene, right?

The golden eagle landing on theater.

Time now for our coin toss presented by Children's of Alabama.

Captains for St. James and Piedmont down at the 50 yard line.

- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen please stand.

- [Mickey] So we will see who will win the toss here as we get set for the kickoff of the 3A State Championship game.

Also gonna send it down to the field momentarily and check in with the third member of our crew today, Susan Carruthers, who will join us for the call of this 3A State Championship game.

The first of three games today here at the Super Seven High School Football Championships from Auburn.

- [Rick] And we've got quite a matchup, I think, to start this one off.

- Yes - It's gonna be a very, very exciting one.

Lots of talent, of course the two best quarterbacks in 3A football to the very best, not in this state, but in a lot of states.

- [Mickey] Piedmont, of course, the defending 3A state champs.

By the way, they're one in one in State Championship games here in Auburn.

- All right, Piedmont, you'll be the visiting team.

St. James, you're the home team, okay?

Good luck to you today.

I'm gonna put in there.

Piedmont, you call it.

Let me know.

- [Captain] Tales.

- It is tales.

(crowd cheering) Tales.

What's it gonna be?

You're third.

Piedmont has the third ball.

Okay, you want to, and you wanna defend?

- [Captain] Back to this two.

- This two.

Okay.

Go ahead.

All right.

- [Referee] St. James, proceed.

Good luck, guys.

- [Mickey] Great sound from down on the field.

And Piedmont winning the toss, deferring into the second half.

Let's welcome in now down on the field.

Joining us for this 3A State Championship game, Susan Carruthers.

Good morning, Susan.

- Good morning guys from beautiful Pat Die Field.

I'll tell you what, the sun is warm down here, but the wind is whipping and it is very cold.

My takeaway from down here is just the vibe is electric, especially for the size of these schools.

They've brought great crowds, they are loud, they're excited.

I got to meet with both coaches at midfield while they were warming up.

And both coaches are hungry and say that their teams are ready.

Let's get to know those coaches a little bit more.

First of all, from Piedmont, coach Steve Smith.

He's in his 17th year at Piedmont and like you said, he's the defending state champion, returning for more.

Also from St. James, coach Jimmy Perry in his 11th year.

Now this is St. James first trip ever to the State Championship.

It's their 50th year to have a football season.

So a lot riding on this game for St. James as well.

- [Mickey] All right, thanks Susan.

Look forward to your reports from down on the field today in this 3A State Championship game.

Coach, you've been in on that end of things for many, many years.

Obviously you've been in championship games.

What are those two coaches feeling right now as we to get set to kick off?

- [Rick] Well, they wanna get started.

I can tell you this is the worst part of it.

All this preliminary up, you know, you gotta eat the pregame, you gotta stretch, you gotta have the coin toss.

But I mean, they wanna play, they wanna get this game started.

- [Mickey] And we are just moments away from doing that.

Again Piedmont winning the toss, they will defer until the second half and St. James will get the football first.

(whistle shrills) Our kickoff presented by the Department of Human Resources, changing lives throughout Alabama and off we go.

49 degrees and sunny as we get the 3A State Championship game underway from Jordan-Hare stadium.

- [Rick] Well, and that's exactly what you wanna do with that pooch kick right here.

You wanna negate the return game and try to drop that thing somewhere between the 20 and the 30, and executed very well by Piedmont.

And we'll get the first look at at this very, very exciting St. James offense, and that young man, KJ Jackson.

- [Mickey] He is the undisputed leader of this offense.

Just a junior, good size, good speed, and a good arm.

He is a left-hander.

And he is had quite a season so far.

They'll throw on first down, they go up top, they got a receiver wide open.

And that is Ethan Beard, his favorite target.

Beard getting behind the Piedmont Secondary, a breakdown in coverage on the first play of the game for the Bulldogs.

- [Rick] Well, you're gonna see that little drag right over the middle, which is gonna hold the safety and it puts the corner one on one.

And of course, he gets two steps on him right here.

And Eye points the ball, and makes a very nice adjustment to the throw, and St. James is off and running.

- [Mickey] Very aggressive play call.

First snap of the game for the Trojans.

What a start for KJ Jackson and company.

First down inside the Piedmont 35, here's the running play, Cosner Harrison, who was their all time leading rusher in school history as we take a look at the St. James starting offense.

And they average about 35 points a game.

And KJ Jackson of course the leader of this group.

- [Rick] Yeah, Harrison the year 1,524 yards, 6.3 yards of carrying 20 touchdowns.

- [Mickey] He had 165 yards rushing in three touchdowns in the semifinal win last week over Mobile Christian.

It is second down.

It's the handoff again to Harrison.

Piedmont defending it.

The play well that time as Luke Rhinehart helping out on the tackle.

Let's take a look at the Piedmont defense.

And this is a group that's giving up only 14 points a game coming into this State Championship game.

Very solid unit for coach Steve Smith.

We got a flag before the snap on third and three.

- All sides, offense.

Five yard penalty.

So third down.

- [Mickey] All right coach, I've done enough games with you to know how that type of call just has to rub the coach the wrong way.

- [Rick] Oh well, you could see right there the reaction from Coach Perry on the sideline now.

You know, you go from a third down and two to three to third and eight.

That huge, especially on this end of the field.

Those unforced errors just drive you crazy.

- [Mickey] Rarely do you see an offsite call against the offense.

Third and eight.

Here's the rollout by Jackson.

Passes away.

It's too high.

It was intended for Clint Houser right around the first down marker, but it's incomplete.

So here we go with a early decision for Coach Perry on fourth and eight.

- [Rick] I got a feeling they'll go right here.

You know, that time Jackson had to kinda wind up his throw a little bit.

Anytime you have to do that, rather than load up that backside, that ball's gonna sail on you.

And that's exactly what that one did.

- [Mickey] And they will indeed line up to go for it on fourth down and eight.

- [Rick] Keep an eye on Beard right here.

Number two.

- [Mickey] From the Piedmont 32, Jackson, stands in the pocket and it is incomplete.

Too high once again intended again for Clint Houser.

So that'll end this drive for St. James that began so promising with the long first down pass from Jackson to Beard.

And Piedmont will come out on offense.

First in 10.

- [Rick] They went back to the play that they started the game with, but that time through the little dig route over the middle, but very well defended.

Piedmont had a safety sitting right in the middle of the field and just know where to go with the throw.

And a really good stop by Piedmont after a promising first drive for St. James.

- [Mickey] And coach Steve Smiths will send his offense out on the field led by quarterback, Jack Hayes, who is making his 60th and final start in a Piedmont uniform.

His coach Rhoades mentioned, he holds just about every record you can hold in the state of Alabama.

Their first play, though, is a negative play.

Good defensive play there by St. James.

Here's a look at the Piedmont offense.

It all centers around quarterback, Jack Hayes.

They've also got a very good offensive line.

He talked to other coaches who have played Piedmont and they always seem to start by talking about Gurley and McDaniels.

And those guys up front at how well they they block and how aggressive they stay with their blocks.

And of course Jack Hayes as effective as he is.

Second down in 13.

Quick pass out in the flat is complete to Parker Thornton.

But a very short game.

And I tell you Coach Rhoades, we're gonna look at the St. James defense.

This group is giving up about 16 points a game.

But Piedmont coach Steve Smith told me yesterday that he feels like this Trojan defense is the best, most sound defense that he has played in his time at Piedmont.

- [Rick] Well, of course Jimmy Perry's background is as a defensive coach.

You know, he was part of the staff at Robert E. Lee back in the eighties when they had that great run.

And he's always been around really good defenses.

So they're gonna be sound, not the biggest defense of the world, but they move real well.

- [Mickey] Third and 10, Jack Hayes takes off.

He could hurt you this way and Hayes is gonna have first down yardage and more.

And he always finishes the run with a...

He doesn't ever slide coach, that's for sure as Ziggy Holloway of St. James found out at the end of that play.

- [Rick] He's a finesse guy.

(Mickey laughing) Well, of course this is the most dangerous play in football.

You cover everything extremely well and what happens?

The quarterback pulls it down and runs for 10 yards and then says hello at the end of the play.

Now a little bit about Jack Hayes if I can here Mickey, just for a second.

Here are the records he holds.

TD Passes, total TDs, total yards, and passing yardage.

He is the all timer record holder for all four of those categories in this state.

He has had some kind of career.

- [Mickey] And we can't talk about that enough because those numbers are staggering.

Jack Hayes, what a career.

And he goes deep and throws a strike downfield to Raleigh Pento.

And that is the first big passing play of the game for Piedmont.

- [Rick] Well, that's very similar to what we saw St. James.

They run an inside crossing route to hold the safety and then drop that post right on the money, right over that outside shoulder.

Impossible defend.

And I tell you what, I feel like we're watching the old AFL right here, man.

They're balls in the air going everywhere.

- Pinto getting behind Ethan Beard.

And so Piedmont, their first trip into the Alabama Votes Red Zone presented by the Alabama Secretary of State.

First down at the 13.

And here goes Hayes on the keep, ducks his head and his four progress will be halted at about the eight yard line, but still a five yard pickup on first down for Piedmont.

- [Rick] Well just a crushing block by number 10, Parker Thornton.

I mean he is going to...

He's right in the right center of your screen.

And he says hello right there to Ethan Beard, and sets up this very, very fine run by Jack Hayes.

Boy that was a pop right there.

- [Mickey] Second down in five for Piedmont.

Bulldogs knocking on the door looking to try to score first in this one, but a flag comes in before the snap.

- [Rick] Looks like both teams are playing off the same script.

- [Official] Seven.

Number seven, approach me.

- All sides.

Defense.

- Nope.

(crowd cheering) - Five yard penalty.

Still second down.

- [Rick] I thought at first that was on Piedmont for a procedure.

- [Mickey] And Coach Perry.

- [Referee] Correction, you'd be first down.

- [Mickey] Upset obviously with the call.

That will make it first in goal for Piedmont, right at about the three yard line.

Hayes takes the snap keeps and he's gonna get into the end zone for the Department of Human Resources touchdown.

- [Rick] Nifty little scheme right there.

Put the wing to the wide side of the field, had a man advantage back to the weak side, and ran the quarterback power.

Of course, anytime you're on the quarterback, it is like playing with 12 men 'cause there's nobody wasted, handing the ball off.

- [Mickey] And time now for the electric co-ops of Alabama extra point attempt.

This is Sloane Smith, the senior kicker for the Bulldogs, out of a hole from Thomas Probes.

Good snap, they get it down, and the kick is up and it is right through there.

So Piedmont strikes first in this one, as they take it downfield and conclude the drive.

This Jack Hayes touchdown.

Good blocking in there, coach.

- [Rick] Yeah, he really did.

Watch Both backs lead through block down, kick out, lead through.

Classic goal line offense right there.

And that gentleman's been there before.

- [Mickey] And here's a look at your Aldot scoring drive.

Very impressive.

Six plays, 68 yards, three minutes, 23 seconds.

Of course the big play, Jack Hayes connecting with Raleigh Pento on the long pass play.

So vintage Piedmont here, coach, in this first quarter of the 3A State Championship.

First impressions?

- [Rick] Piedmont looks very comfortable in this setting.

St. James is still trying to, I think get their foot in just a little bit.

- [Mickey] And of course coach Steve Smith, as Susan talked about in our pre-game in his 17th season.

You know, he took over in 2006, and I say this every time I do a Piedmont game.

The job he has done at Piedmont High School in my opinion is as an remarkable a head coaching job as any coach in the state of Alabama.

That program went from basically just an average program at that time to competing for State Championships every year.

And there you see the big pass play from Jack Hayes to Raleigh Pinto and then Jack Hayes with the touchdown.

- [Rick] Well, they've done such a good job of building this offense around Hayes.

But I mean, you know, he's not the whole story now.

I mean, that offensive line was great.

There's a great catcher right there backs.

You know, they block for each other.

You know, coach Smith is an interesting guy.

You know, I recruited him years and years ago.

Ended up going to Jacksonville State.

I told him the other day when I wrote him, I said, just think how much better it'd been if you gone to Troy.

He didn't think that was too funny.

- [Mickey] And this pass is picked off by Piedmont.

That was Jake Austin breaking in front of the intended receiver, picking off the pass of KJ Jackson.

- [Rick] Well, anytime you throw the corner route, that flat to the boundary, you've gotta lead the receiver back towards your bench.

That ball hung in the air and really was a little bit to the inside and gave the safety a great chance to break on it.

And that's exactly what happens.

You see he steps right in front of that throw and just an ill-advised throw right there.

And a nice, nice play on the other end by Jake Austin.

- [Mickey] Let's give a little kudos to Luke Rhinehart as well, the junior linebacker.

He had the pressure on Jackson, it forced the air and throws.

So the Bulldog offense right back out there, first down, good field position at their 46.

Jack Hayes takes off.

Big run up the middle and he picks up 13 yards all the way to the St. James 40.

And coach, you know, you talk about those records, but when you look at what Jack Hayes is able to do, not only is he effective quarterback in the traditional sense of throwing the football, he's basically their running game.

- [Rick] Well and the thing about it is, is I mentioned a little bit about this earlier.

When it's a wildcat type deal, you're not handing a ball off to anybody.

You've got an extra blocker.

It's like playing with 12 men.

And it's a huge advantage when you've got a guy that is prolific a runner as Jack Hayes is.

I mean he averages 7.5 yards of care, has 1,300 yards coming into this game rushing.

- [Mickey] And first down another run by Hayes and he picks up about four yards before he is met by Pruitt Connor.

Let's send it down to the field to check in once again with Susan.

- Hey guys, it's worth noting as Piedmont dominates his first quarter, coach Steve Smith's haircut, he's got a pretty epic mullet and that is the result of a deal he made with his team last year.

If they won state, he would grow a mullet.

He's still growing it today.

I asked him what the deal was gonna be if they won this game.

He said he wasn't sure yet.

But not to remind the team.

(Rick laughing) - [Mickey] Yeah, coach Smith has...

I've known him a long time as you have, I've never seen that hairdo.

- [Rick] Well.

I have.

I think the lead singer of The Journey had that hair cut back in 1984.

But hey, you know what?

We'll win.

You grow your hair, deal.

(laughs) - [Mickey] And there you see the run there from Cody Holloway, his first carry of the day, the senior.

Picking up maybe a yard to the 40 or should say the 36 gonna set up a third down at five.

You know, coach Smith has a great relationship with his players.

They love playing for him.

He's a very unique coach in that.

If you notice he doesn't wear headsets.

He has his quarterback run all the way to the sidelines and send the play in on every single play.

I talked to him about the headset issue.

He said, you know, I feel like if your preparation is good, I would just prefer not to have all the noise in my ear during the game.

- [Rick] Well, there's something to be said for that.

You know, I think sometimes when we see a post-route right on the money.

(crowd cheering) Great break on the ball though, late.

- [Mickey] Nice job breaking that up by Holloway.

Take a look at it again, coach.

- [Rick] Watch Holloway coming from the right side of your screen, makes the head and brings that left arm up and through the hands to separate those hands off the ball.

Just really, really good.

Out of phase pass coverage.

- [Mickey] And there's coach Smith with no headsets giving his quarterback to play.

He also told me, he said, look, I've got a guy that's been playing for me for five years.

He said it every time he comes over to me to get the play, it's almost like a mini time out.

We have a chance to chat for a second and I love to hear what he has to tell me.

He said, most of the time Jack Hayes is telling him what play he wants to run.

And the fourth down passes incomplete.

Receiver had his hands on it.

That was Thomas Probes.

By the way, son of legendary coach Rush Probes.

- [Rick] And that ball was a little bit short.

Hayes really didn't load up his backside real well on that one.

Just short armed it just a little bit, could have been caught.

But not to throw.

I'm sure that he wanted a big, big stop for the St. James Trojans.

- [Mickey] And you could tell by the reaction from Coach Smith, that's a huge play because the drive stalls, St. James is able to get the ball back after the interception.

Back to Jordan-Hare.

(whistle shrills) We're going to keep it right here.

4:24 left here in our first quarter.

And a big stop there on fourth down by this St. James defense to get the football back.

First down handoff is to Cosner Harrison.

And I know, coach, they'd love to get the running game going with this young man.

- [Rick] Yeah, I think that's a real important part of this right here.

And I think this is a real, real key part of this game right here.

You know, a big stop for St. James.

If they can get something going here and get some points on the board, that could change the complexion of this game a whole lot.

- [Mickey] So KJ Jackson throwing the interception on the last series.

Got his offense back out there thanks to the fourth down stop by his defense.

And here is Harrison, got a nice hole and was just tripped up or he might still be running.

That was a nice shoestring tackle by senior Trent Young of Piedmont.

- [Rick] Yeah, good vision.

He saw a nice cut back there on the zone plane.

I thought he was gonna spit through there and get loose in the secondary.

But that young man right there made, as you said the shoestring tackle right there.

- [Mickey] He had two arms getting in there.

Oh, give Brody some credit as well.

Third down, it's short.

Possession play here.

And they go back to their big running back, Harrison.

And he's gonna rumble forward for first down yardage inside Piedmont territory.

- [Rick] Well, that's the double pole power right there.

And a nice job of cutting it back and picking up that big first down as Harrison's looking for a little blower right there.

- [Mickey] And again, Harrison, the leading rusher in school history for St. James.

Having himself a pretty good first quarter.

Here is, he's up to 15 yards, rushing.

Pass is away and caught as Jackson connects with his receiver.

That was number six, Ziggy Holloway.

And that is a gain of seven.

- [Rick] Yeah, you know, Holloway had 26 catches on the year, but the number that really stands out to you is that 25.2 yards per catch average, which is just outstanding.

And that was a big catch right there.

Sets some up now.

You know, this part of the field.

Second down two, you can do about anything you want to right here.

- [Mickey] Correct, sir.

Cosner Harrison, now five carries, 24 yards.

It stays out of the game here on second three.

Jackson delivers a strike to Beard and Beard fighting for yardage after the catch.

They're gonna spot him just inside the 30.

And that is another first down for St. James.

- [Rick] Beard's not the biggest guy, five seven, 140.

But he ran right through that initial tackle and picked up down another extra four yards after the catch.

- [Mickey] So what this Trojan team seems to have awoken after that stop by their defense.

The offense trying to keep the momentum alive inside the Piedmont 30.

Jackson goes up top toward the end zone and overthrows Holloway, who had a step on the defender.

- [Rick] Just a little bit overthrown right here just a straight flyer out and had a couple of steps.

- [Mickey] KJ Jackson, boy, he throws a nice, nice ball too, coach.

Tight spiral.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

You know, you throw for 2,400 yards and 37 touchdowns, you're gonna have a nice spiral too.

(laughs) - [Mickey] Second down in 10.

They go back to Harrison.

Big hole up the middle.

And Harrison spins his way inside the 20.

Tackle made by Jake Austin.

That is very near a first down.

- [Rick] Yeah, and that's the best looking inside run that they've had today.

This is the Reed Zone ceiling down.

You see those blue shirts are walling off the inside of that Piedmont offensive line.

And good tough inside running by Harrison as well.

- [Mickey] Close enough for a measurement, so they will bring the chains out onto the field.

I tell you know, we've mentioned getting Harrison more involved, coach.

And number five is now six carries 34 yards in this first quarter.

We'll take a break.

Return to Jordan-Hare in just a moment.

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- [Mickey] And back at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

And time to take a look at our children's of Alabama Super Seven schedule.

It all got underway yesterday.

You see the flag football championship, kind of a mixed day for Auburn yesterday.

They won the flag football championship but then lost to Thompson last night in the 7A State Championship game.

Of course, today we've got three games on tap.

The 3A State Championship game between Piedmont and St. James.

Also, 1A and 5A are today.

Then coming up tomorrow, you've got your 4A, 2A, and 6A State Championship games.

All live right here at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.

It's third and inches after the measurement.

And Jackson keeps and he's gonna be tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

A great play by Luke Rhinehart.

We called his name several times already here in this first period.

- [Rick] Nice stunning inside move by him to that play in the back field.

That's gon' bring up a fourth and two.

You can see this is really the quarterback off tackle and you can see that stunning inside move unblocked.

And this brings up a very dicey fourth and two right here.

It's got St. James by a few balls.

- [Mickey] Nice play by the junior, Luke Rhinehart.

This is third tackle here in this first quarter.

So here's the field goal.

They'll spot it down at the 30.

So a 40 yard attempt from Jake Huff.

It's got plenty of distance and it is good.

So St. James on the scoreboard with the 40 yard field goal.

Piedmont now leads it at seven to three here.

Very late in the first quarter.

- [Rick] Well, they almost had to get something out of that drive.

And this makes this a little bit of a new ball game right here, Mickey.

Impressive stop.

Good drive, points on the board.

And now we'll see if Piedmont can answer.

You know, this game is about that.

This even statistically too.

81 total yards offense for Piedmont, 86 for turn.

- [Mickey] And what a turnaround too from the interception that, for a moment it looked like Piedmont.

It's potentially gonna go up by two scores in the first quarter.

But the big fourth down stop by coach Perry's defense and his offense able to come down and get their first points.

- [Rick] Remember playing December.

That's the goal of every high school team in this state.

And really in every high school football program in this country.

Of course, we see the best of the best here during this Super Seven.

- [Mickey] And so Jake Huff, who just connected on the field goals will set to kick it off.

Kickoff presented by the Department of Human Resources.

And it is a deep kick that will bounce into the end zone for a touchback.

So Piedmont's offense will come back out on the field with 35 seconds to play here in the first quarter.

And there is the scoring drive presented by Aldot.

Again, it covered 42 yards and nine plays and ending with the 40 yard field goal by Jay Huff.

- [Rick] And this is a worst field position that Piedmont has had in a while starting in their own 20.

You know, this is like a championship game supposed to be.

It's kind of back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, on two really good football teams getting after each other.

And it does seem the St. James has kind of settled into this game, you know, a little bit.

- [Mickey] We mentioned at the top of the telecast about this being the first time that St. James has played on this stage.

Piedmont used to being in this game.

Jack Hayes, again, a big game on first down.

Eight yard pickup, making it second and short.

And you gotta love Colin Clays when you're in second and two, right?

Like they'd get much better than that.

- [Rick] And I see Hayes coming out.

- [Mickey] And that may be the final play of the first quarter as Piedmont does not have to snap it and they will not.

So that'll take us to the end of the first quarter in the 3A State Championship game.

It's the defending champs from Piedmont with a seven point lead over St. James.

We're back to Jordan-Hare stadium in just a moment.

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(upbeat invigorating music) - The famous goal line stand, one of the most celebrated moments in Alabama sports history.

The Tide was leading the 1979 Sugar Bowl when Penn State moved the ball to within 10 inches of the goal line.

Barry Krause and Marty Lyons leaped over the pile to stop Nittany Lyons running back Mike Goman and preserve the Tides victory.

The win handed coach Paul Bear Bryant, his fifth national championship.

- [Mickey] One quarter in the books at the 3A State Championship game.

It is the defending champs from Piedmont with a seven to three lead over the St. James Trojans.

By the way, moments ago there you see the left hand of Jack Hayes suffering some type of cut, had the hand attended to on the sideline, and I'm sure he'll be back ready to go here for the second quarter.

And we'd like to welcome into the broadcast booth now.

Coach Rhoades, I know a long time friend of both of ours, Jack Crow, who is the founder and chairman of the Coach Safely Foundation.

And Coach, welcome into the booth, and glad to have you with us.

- Got a history with both of you guys, on the field and off.

And just honored to be with you.

- Well, let's start off as we get ready for the second quarter, we're gonna keep you around to get some thoughts on the game as well.

But we want to talk about the Coach Safely Foundation.

I know I was around you, I think at the time you were starting to really launch this project.

- It's 10 years old and it started off as not what it is today, but just building some policy, you know.

And so it got to be where it was a little more substantial over time.

And now it's become funded by the state of Alabama through the Educational Trust Fund and other entities such as Alabama Power, Southeast Alabama Gas, Power South.

We're really good friends with the public providers because it is a public initiative to keep kids safe.

And specifically to the game of football, take some of the apprehension outta mamas when they wonder whether they'll let their children's play.

But it is all sports.

Football sort of carries too much of the burden for injury by the way, wouldn't you say, coach?

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Jack] And so we try to get that message out there too to where it's all sports, it's all injuries.

It's not just concussions, it's heat illness, it's overuse injuries.

Dr. James Andrews is the founder and, you know, pretty much his pitch.

- [Rick] That's a pretty good hand to have on board.

(laughs) - [Mickey] Jack Hayes picking up a yard on first down.

Coach, you know, I know a lot of rules have changed over the years in the sport of football, which is obviously trying to make the game safer.

But I think, I know when you and I talked in the beginning of this project, I think a lot of this has to start at the coaching level, doesn't it?

- [Jack] It does, you know, and I tell you we're coaches, and ours is a 14 and under initiative 'cause, great throw.

- [Mickey] I say that left hand's okay.

- [Jan] Oh lord.

Yeah.

This guy is like a Wishbone quarterback.

I can get into this.

(giggles) He's a running throw guy.

(laughs) - [Rick] Right.

This is gonna be an out at about eight yards and this is a laser focus right here.

- [Jack] Oh, man.

- [Rick] Now, you know, coach Crow the founder of the eastern version of the triple option offense.

(Jack laughing) A lot of people don't know that.

You know, Emery Billard owns everything from the east coast of Texas West.

- Oh, you too kind.

- But this man right here is the Eastern version.

- [Mickey] Look, if you keep going, I'm just gonna slow down, okay.

- [Jack] Lemme tell you what.

Coach Smith knows a lot more than I know, let me tell you that.

So, wherever it was at one time, it's in his hands now, coach.

(laughs) - [Rick] You know, his version is he does pretty well, that's for sure.

- Yeah, he does.

He does.

- [Mickey] And coach what, I know we're gonna hop around, I know we're gonna talk about different things here, but I want your comments on Jack Hayes.

What's your thoughts on him?

- [Jack] Old Tommy.

Old Tommy.

You know, some of these guys you, we don't know if you could plug him in back to the 1975 version.

You could plug him in 1975 version, I think.

(laughs) - [Mickey] Yeah, he would do just well in a lot of offenses.

And of course the best thing about him is, is you know, he finds a way to win.

- [Jack] Oh yeah.

You know, you and I, coach, I mean, it really is what's inside their hearts and their minds.

That's what's really playing out there.

The bodies are just the tools they use.

And you can see it in him.

I'm sure there's a lot more of 'em out there, but you can see it in him, that's for sure.

- [Mickey] Hayes goes down field just over the head of Probes who was well covered at around the 15 yard line.

Flag on the play, though.

- [Jack] Talk about injuries.

Probes is playing with a screw in his hand.

You know, that's Rush's son.

- [Rick] Well, knowing his daddy, he may not have much choice, so.

- [Jack] I don't think he did.

(laughs) - [Rick] Just kidding, Rush.

Just kidding.

(laughs) - Defense.

That's a 15 yard penalty.

First down.

- [Jack] You know what?

I think mama's coaching this game, not dad.

- [Rick] I think that very well may be right there.

- [Mickey] Coach, let's take a look at the interference here on the play.

- [Rick] Yeah, you can see that left hand is wrapped around the waist right there.

A little bumping before that.

And that's a big call.

- [Jack] That is a big call.

But those calls are, you know, they change the game.

- [Mickey] Gives Piedmont a first down inside the St. James 30.

Pace, flag before the snap again.

- [Jack] These guys are playing for their dreams that'll stay with 'em the rest of their lives.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

Absolutely.

- Dead ball.

False start on the offense.

Five yard penalty.

- [Rick] Those unforced errors.

- [Jack] Yeah.

- [Mickey] Hey coach, let's go back to something that you mentioned about mama's not feeling so apprehensive about letting little Johnny go out for football.

I think the work you're doing is very important to the longevity of the sport, right.

- [Jack] I think it is.

I'm also the vice chair of the National Council of Youth Sports, which is like the NCAA of all your sports.

So I get a lot of statistics and the statistics for football are headed in the wrong direction.

I mean, and we get our numbers from people that sell 'em equipment and you know, when you see youth football helmet sales going down, I mean, pretty much tells you.

And so the data is saying we're in about an 8% decline a year.

That's a dangerous number.

And that's, you know, that's from the sporting industry.

But I do think that things like Coach Safely... You know, there's an old slogan that we borrow somebody and use.

What parent would lead their child at a swimming pool without a lifeguard?

Basically has become a format for leaving them on any field, in any sport.

You know, do they really trust that person?

And we're trying to help build that trust.

- [Mickey] Second down at 15, Jack Hayes gets the pass away.

Nice back shoulder throw complete.

- [Jack] This guy's good.

- [Mickey] 25 yard line.

- [Jack] This guy is good.

- [Rick] You know, I'm not real sure that wasn't a re-route there.

That was a little bit of a wheel route to the outside.

A lot of heat in the kitchen there before he threw as well.

But it looked that Hayes did a great job of reading the coverage and just knew the receiver was gonna pull it up.

Very sophisticated.

- [Jack] It's very sophisticated.

There's a lot of colleges that don't pull that off.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Mickey] They rule it incomplete, unfortunate there for Piedmont as Parker Thornton was out of bounds.

- [Rick] Yeah, you saw that foot, right?

Right on the white.

- [Mickey] That'll make it third down at 15 for Piedmont.

- [Rick] Still a heck of a play.

It just didn't count.

- [Mickey] Yes, and potentially four down territory here for Coach Smith.

And a flag again.

- [Jack] Oh Lord.

Time out, though.

- [Mickey] Oh what time out before the snap.

- [Jack] Yep.

- Time out.

- [Jack] I'll say this.

And you're been in Alabama communities recruiting and coaching.

I coached in high school too, and you had a couple stops, I had a couple of stops.

And you know what you have at the end of the day when two teams show up here is a result of that community.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Jack] And the community of Piedmont, which I know 'cause Jacksonville is right up the road.

I'm telling you, those people in that community, they think football is a tool of building character for their citizenship.

I mean, that's the way they build their emphasis and spend their money.

And that's what you get is you get these kids that are, you know, they've been well taken care of.

- [Rick] And that's what makes Alabama, Alabama.

- [Jack] Absolutely does.

- [Rick] I mean, high school football's an integral part of all the communities in this state, but especially in the smaller towns, right.

- [Jack] No question.

- [Rick] And you see the benefits and the proof of it right out here on display today.

- [Jack] Right.

Private school's a little different, but in these other schools, it starts with the mayor, you know.

- [Rick] Oh yeah, absolutely.

- [Jack] It starts with the superintendent.

- [Rick] I mean, to get to this point.

And this is the great thing about it.

All entities have to work together.

- [Jack] Absolutely.

- [Rick] You just simply cannot get there another way.

- [Jack] Absolutely, and the private communities build the same kinda authority and prioritize football is one of their priorities.

- [Rick] Well in the private school, I mean, you know, they're more or less on their own you know.

- [Jack] Yeah, they are.

- [Rick] Families have to come together and it takes a lot of sacrifice to get to this level.

- [Mickey] Third and 15, Jack Hayes looking downfield.

He'll throw deep and it is batted down, incomplete down at the five yard line.

- [Jack] Actually I think without the other receiver bringing the other defender in there, that might have been a different outcome.

- [Mickey] I think Raleigh Pinto was the intended receiver and he had a lot of congestion over there.

- [Jack] Yeah, I think Probes may be fixing to that catch or having a really good chance.

- [Rick] Yeah, it's gonna be a one on one deal.

And the crossing route did bring the safety right over into the picture and he's the one that knocked the ball down.

- [Jack] That was an extended play.

And people tend to get out of the structure of the play when they're extended like that.

And sometimes it works the advantage and that time it didn't.

- [Mickey] So here's fourth and 15.

The Bulldogs will indeed go for it.

Four receivers and the formation for Jack Hayes.

Goes downfield.

Nice adjustment and catch by Probes inside the 15 yard line.

That'll be a first down Piedmont.

- [Jack] Really making his mama proud on that one.

- [Rick] That's really a well-designed play.

- [Jack] Really was.

- [Rick] They ran a little skinny post to clear out the deep coverage.

Probes is gonna run a sail route.

You know, watch him come from left to right on your screen and that ball is thrown right where you want to, right between the ash and the numbers at about 18 yards.

A great call.

Nice throwing.

A great catch Piedmont.

- [Jack] He's taller than his daddy.

(laughs) - [Rick] He's got better hands than his daddy too.

- [Jack] Well he's got a screw in his hands.

(laughs) - [Rick] Well he's got better hands.

- [Jack] Man, that's pretty impressive.

- [Mickey] First down, Jack Hayes on the keep right up the middle.

Give him about five yards inside the tent.

In the Alabama votes red zone.

Are the Piedmont Bulldogs for the second time today?

- [Rick] Well, you know, this particular style of offense that is so quarterback oriented in the running game is especially tough in the red zone.

- [Jack] It really is.

This is what separates Red Zone success a lot of time is exactly what you said.

- [Rick] You know, because down here it gets down though to man or man.

- [Jack] And if you've got a pocket passing and that's all induced in a pocket, you're the big.

That's why you see people in college football go for two really early 'cause they know over time, the one with the best running quarterback's gonna win down there.

- [Mickey] Second down at four.

Hayes again, hurdles over one would be tackler and he gets just inside the fire.

- [Jack] We're filling up the box, so.

- [Rick] Well they've got everybody in the box right now except the superintendent of schools.

(Jack laughing) - [Mickey] And the replay.

- [Rick] You see those safeties.

I mean, they're on the line of scrimmage, linebacker fills.

- [Jack] And one disadvantage to having such a deep snap, it takes a long time to sustain those blocks.

They actually had people coming off that had blockers on 'em.

They may say, why didn't they block somebody?

They had 'em blocked.

They just, they came off blocks.

It takes a long time to get from that deep up in there.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes already up 74 yards rushing on 11 carries here in this first half.

Third down in two.

Hayes, again, ducks his head and is gonna be very close.

I think just short of the first down though.

- [Rick] Tried to bounce it outside, but I think maybe he'd been a little better off if he would've maybe gotten north and south a little bit sooner and tried to cut inside.

- [Jack] I think you on that one.

- [Rick] I think he wanted to sting that defender a little bit.

- [Jack] Yeah.

He runs like he doesn't mind contacting.

(laughs) - [Rick] No, no.

I think kinda likes it actually.

- [Mickey] Yeah, Coach, he doesn't slide.

He doesn't slide.

- [Jack] I always call these kind of quarterbacks.

I had one here named Jeff Berger here at Auburn.

- I remember him.

- And he know he could have walked over and played linebacker.

- [Rick] Yeah.

He was another finesse guy.

- [Jack] Yeah.

(laughs) - [Rick] Right, Coach, for one, what's your call here?

- [Jack] Oh, number seven.

But I give him some options man.

Don't let it be, you know.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes on the fourth down keep.

It's gonna be a touchdown.

- Oh, right!

- [Mickey] We're in that power left that time and really did a nice job of rowing that pile out of there.

And Hayes got right behind those blockers, lowered those pads.

Impressive Drive.

- [Jack] And I think he hit to hold just a little bit faster and really, you know, it was a little more direct and downhill and gave him a little bit more when he got there 'cause they had a lot of people there.

- [Mickey] So Jack Hayes two rushing touchdowns today and giving him.

- [Rick] He's got 74 yards.

- [Mickey] Ah.

Giving him 221 total touchdowns in his high school career.

- [Rick] 78 yards now on the day.

- [Mickey] They are taking a look at the previous one.

- [Jack] This is almost single wing football we're looking at here.

- Pretty close.

- Pretty close.

And he is... - [Rick] You know, you can't use that term anymore.

It's wildcat football - [Jack] Ooh.

Well, I appreciate it, coach.

(Rick laughing) My 10 years have been out the fires the.

- [Official] Previous play of a touchdown.

- [Mickey] The officials wanna take a look.

So we will as well.

See what you think, guys.

- [Rick] I tell you, here's what I think.

I think he landed on the defender, and then rolled into the end zone.

- [Jack] Is that, as they say, enough to reverse the call?

- [Mickey] He lands on the defender but doesn't touch the ground until right there where the ball's breaking the plane.

- [Rick] I think he rolls off the defender and goes into the end zone.

Anyway, that's my story.

I'm sticking to it, so.

- [Jack] Well, you know, his shoulder pad, if that was the first thing he hit the ground was when his shoulder hit the ground.

I don't think the ball was up over his shoulder pads at that point.

So I'll take, you know, I'll make an argument out of it, but we're not arguing.

- [Rick] Good point.

(Jack laughing) - [Mickey] All right.

Let's look again.

- [Rick] All right.

He's rolling.

Pad has not hit the ground yet.

And I think the ball is crossed the plane.

Pat hits.

- [Jack] It is.

I agree with you.

I think pad hits the ground.

- After further review, the rolling on field stands.

Touchdown.

(crowd cheering) - [Jack] I think it's right call.

The one thing...

Here's what I start doing when a guy, you got a guy like this.

You got Ibo Jackson for example.

You know, you got a tool and you're about to use this tool to the very end of this game.

But right about now, you start thinking about how many times does this guy carry the ball and how much more is gonna be left.

'cause this game's gonna be a four quarter game.

- [Rick] Oh yeah.

- [Jack] And what is gonna be left in his tank?

I mean, what are we at?

20 carries.

Somebody got this somewhere.

- [Mickey] And the extra point.

No good.

We'll step aside for a timeout as we go to break another look at the touchdown.

Jack Hayes and his Piedmont Bulldogs with a 13 three lead.

- [Official] Time out.

(siren blaring) - As a paramedic, you wouldn't believe the things that we've seen.

- I've seen all types of horrible things.

- I mean, we're there basically picking up the pieces from your worst day.

- Everyone is just driving and not paying attention.

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All of us want to go home alive and safe and harm nobody else in the process.

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(whimsical music) - Be a great coach.

We need you.

- Our kids need you.

- Motivate them.

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- Pay attention and know the facts.

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- Coach safely.

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- [Jana] Coach Safely, win without losses.

- [Mickey] And before the game today down on the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

I tell you, you got Bill Clark, Rush Probes, down talking before the game.

Of course, Coach Probes has a couple of kids playing for Piedmont and those two did battle in the Super Seven State Championships in the past as well.

I know you guys know 'em very well.

- [Rick] Oh yeah.

And two good friends too, you know.

Rush I think helped build with his program when he was out of coaching.

And of course Rush is here as a parent today.

- [Jack] Yeah, and they have one seed is they both played for Reagan Clark Bill's Day.

And so they are both the seed for a tree, well Lou Scales coached Reagan, you know who coached Lou Scales?

- [Rick] Oh, yeah.

- [Jack] You go all the way back to Frank Thomas is what you do, which goes all the way back to New Rockney.

So there's a seed that was planted and football was talked to those guys from a long generations ago.

- [Rick] If you start talking about the coaching trees in this state, this would be a very long breakfast.

- [Jack] Yeah, it sure would.

Yep.

- [Mickey] And here's a look at the scoring dry presented by Aldot.

13 plays, 80 yards, six minutes, 35 seconds, capped off with the second rushing touchdown of the day by Jack Hayes.

- [Rick] You know, coach Crow you mentioned about, you know, how do you use, you know, Jack Hayes and Bo Jackson.

Just to throw another name in there, Major Ogilvy.

I had him his senior year at Mountain Brook.

And in the Six State Championship game that actually was 4A, 'cause of smaller class kids.

And 38 carries for 330 yards.

- [Jack] Did you go into the game thinking you were gonna run 38 times?

- [Rick] Yes.

Yeah.

'cause our quarterback was hurt and we knew we were gonna have to.

I didn't think he would be 38, but I knew had to run him a lot.

- [Jack] You started getting nervous when you got past 30 wondering?

- [Rick] Not really, no, because he was getting about nine yards of carry.

So I didn't get very nervous.

- [Jack] Well, here's what I found out of, and I never had one of these, but when I realized that I was coaching who I was coaching and Bo wasn't really supposed...

There was a lot of people chasing the ball on that one.

Bo didn't come here as a great running back.

He came here because Alabama told him he was a linebacker.

So even when we had him, we didn't know what we had.

So we're beginning to learn what we got, and I started looking at Herschel.

And I taught Herschel in everything he ever did.

Well, let's watch these guys now finish this.

- [Mickey] First house, St. James.

- [Jack] They gotta respond here with something, you know, after that.

- [Mickey] Good fill position after the penalty and the re-kick on the kickoff and here is Jackson on the keep and he ducks his head and picks up about three yards up to the 49.

- [Rick] Yeah, and that's something he does a lot of running football, but, you know, ran pretty authoritatively right here.

And this is a huge drive now for St. James - [Jack] It sure is.

I mean, they've gotta reestablish their place in this game.

- [Mickey] Coach, do you miss it?

- [Jack] As long as I get to do something like this every once in a while, I'm okay.

- [Rick] But I can answer that for him.

Heck yes.

He misses it.

I can tell you.

(Jack laughing) - [Mickey] Second down at six for the Trojans, right around midfield.

Let's see if they can put together an answer here, down 13 to three.

And this handoff picks up a couple of yards just across the 50.

So a third and four coming up.

- [Jack] Well, here's a quarterback down and this is a quarterback based offense.

So I mean, you got a quarterback down here, but it's run or pass I would say.

- [Official] Throw down ball.

- [Jack] Did they read with him?

I haven't seen a replay.

- [Rick] Not nearly as much as the other way, yeah.

He's got a little more of a drop back.

- [Mickey] Third and four.

Jackson hands it off and Harrison is taken down behind the line of scrimmage.

Great penetration initially there by senior linebacker, Brody Yets.

- [Rick] I mean start to move that front, that interior a little bit more.

- [Jack] Yeah, they are.

- [Rick] You said a little inside pinch action right there from the left of your screen working inside and they got to that gap and notified that pretty quickly.

- [Mickey] Cal Austin also in there with Eps.

- [Jack] What do you think about this fourth and five call here?

Now this is...

I don't get the calculations on the world going for all these fourth downs, I'll be honest with you.

I don't.

- [Mickey] Well if you don't get it, you give the ball to Piedmont with half the field to go.

- [Jack] That's exactly right.

- [Mickey] Jackson throws, wide open receiver.

- [Jack] And then you got a quarterback that make you right.

- [Rick] Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, when you know you got the, you know you're gonna throw it.

- [Jack] Everybody in the fan wanted him to go for it after he went for it and made it.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Jack] How many of you think had been on the other side if you hadn't and made it?

(laughs) - [Rick] They just cleared out that side and went one on one with a front offender and very well executed.

- [Jack] Matched up a safety with a quicker athlete and got separation.

- [Mickey] Here's the gift to Harrison and he's got seven yards near the 30.

It's Harrison's first half little.

- [Jack] Oh little power.

- [Rick] Yeah, good tough inside running and.

- [Jack] Yeah.

- [Rick] It's a big drive right here.

- [Jack] It sure is.

- [Mickey] Already down to three 20 and counting here in the first half.

- [Jack] Getting a little more spread as the game goes on.

- [Mickey] Jackson, here's Harrison, breaks it outside, gets a block from his wide receiver and is inside the 15 yard.

- [Jack] Coach, that look like a re-play to me.

It almost messed up the mesh but I hope they have that in their package.

Yep, he read and the guy squatted in between and he looked like he was trying to take it back out 'cause he got that in between Reed, but.

- [Rick] This is real nice vision here on the part of Harrison as well to bounce that thing outside.

- [Jack] Sure is.

- [Rick] Thought he was gonna break that tackle now.

Maybe get the end zone but nice play.

- [Jack] It's pretty physical looking.

- [Mickey] St. James in the Alabama votes red zone, first down, here's Harrison again.

Good lead block Harrison inside the five and he's in the end zone for the touchdown.

- [Rick] It's that double pole power play.

- [Jack] How long has that one been around?

- [Rick] Since about 1830.

(Jack laughing) (crowd cheering) - [Mickey] 21st touchdown of the season for St. James.

All time leading rusher as they pull closer to Piedmont.

- [Rick] Well, it's been a heck of a football game.

- It's sure has.

- Just gone back and forth, back and forth.

- [Jack] That was an answer.

I mean that, that tells you know, these teams are well matched.

They really are.

This thing's going down to fourth quarter.

- [Rick] Yeah, nobody's going away.

- [Jack] No.

- [Mickey] And Huff hammers the extra point through, and here's the replay.

- [Rick] I see the double pull.

The right guard kicks out, left guard pulls and leads through, good tough running inside.

Gets right behind his blockers.

- [Jack] Well coached up front because you gotta fit a lot of things together.

Gap control and then get the two pullers to match up with each other.

- [Rick] You see a lot of blue shirts on white shirts.

- [Jack] Yeah, yeah.

That's a high concentration of blockers in one spot.

- [Mickey] And here's the Aldot scoring drive.

Recap, seven place 55 yards, three minutes, 12 seconds.

And number five, Harrison with a 13 yard touchdown run.

- [Jack] He's a work horse.

Hey, do we have five verses seven?

Is that what we got in?

This is what we're boiling down to.

- [Rick] I'm not sure that, I think KJ Jackson's gonna be in there somewhere with this, but, yeah, I mean as far as running the football, it's those two that's for sure.

- [Jack] Well is it not a little bit of two against one though?

'cause seven is doing running and the throwing.

- [Rick] I'm not real sure there aren't two number sevens over there on that side.

(Jack laughing) - [Mickey] And Huff has it teed up and kicks it away to the Bulldogs fielded at the 19 yard line by Cody Holloway.

Good coverage there by St. James.

They've got little momentum on their side after the touchdown by Harrison.

- [Rick] Once again, you see a right guard kicks out, left guard leaves through nice job of using the blocks, cutting back inside.

Nice spin move at the end and.

- [Jack] Nothing accidental about that.

That was great execution.

- [Rick] That's for sure.

- [Mickey] Coach Rhoades, you mentioned at the top.

Piedmont their used to being here.

St. James hasn't been past the quarters, never played in the championship game.

But they're showing they belong here today.

- [Jack] They do.

- [Mickey] They're well past the quarter finals right in this day.

- [Jack] And then playing with intent.

- [Rick] I mean, you know, I think they've found out that, hey, you know, it takes 10 yards here just like it does on any other field.

And this is real grass and let's just play football, boys.

- [Jack] And the turf by the way, when you're down there, it's in great shape for this tournament.

- [Mickey] First down here comes Piedmont right back.

An 11 yard gain and a first down.

Hey Coach Crow, down on the field.

I know you got a lot of memories at this stadium.

We only have a couple more minutes with you.

(laughs) - [Jack] I think part of my hide is laying on down there in that box on this sideline over here.

(laughs) - [Mickey] What's it like walking back in this place where you spent so many good years?

- [Jack] It's home.

That's what I mean.

Once you know, of course I grew up in Alabama.

I've been on, you know, I've been on Clemson's.

I've been on Oregon, I've been on a bunch of 'em.

This one's different, you know.

This one's home, you know.

I gave it all I had in four years here.

I mean, never did a better job of coaching anywhere else and probably got more credit here than I deserve that took me places I never should have been able to go to be honest with you, so.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes rumbles across midfield down to the St. James 42.

Guys, you think Piedmont's got an answer going here too, huh?

- [Rick] I mean, it's just been going back and forth.

Two heavy weights in the middle of the ring, and this is that double pull again, and watch that cut back - [Jack] Punch.

I want to go back to you and I talking about you giving it that running back 38 times.

- [Rick] Yeah.

- [Jack] I'm starting to wonder now, how much more this can this guy take?

- [Rick] Let tell you something.

Guys like him, it's my firm belief that they thrive on this.

I mean the more they get it, the better they get.

- [Jack] How would you like to have that guy running your business?

- [Rick] Oh, I would.

- [Jack] That's the kinda guy you'd like to bring in y'all and say, hey, we need to get this done.

You think he'd go get it done?

(laughs) - [Rick] I would take him about anywhere I've ever been.

- [Jack] Geez.

- [Mickey] You know, we only got a minute 47 left in the first half when we go down to the field for the Jefferson County halftime show.

You two guys are gonna continue this back in the green room.

- [Jack] Okay.

(laughs) - [Mickey] But Coach Rose, you gotta come back for the third quarter, okay.

- [Rick] I just don't wanna talk anymore about, you know, about Auburn Stadium, right?

Because my moods a little different here.

(Jack laughing) - [Mickey] Jack Hayes spins his way for about a six yard game near the 36.

- [Rick] A minute.

You know, this scorn at the end of this would be so defining, you know.

- [Mickey] Well, yeah, you know.

- [Rick] It'd be so Piedmont, oh.

To just take that momentum right there.

- [Jack] Yes.

- [Rick] You know, know anything that happens in, you know, in the last two minutes of a half is just, I mean, it just leaves an imprint going into halftime comes.

- [Jack] Stays in your head.

Stays in your head, man.

- [Rick] And so, I mean, this is the most important part of this game to this point.

No doubt about it.

- [Jack] What they've commonly call the middle four is the two minutes at the end and the two minutes at the beginning of the next half.

We talk about a four minute offense being the last four minutes to preserve a win.

But I'm starting to hear this middle four where these two minutes are so defining.

Kids are so much, I think susceptible to momentum and the effect on their emotions.

- [Mickey] We mentioned, earlier, Piedmont quarterback, Jack Hayes making his 60th and final start today in a Piedmont uniform.

And what a first half he has had today for the Bulldogs.

- Wow.

- He's really done everything.

I mean, there you see the first run that kind of sent the tempo in the running game back again, with the goal line running.

And of course that that great right arm is not too shabby either.

- [Mickey] Over a hundred yards rushing already for Jack Hayes on 15 carries and two touchdowns.

- [Jack] If I was at the Naval Academy and he had grades to get in, I'd have my hook and anchor sitting in Piedmont.

- [Mickey] And what do you think Coach Smith thinking about?

I know he is not thinking about it now, but what's it gonna be like life after Jack Hayes for him?

- [Jack] You know, I've seen him go through so many iterations because I know him.

He'll figure out something.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes, in the middle all for first down.

- [Jack] Big save on that time.

- [Rick] Yeah what it was, I thought he was gonna get into the end zone.

- [Jack] Big save.

- [Rick] I would be very surprised if Coach Smith doesn't already have a plan in place - Absolutely.

for life after.

- Yeah.

- And of course this is that double power again.

I thought he was gonna take it right under the end zone.

Nice saving tackle right there by Connor.

- [Jack] St. James' really good tackling football team.

I mean, they're a well coached.

They're a good tackling football team.

- [Mickey] First down Hayes looks still looking, passes away and pat it away.

- [Rick] Yeah.

Very fortunate.

They're kind of forced that one.

And I thought for a minute that one was gonna be picked.

- [Announcer] Number four, Mat Maxon.

- [Mickey] Piedmont with two timeouts.

A minute one left.

They're facing second out of 10.

Football just inside the 28 yard.

- [Jack] How about let's bring a blitz, huh?

- [Rick] You know.

- [Jack] How about let's bring a blitz?

- [Rick] I'm not real sure that that's what I want do with this guy.

Not sure I wanna cover.

- [Jack] This conversation usually had over the headsets with.

(laughs) - [Rick] You can see it's a very typical day.

The completion numbers are down just a little bit frankly.

But you see those rushing toes.

- [Mickey] And here's another rush by Jack Hayes right at the middle.

Another great block from Parker Thornton who brought his lunchbox today.

He has come to play.

- [Jack] This is tough football right here.

- [Rick] This is that double pull, double team lead through, lead through, bam at the end.

That is not finesse football, folks.

- [Jack] No, it's not.

There's not much of that style of football men playing either.

- [Rick] No, no.

I mean, that's about 1950 I formation out there.

- [Jack] Both those teams, physical sort of game.

- [Mickey] Hayes calls his own number first down and it's gonna be first in gold just across the 10 yard line.

- [Rick] You know, I think I've had a chance to see Jack Hayes play a lot over the last couple years.

And I think the thing about him that impresses me the most is his running inside the Red Zone.

Boy, I tell you, I mean, he gets north and south, and I mean he falls forward every time.

- [Mickey] First in gold.

Jack Hayes waits on his blocks, but the play just well defended on the edge.

Coach, we're getting into the final seconds here of the first half and before we wrap up the first half, want you to tell us again what's ahead for the Coaching Safely Foundation of the work you're doing?

- [Jack] Well, just to continue to cover the whole state.

I mean we, I think we're probably in 28% of the state and we've just gotta continue to message.

Part recreation, but also so much of you sports today is privatized it.

There are a lot of club sports and organizations that really are outside of policy.

I mean, they really just rent the space and do what they want to.

And that's what we recognize at the National Council Youth Sports.

I mean we gotta take the chaos out of it and create some standards.

If you coach for the Alabama High School Athletic Association, you take these courses.

You're safe.

Plus, you've got an athletic trainer with you some of the time.

Every youth coach needs to know when to take somebody out of a game.

That's where the problem is.

And then to make sure they are sure before they put 'em back in participation.

That's where the real bad stuff starts happening.

That's where- - [Rick] What is the reception you've gotten from coaches real quick, Coach?

I know you talk to a lot of.

- [Jack] Well, you know, some reluctance just goes... We're taking an hour of their time and they maybe think that the questions they can't answer.

But once they have it, they smile.

- [Mickey] Second in goal Jack Hayes with a slew of Lee blockers in front of him, he dives toward the pylon.

Let's see.

And they're gonna spot him just inside the one and they're gonna stop the clock with seven seconds to go here in the first hand.

- [Jack] Yeah.

How about some drama?

- [Rick] Yeah, this would be an interesting little call right here.

- [Jack] Yeah.

Another look.

- [Rick] This is a very patient Jack Hayes.

Watch how he kind of sets up his block and then lowers that shoulder and really nice saving tackle right there.

Big hit.

- [Jack] Would you not promote him, Coach?

One thing they haven't done is they haven't tried to get penetration.

'cause I understand so many gap schemes you could get caught up inside.

- [Rick] Well, the trouble that you have against this guy- - [Jack] That's these blockers is can only go so long.

- [Rick] Well yeah, but the problem you got with this kind of offense is there's too many gaps.

You know, you don't have enough people to hit all those gaps.

- [Mickey] Coach Smith holding the red flag.

- [Rick] It looks like there is gonna be a review right here.

Gives a little short thought.

- [Mickey] See if we hear from our referee down on the field.

- [Rick] Another look from up high.

- [Jack] He's right at it.

But he didn't do it.

- [Rick] Yeah, you know, the pylon got knocked over, but I don't think it was the ball.

- [Jack] It wasn't the ball, yeah.

- [Rick] He tries to extend it but here's the hit, and a big hit right there.

And it looks like he is short of a goal line to me.

But my percentage this year is about 43.6%, so.

(Jack laughing) - [Jack] I mean, making this defensive call now.

'cause you can't just catch 'em.

- [Rick] No, no.

I mean, I think you gotta try to hit every gap that you can and you know, try to create a new line of scrimmage.

- [Mickey] Is anybody but number seven gonna carry the ball here?

- [Jack] Absolutely not.

- [Rick] Well, I mean if Bo or Major are available, I guess they could, but I don't think they are.

- [Mickey] If there is another down, unless this is called a touchdown, which by that replay I agree with you guys.

- [Jack] I think that is what led Bo going the wrong way on the goal line.

(laughs) If you want that story sometime.

(laughs) There's probably somebody else out there that could get it done if the coach chose to do it that way.

- [Mickey] Coach Perry, Coach Smith.

What an interesting coaching matchup today here in this 3A state.

- [Jack] These are ball coaches right here.

- [Rick] Yes, they are two very, very well coached teams.

- [Jack] They are ball coaches.

- [Mickey] Coach Perry spent some time on Coach Tuberville staff here.

- [Jack] That's what I remember.

And I don't know his background that well.

Coach, you may do.

- [Rick] You know, he was a long time staple in Montgomery.

Was part of there, was Lee High School dynasty.

- After review, the rolling on the field stands.

- [Rick] So here we go, seven seconds left.

Probably just time for one more play I think.

- [Mickey] Coach before we snap this and you go, if someone wants more information on Coach Safely Foundation.

- [Jack] It's simple.

C-O-A-C-H, coach.

S-A-F-E-L-Y, safely.org.

I mean, you can go there.

State funds for you to educate every one of your coaches and keep these kids safe.

So they come through the community program and end up right here.

There's nothing along the way to the deter them, scare their parents, support the administration, reduce their insurance costs by the way, when you take these kind of measures.

So, go to Coach Safely, learn it.

Kevin Stravinsky is our communication director.

If you email us, he'll get back in touch.

- [Mickey] Awesome.

All right, coach, you're gonna hang with us and see what happens here on third and go from inside the one.

Seven seconds left here in the first half.

- [Jack] Interesting formation.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes keeps.

And he, wait for the signal.

We get it.

Touchdown Piedmont.

- [Rick] He didn't make it by much.

- [Jack] You sure didn't.

- [Rick] They got that wing and ran that power opposite again that they scored on earlier.

But boy there were a lot of blue shirts in that, - They sure were.

in that hole.

- [Jack] That was a good plan 'cause he really, he got a short edge.

But he had two lead blockers.

- [Rick] I'm sure they'll take another look at it.

That's a big touchdown.

- [Jack] Two and two.

I won't be here, but I'm sure the opening two minutes will say something about whether St. James is gonna come back into this thing.

Who gets the ball?

- [Rick] That's a great question.

I was just thinking he gets the ball.

- [Jack] Oh Lord.

- [Mickey] They wanted the toss and deferred.

- [Jack] Yep.

I'd be looking for my blitz package right now if I was St. James.

And just hope you get it right.

'cause either that or Mr... - [Rick] I think we got a late hit on that possibly.

- [Mickey] Sloane Smith connects on the electric co-ops of Alabama.

- [Jack] Honored to be here with you guys.

I'm going leave it with you, coach.

- [Rick] Great to see you, coach.

- [Jack] All right.

Honored to be here guys.

Thank you.

- [Mickey] Thank you, coach.

Jack Crow, the founder and chairman of Coach Safely Foundation.

A lot of fun having him in the booth here with us for the second quarter.

Waiting on the call here from the official, a happy Jack Hayes on the Piedmont sideline.

What a first half this young man has had 141 yards rushing.

He is also thrown for 71 yards.

He's scored all three of Piedmont's touchdowns.

- [Rick] He's been a busy guy.

And I tell you what, you know, he's so much fun to watch play.

He's just a great, a great, great football player.

- [Mickey] All right.

While Coach Smith gets the explanation, we're gonna get another look at the touchdown as we'll see.

Hayes just power his way in there.

And you know, coach, the one thing about this guy that you gotta love is he, we mentioned he's making his 60th start.

He actually started a game as an eighth grader and there you see Coach Smith with his touchdown signal himself.

He started a game as an eighth grader.

- Roughing the kicker on the defense.

That Penalty's gonna be taken on the kickoff.

- [Mickey] Made 15 starts in the ninth grade in their State Championship season.

14 starts as a 10th grader in 2020.

In 2020 when they lost into semis.

And then 15 starts last year in a State Championship run.

And there's the roughing the kicker.

- [Rick] Yeah, didn't, you know, came in a good angle to block the kick.

I think the follow through just led him through into that.

As you look at the scoring drive right there, 73 yards at 11 plays.

And that name next to the bottom kind of tells you the story right there.

Jack Hayes central to all of it.

- [Mickey] What an answer by St. James, and then what an answer by Piedmont.

- [Rick] Well, we keep going back and forth, back and forth.

- [Mickey] This kick will be a touchback.

Three seconds and one play left here.

- [Rick] Do you take a knee or do you chunk one out there and see if somebody like Ziggy Holloway might run underneath one.

You never know.

- [Mickey] You know, time of possession.

Piedmont has held the football for right at 15 minutes.

Only nine minute for Saint James.

I mean, you got Jack Hayes able to run the ball, control passing game, play, keep away with that football.

No wonder this team's won four State Championships in the last seven years.

- [Rick] Well, that's a really big advantage of the style of football that they play.

I mean, they're going to control the football most of the time in the games that they play just because of that.

- [Mickey] And St. James will just take a knee and take us to the end of the first half.

A very competitive physical first half.

Our impact players have definitely had an impact in this first half, especially, the Piedmont senior quarterback, Jack Hayes.

- [Rick] I'll tell you what, this is been physical game.

I feel like I need to go to the trainer.

- [Mickey] Let's send it down to the field and Susan Carruthers.

- Well, coach Smith, it's been an exciting first half.

Your team's ahead on the scoreboard.

What do you need to do to maintain that through the second half?

- We better play the second half same way we did first half.

St. James is an outstanding team.

They got weapons all over the field.

You know, we gotta do a better job getting off the field on some of those own yard situations.

But they've got a great team.

This definitely not a safe lead.

We gotta just keep playing hard and keep trying to win this next half.

- Good luck, coach.

- Thank you.

- Thanks.

- [Mickey] All right.

Thanks a lot Susan.

And coming up next, it's the Jefferson County Halftime Show.

Let's hear what Jefferson County residents say about how much they like Jefferson County.

Back to Jordan-Hare Stadium in just a moment.

(lively music) - [Announcer] What is a protector?

Is it always a hero bigger than life?

Look and you'll find protectors all around us.

At Protective, it's at the heart of who we are.

For more than a century, millions have relied on us to make retirement more about wishes than worry, and life insurance more about legacy than loss.

We're by your side helping you protect what matters most because we're all protectors.

- Hi, I'm Lionel Richie.

And I have traveled all over the world, but I consider Tuskegee, Alabama, as my home sweet home.

I have such a pride in this state and I know that there's something I need to tell you that's of great importance.

Vote, register to vote and get your voter ID today.

It really is easy.

Easy like Sunday morning.

(lively music) - [Announcer] Are you an enthusiastic sports fan?

Want to have fun and get in on the action?

- [Speaker 1] Heck, yes.

That'd be awesome.

- [Announcer] Have great attention to detail?

Want to stay active?

- [Speaker 2] Definitely.

- [Announcer] Want to give back to the student athletes in your community?

- [Speaker 1] Obviously.

Yes.

- [Announcer] Then you'd make an excellent high school sports official.

We need more officials in Alabama because with no high school officials, there are no high school sports.

Sign up today at highschoolofficials.com.

(suspenseful music) - [Announcer] A game without a crowd is just a scrimmage.

A performance without an audience is just a rehearsal.

Without your presence, high school sports and the performing arts aren't possible.

Ensure that these essential extracurricular activities continue to enrich the lives of students in Alabama.

Purchase a ticket to your local high school's game or performance.

- [Announcer] This message presented by the AHSAA.

(lively music) - [Mickey] Now that is how you start a day of football.

A great first half here in the 3A State Championship game.

Piedmont taking the lead to the halftime locker room 20, to 10 over Saint James.

Punishing body blows back and forth.

Great football.

Stay tuned for the rest of this one.

Should be a great ending.

We're here on the Jefferson County Halftime Show.

I'm your host, Kevin Scarbinsky.

Pleased to be joined by Secretary of State, John Merrill.

John, thank you for being with us.

- Kevin, always good to be with you, my friend.

- It is fantastic to have you here and also to have the Secretary of State's office as an underwriter for the Alabama Public Television broadcast for the first time of the entire Super Seven.

Why was that important for your office to be involved?

- Well, Kevin, it's very important to us to support the state of Alabama and all the things that are so very important to our state.

And football is one of the most important things in our state.

It's also important to remind people that we want each and every eligible US citizen that's a resident of Alabama to be a registered voter and obtain a photo ID.

So that constant reminder is so very important and this is another venue for us to be able to do that.

- And what are some things that you're doing?

I notice a registration table here so people on site actually can register to vote.

- Absolutely, Jack Burns from our office is here making sure that people that are interested in becoming registered voters have the opportunity to register and obtain a photo ID right here at Jordan-Hare in Lee County today.

But we also promote voter registration in all 67 counties each and every year.

We've done that since I've been the secretary.

And we make sure that people know we're coming to their communities so they can have the opportunity to register and to obtain a photo ID.

But you can also do it on our mobile app at Vote for Alabama or on the web, at alabamavotes.gov.

- Absolutely.

I have to know who had the inspiration to recruit Lionel Richie for your television spot?

That's fantastic.

- Well, Kevin, as you know, the first year we started the program in 2015, I had the two heaviest hitters I could get with Coach Saban and Coach Malzan.

But it took me three years to get Lionel to get it done, and we were so excited.

But we've had Jimmy Buffet, we've had Taylor Hicks, we had President Trump, we've had a lot of people that have helped us promote voter registration, photo ID, in our state because they know how important it is to everybody.

- And I love the tagline.

And of course it's a natural, Lionel Richie talking about how easy it is to vote.

Easy, like Sunday morning.

Did you write that one?

- I didn't write that script.

That script was written for us by Brittany Hamilton, who was an able assistant in our office in the area of communications for seven years.

And now she's working in Washington D.C., so her talents are being exploited nationally.

- John, before we let you go, we've gotta wrap up.

But it's not easy for you today to be neutral because you're a Piedmont Bulldog at heart, aren't you?

- I am.

And Piedmont has been very special to me.

And of course a lot of people that are here understand that relationship.

But it started in 2009 when we started moving the Super Six to different locations and I've been a host of them and a part of their program for the last 13 years.

So I take a lot of pride in that and go Bulldogs!

(Mickey laughing) - All right.

Well, John Merrill, secretary of State, thank you so much for your involvement with the Super Seven on APT.

Stay tuned.

We've got more.

Our Jensen County halftime coming up here on APT.

(lively music) - [Performer] I know it's early.

But it's okay to move around your seat, do what you got to do.

(lively music) Everybody in here, clap with me on this one, right.

- [Announcer] What is a protector?

Is it always a hero bigger than life?

Look and you'll find protectors all around us.

At Protective, it's at the heart of who we are.

For more than a century, millions have relied on us to make retirement more about wishes than worry, and life insurance more about legacy than loss.

We're by your side helping you protect what matters most.

Because we're all protectors.

(dashboard beeping) (tires screeching) (car thudding) (dashboard beeping) - [Announcer] The internet, it's how we learn, experience, and connect to the world.

But all of that powerful information needs a really powerful home, a data center.

Like this world class facility, we invested $600 million to build right here in Alabama.

But keeping the world's information at your fingertips isn't all we do.

Our data center supports thousands of jobs.

We provide resources to our community and to generate more than a billion dollars for the state economy.

We're doing our part for a better Alabama, because Alabama is our home too.

- Back here on the Jefferson County halftime show, pleased to be joined again by Coach Bill Clark.

Coach, quite a first half.

What were your general impressions of what we saw?

- Well, you had the great first, you know, fast start by Piedmont, which is kinda what you expect from a team that's been here before.

Give St James credit, they came back, and cut it, you know, 13 to 10.

Tough drive for him at the end.

Give Piedmont credit.

And of course quarterbacks, you know, Jack sticks it in right there at the end.

Like you said, you had a couple, you know, close calls.

We'll say that game to the video, you know, so a lot of things to see in the first half.

- People talk about football players having a nose for the end zone.

If that exists, Jack Hayes has it, does he not?

- Well, you got guys, and you've heard this term, running behind your pads, so he understands about running behind his pads.

Obviously you look at his lower body, how strong he is, he keeps his legs moving and he, you know, he understands about getting up on the end zone and that's where experience comes in.

But he's hard to tackle.

He finishes his run, runs behind his pads.

- That's what I was gonna say.

What makes him so difficult to take down?

We're gonna check on some first half highlights.

And again, St. James starts out with a bang, hitting a deep ball to get into Piedmont territory.

But, live by the pass, die by the pass, coach.

- [Rick] Big stop right there as St. James a chance to score early.

- [Mickey] And there goes that man, Jack Hayes, doing what he does, not only gaining yards, but punishing defenders at the of his run.

- [Rick] Well, there he is, you know.

And that's what he makes you do.

You have to defend the run.

There's the post over the top, you know, so now you've got him, you know, having to defend the run, which is what you want, defending both.

- [Mickey] And he can take it outside.

He can take it between the tackles.

Coach Steve Smith uses him in a variety of ways in the running game.

- [Rick] Once again, you see him not going backwards.

He's always going forward.

You know, those running backs that go forward, like we said, very strong.

- [Mickey] Yes, great lean.

Another interception there from Piedmont giving Jack Hayes another at back.

- [Rick] You know, you gotta give your receivers there.

You know, I think that was Probes right there with a good catch.

You know, so you gotta give your receivers, they make a lot of good catches.

- [Mickey] Thomas Probes really stood out.

He's got a cast on one hand, he made a couple of really nice catches.

There's one right there, backpedaling.

Jack puts it there and he does the rest.

- [Rick] Well, that's what you got him.

And that's what we always say.

The 12th man is a quarterback that can run and throw.

You know, when you just got him where he could just do one of the others.

That's not as hard, but he can run it and throw it.

That's hard to defend.

- [Rick] But St. James not laying down.

Cosner Harrison, spinning, breaking tackles, getting it in the end zone.

And then here comes Piedmont again answering.

- [Rick] Once again, right by St. James.

You know, they thought they were gonna be right there in half, but give Piedmont credit.

We're gonna see St. James response.

- [Mickey] It's gonna be interesting that we're looking at the first half stats.

Of course, you see the rushing yards for Piedmont.

That jumps out at you, of course, as does time of possession.

They are playing their type of game, aren't they, Bill?

- [Rick] Yeah, they really are.

I mean, I think this is who they are.

Once again, you know, and I've seen 'em, you know, two weeks ago, I think they really relied on the run, they threw it more last week in the playoffs, and now you're kind of getting a good balance.

- [Mickey] What are you expecting in the second half, especially from St. James?

You know, we knew about KJ Jackson, their quarterback.

He's thrown for over 5,200 yards in his high school career, but they haven't had a lot of success through the year.

They seemed like they leaned more on the run as the first half wore on.

- Yeah, and you know, that's what you do with those, you know, a run play action team.

You saw the post play early on, which, you know, that's what I'd wonder.

Would they come back on some early downs, try and play action and take advantage of that, and try and get right back in this thing.

- You've got momentum, obviously, on the side of Piedmont scoring late to go into the halftime with a 10 point lead.

How do you build on that if you're Piedmont?

And how do you combat that if you're St. James?

- So there's three things.

And you know, this is one of the things we always talk about.

Start fast, and then finish in the fourth quarter.

Now, what is the middle eight?

You've heard that.

Nobody really used to talk about that.

The middle eight, can you score right before half, get that momentum, and then score early in the second half?

And you know, you hear a lot of people that never used to talk about now that's something to talk about.

So here we go.

What happens in this next four of the second half?

- We shall see that will go a long way towards determining who wins the 3A State Championship.

Thank you coach, Bill Clark.

We are back here on the Jefferson County halftime show on Alabama Public Television.

Stay with us.

- [Performer] I know it's early.

But it's okay to move around in your seat, do what you got to do.

(lively music) All right everybody in here, clap with me on this one, right.

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Join our hardworking team that positively impacts the lives of children and families across Alabama.

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- [Mickey] Alabama Public Television's coverage of the Alabama Super Seven Championships is made possible by these generous sponsors.

(lively music) - Don't you just love rain?

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Poppy really freaks off the lights go off.

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- [Announcer] Welcome back to the Jefferson County Halftime Show.

- [Mickey] We are live here in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Halftime Piedmont, leading St. James, 20 to 10, an exciting first half of football.

And we have another special guest that we're very pleased to be joined by, and that's Mike Morrison.

Mike is the business development manager for Youth and Education for Coca-Cola.

Mike, thank you for being with us.

- Well, thank you for having us and it's a privilege.

And for Coca-Cola United outta Birmingham, Alabama, to be here and participate and be one of the sponsors of the Super Seven High School finals.

- Mike, why is it important for Coca-Cola to be involved to support events like this that touch on so many communities across this state?

- Well, Coca-Cola, let me say this.

Now, the map of Coca-Cola United is in six states, and one of our goals is to be that face, to be that thumbprint, especially where Coca-Cola is sold.

A big venue of ours is the youth and education market.

In other words, we go to the schools and where they have concessions, we'll outfit 'em with coolers, menu boards, banners, help with scoreboards.

And all we ask our customers to do is sell our 20 ounces Coca-Cola products, our Powerade, our Dasani Waters and things like that.

And also in the youth, the ballparks, the youth football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and lacrosse.

We just wanna be a part.

And Coca-Cola United has always been a big player in the sports arena and we want to continue that and just really have a really good partnership working with the Alabama High School Athletic Association and just thankful and want to be here.

- And Mike, I can tell you, as a former booster club president for two different sports at my son's high school, Coca-Cola was very prominent behind the scenes and forward facing.

And we're a great partner to the high school.

- That's right.

And we want to continue that right there.

We had one of our schools outta Birmingham yesterday, Thompson High School, the one that won the 7A, and then tomorrow coming in tomorrow night, we'll be out in Brook High School.

And, but you know, it's just not in the Birmingham area.

Like I said, Coca-Cola United's in six states and, you know, wanna be a part of all the youth in sports in high school also.

- There's really no better place to be on a morning in December, the first day of December, sun shining.

- That's right.

Beautiful day.

- People are drinking coke and we're watching great high school football.

- That's right.

That's right.

And while we're here, you know, we take care not only of the concessions, we also take care of the dressing rooms of the sidelines for the players.

Also the cheerleaders in the band with our Dasani Water.

So it's, like I said, it's full time.

- Absolutely.

Well, Mike, we appreciate everything that you and Coca-Cola do for the youth in our state.

Thank you so much for joining us here on the Jefferson County halftime show.

Piedmont 20, St. James, 10.

We'll be back for the second half right after this on APT.

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(fireworks crackling) (lively music) - [Performer] I know it's early, but it's okay to move around in your seat.

Do what you got to do.

(lively music) Everybody in here, clap with me on this one, right.

- [Mickey] And we're back at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

There you see our halftime score in the 3A State Championship game.

It's Piedmont leading St. James 20 to 10.

Let's head down to the field now.

Susan Carruthers standing by with St. James, coach Jimmy Perry.

- Hey, coach Perry.

Scoreboard not exactly how you wanted to see it.

How do you flip the script in the second half for your team?

- Well, we gotta take advantage of what they're giving us.

We've had some shots and we didn't quite connect, but we've gotta stop their running game.

They're running the ball and we made some halftime adjustments.

We're gonna see if those will work this second half.

- Thanks, coach.

Good luck.

- Thank you.

- [Mickey] All right, thanks Susan.

Appreciate Coach Perry taking a moment to chat with us here at halftime.

Piedmont, the defending champs out of class 3A, a good first half and an outstanding performance by their senior leader quarterback, Jack Hayes.

Coach, we cannot say enough about this young man's career.

We cannot say enough about the first half he had today.

Piedmont, at halftime coach, they've got 240 yards of total offense and Jack Hayes has accounted for 212 of those.

- [Rick] Well, I think that tells the story right there.

And one of the things that we said is that they had to find a way, I dunno if you stop Jack Hayes, but to contain him, to limit him.

And they haven't done a bad job in the passing game.

He's just four for 10 for 71 yards.

But the running game has been devastating.

Of course there you see that.

You know, those are three of the four records that he holds.

You know, the leads in TD passes, all time total TDs, total yards, and passing yards.

Those are all tops in the history of the state of Alabama.

And he's certainly added to those totals today.

You know, we're watching one of the true legends of high school football in the state.

I think it's fair to say that about this young man.

- [Mickey] He is four of 10 passing in the first half or 71 yards.

He's rushed 21 times for 141 yards, and he scored all three of Piedmont's touchdowns in the first half of this game.

And both teams out warming up, getting set for the second half in our Children's of Alabama Super Seven schedule.

Coach, you were a part of the 7A game last night.

Thompson knocking off Auburn to win another State Championship.

Of course, you gotta congratulate Auburn High School winning the flag Football State Championship over Oxford High School.

Today the first of three, we're halfway through the 3A State Championship game, coming up at three o'clock from right here at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

We have the 1A championship game.

You and I will be back tonight for the 5A championship game.

Then three more tomorrow with 4A, 2A and 6A.

- [Rick] It is a plethora of great football.

That is for sure.

And this game has lived up to expectations for darn sure and this is gonna be quite a second half.

- [Mickey] Yeah, this is the first ever meeting between these two teams.

Coach Perry and St. James were the 3A region three champs.

Piedmont, the 3A region six champions, and it was a very good first half.

And Piedmont with that touchdown right at the end of the first half that was huge because as we mentioned, they get the ball to start the second half.

- [Rick] Yeah, they do.

And this will be a very, very big series.

You know, one other thing that we oughta mention, of course Coach Perry talked about they had to make some adjustments, stop the running game.

But they've gotta get KJ Jackson going, he's only four for eight for 68 yards.

- [Mickey] Good point.

- [Rick] This is a guy that's thrown for 37 touchdown passes on the year, almost 2,500 yards passing.

He's gonna have to make his presence known more in this second half and we're about ready to go.

- [Mickey] You know, they did get Cosner Harrison going, he's got 71 yards rushing through one half.

So, second half underway.

And here is the return for Max Hanson, football hit the ground and I think St. James is on it.

(crowd cheering) - [Rick] Well, if you're a St. James Trojan, you couldn't have start the second half better than that.

- [Mickey] Wow.

Here is Hanson on the return and.

- [Rick] He tries to bounce it outside and has that ball a little bit low and on the hip and when he hits the ground, I think it really jarred a little bit, actually as he's going down before he hits the ground, and ball comes loose and really a heads up recovery right there.

And he didn't get all that number, but is it possibly Cole Anderson, the 21 number?

- [Mickey] I think it was coach.

I think it was Cole Anderson, number 21.

So St. James will come out first in 10 at the Piedmont 23.

Can they take advantage of the turnover on the second half kickoff?

This is Cosner Harrison who we mentioned who had a very solid first half with 71 yards rushing.

He picks up two here on this first down tote.

- [Rick] Yeah, not much right there.

You know, one of the things you talk about defensively is gap integrity.

You know, try to have a defender in every gap in that time, Piedmont did a great job, made Harrison slide outside to the unblocked edge player and really know where to go.

- [Mickey] This is a huge sequence here, no question about it.

- [Rick] Yeah, you know, St. James almost has to get points out of this.

- [Mickey] Second down and eight, Jackson looks, throws up, receiver wide open.

It's a touchdown as Clint Houser was all alone in the end zone.

- [Rick] Yeah, this is a nifty little play right here.

They ran a little freeze option look, ran a post with the outside receiver, and wheeled Houser right down the sideline from his inside receiver position.

Nobody home, the corner went with a post, the flat defender froze on the run fake.

And the result is six very quick points for the St. James Trojans.

What a cool play.

- [Mickey] And here is Jake Huff on for the extra point and he lifts it up right through the uprights here at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

And what a start to the second half.

Coach, you mentioned they needed to get this guy going in KJ Jackson.

He's got his team going here with a touchdown pass.

- [Rick] Yeah, you see the post round, there's the wheel down the sideline, nobody home.

Nice play action to set it up right there.

And that ought to get number one going.

- [Mickey] And there you see KJ Jackson fired up over the play.

And they get the turnover on the kickoff return and it only takes 'em two plays to get it into the end zone and pull to within three.

Back to a three point lead for Piedmont.

Now 20,17.

- [Rick] Mickey, excuse for a minute, but you need to fasten your seatbelt real quick.

(Mickey laughing) I think this ride's gonna get pretty rapid.

- [Mickey] And here's the Department of Human Resources kickoff and around the edge goes Raleigh Pinto.

Nice return as he steps outta bounds.

Official's say he's out at the 31 yard line.

Let's go back and see what happened a moment ago.

This is Max Hanson on the return and coach he mentioned he was hit low there by Beard and just lost the handle on the football.

- [Rick] Yeah, well, you know, you like to carry that football high and tight and you can see it's kind of down on the hip and that's gonna lead again to this.

Nice play action double post wheel route for the score.

And not only is that seven points for St. James Trojans, that shot of adrenaline right there that that's gonna give this entire team may be very, very significant in this game and we'll see if Piedmont can answer.

- [Mickey] So the Bulldogs come back out first in 10 at their 31.

Piedmont had the answer every time they needed it in the first half.

Here is Hansen, as Coach Smith goes right to him, and he is taken down for a yard loss.

Great play on the edge that time by the Trojan defense.

- [Rick] Yeah, that was Ethan Beard from his safety position came screaming downhill, read that speed sweep action in a hurry, and made that play right at the line of scrimmage.

Actually, it's about a half yard loss.

Well you see Beard coming across in man coverage right here.

And you just track that thing inside out, just like you're supposed to.

- [Mickey] Second down and 11.

Jack Hayes is met right at the line of scrimmage.

But Hayes fights forward for about three yards.

We've got penalties coming in, and it looks like we're gonna have a face mask call, which would be a huge call against St. James because it was looking like a third and seven for Piedmont.

- [Rick] That is a huge, huge penalty.

- Personal foul.

Straight mask on the defense.

15 yard penalty.

First down.

- [Mickey] Let's see if we could see it on the replay.

He did a good job at the point of attack.

There it is.

The hand of the face mask.

- [Rick] It's definitely a face mask with a hand on.

Well, this has been a physical hard-nosed football.

- [Mickey] Well then there's no guarantee you're gonna stop Jack Hayes and Piedmont on third and seven, but you certainly don't wanna give him a first down with a face mask penalty.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Mickey] First down out at the 48.

- [Rick] Which sets him up in great field position too.

- [Mickey] Hayes takes it.

And the pile moves forward across the 50, give him four yards on the first down carry.

- [Rick] And see that looked really well defended.

And not much to it.

Well, the second down and six.

I mean that four yard lay on first down is... Again, you're ahead of the sticks.

Just very, very difficult to stop that.

You know, you're gonna have to find some way.

I think St. James is to get some penetration and try to get, you know, more negative yardage plays.

There just haven't been many of them.

- [Mickey] And even when it looks like, coach, you've stopped him, he got four yards.

- [Rick] Yeah, yeah.

You know, it's kinda like old Wishbone team said, well boy, that was really well defended.

Well, in second and six, buddy.

- [Mickey] And it's just Jack Hayes over and over.

Here he goes again.

Well defended on the edge that time though by St. James.

- [Rick] Yeah, really nice.

You know, kind of strung that thing inside out.

You know, the thing you try to do is, looks like we've got a guy down for St. James.

You know, you try to string that out, everything pursuing inside out, you run him into that edge defender right there.

And you can see that was Clint Houser who was the edge player right there.

And they just ran him right into him and he made the play, great defense.

- [Mickey] And you've just gotta be impressed with how St. James has come out of the locker room at halftime.

You know, Piedmont got that touchdown at the end of the second quarter to take a 10 point lead into intermission.

They've come out, they get the turnover, they punch it in quickly, they're playing harder defensively, even though they've never played in the State Championship game, never been on this stage, coach.

They are definitely showing they've got the championship pedigree and you look back at how they got here, they just basically, it's domination.

I mean, of 54 points in the first week of the playoffs, couple of times at 40 points.

And then last week, 35 on the scoreboard.

- [Rick] Yeah, and really it dominated a very good Mobile Christian team that a lot of people thought would be in this game.

And you know, I think it takes a little bit when you're here for the first time we've talked about that.

But I think all that stuff is gone right now.

I mean this is, you know, this game is gonna go right down to the wire.

I'd be surprised if it doesn't.

- [Mickey] So third down at six.

St. James crowd into it here, cheering on the defense, trying to get off the field.

Jack Hayes flag comes in from behind the play.

Hayes is gonna have the first down, depending on the penalty.

- [Rick] That's almost always a hold when you get a flag and it is.

Boy, that's a big penalty.

So instead of a first down on the opponent's 42 yard line, you're gonna have a third and about 13.

- 10 yard penalty.

Still third down.

- [Mickey] Only the third penalty of the game against Steve Smith's team, and he is not happy about it.

- [Rick] Make that third and 16.

- [Mickey] He is letting the officials hear it.

- [Rick] Almost think now that Piedmont's gonna have to go to the air.

Keep in mind they had really good success with that little drive route and that deep crossing sail route working across the field in a similar situation, like this earlier in the game, we'll see if they go back to it.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes is only thrown it 11 times today.

Likely gonna have to throw it here on third down and 16.

He drops back with time, airs it out down the middle of the field, it is caught and then dropped knock loose.

Big hit there by Ethan Beard to jar the football out of the arms of Ishma Bethel.

- [Rick] When they came back, and they did run the same route that they ran earlier.

That time they hit the post route.

But the throw gonna bring him all the way across the field in a big, big hit by Beard to deny the catch.

Ball was right on the money.

- [Mickey] So the St. James defense, the face mask penalty aided Piedmont and the holding penalty enabled St. James defense to get off the field.

And here is your...

The putt is filled it inside the 20 and here goes Beard.

He takes a shot as he crosses the 30 but holds onto the football.

And so here we go, coach.

The Saint James offense takes the field now with an opportunity to take their first lead of the game.

- [Rick] And I wrong here, Mickey?

But I kind of feel a sense the momentum is kind of shifting a little bit in this one.

You know, I really felt the entire first half that momentum was wearing a white Jersey.

Really the entire half.

But it seems to have changed a little bit right here.

There's a little spring in the step of the Trojans.

This is gonna be a very, very interesting drive right here.

- [Mickey] And definitely a lot of spirit in the stands for the St. James faithful.

Here is the handoff.

Not much that time for Harrison as Piedmont's Jake Austin helping out on the stop after a short gain of just two.

- [Rick] Yeah, they've tried that left side several times without that much luck now.

They force that play to bounce outside and either the edge player has been there to make the play or the linebacker scraping inside out, unblocked has made the play.

A little better luck running inside than they have had outside.

- [Mickey] So second down at eight.

Jackson with a play fake gets rid of it quickly, throws a bullet and a strike to the 45 yard line.

Ziggy Holloway on the reception.

That is his second catch of the day.

Let's send it down to the field and check in again with Susan.

- [Susan] Hey guys, I got a great story about the St. James team, their heart, their camaraderie among the teammates.

- [Announcer] That's St. James first down.

- [Mickey] We apologize for some technical difficulties.

Hope to get back to Susan and get that report as soon as we can.

Here's the first down handoff up the middle.

And I believe that is Wills Johnson on his first... Nope, that is Harrison again on the carrier.

He picks up very good yardage on first down and give him seven yards of second and three.

This St. James offensive line, coach, seems to be coming off the ball with a little bit of aggression here in this third quarter.

- [Rick] Yeah, and they've had a little better luck running between the tackles than trying to bounce it outside this half.

They tried the left side twice without much success.

Pretty good yardage there though.

Running right up the cut.

- [Mickey] And it sure helps KJ Jackson's throwing game when they've got the running game going.

He drops back and throws it up top.

He's got a receiver there.

It's caught by Holloway and he's gonna score!

(crowd cheering) It was almost intercepted by Jake Austin.

The ball just kinda hung up there.

But it is a Department of Human resources touchdown and first lead of the game for the Trojans of St. James.

- [Rick] Yeah, it again, as you said, the ball hung in the air, and the defensive back went for the interception.

Played right to the ball instead of from the man to the ball.

When you do that, you better make the play.

If you don't, the results are always bad for that defensive back and just a great throwing catch by St. James, and they got the lead.

- [Mickey] And the extra point is good for Jake Huff.

St. James, their first lead of the game.

Thanks to this touchdown pass for the Trojans.

They lead at 24, 20.

- [Official] Media timeout.

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- [Mickey] What a around for St. James.

14 unanswered points in the first half of the third quarter.

And St. James leads Piedmont now 24, 20.

This is how it all got started.

The opening kickoff of the second half was fumbled, recovered by St. James.

They, in two plays, get it into the end zone as Houser on the receiving end of that pass from Jackson.

And here a moment ago at Ziggy Holloway with this third reception of the day.

And just like that, coach, St. James got the lead here in the third quarter.

- [Rick] Yeah, I mean it seemed like just a few seconds ago they were really struggling and boy has KJ Jackson picked it up.

Seven for 11 now for 148 yards, you know, after only having four for eight in the first half, as you look at the scoring drive.

Four plays, 68 yards.

And that big play capability that we thought St. James had coming into this game is starting to assert itself.

- [Mickey] And don't you think the running of Cosner Harrison has really opened things up for KJ Jackson being able to throw on play action?

- [Rick] Well, obviously, you know, anytime that you can run the football, means you can throw the ball when you want to, not when you have to.

And there's a huge, huge difference in this.

And I also think St. James has opened up their playbook a little bit.

I mean, you know, the two scores were play action and very well designed plays, and they started stretching the field much, much more.

- [Mickey] Well, this Piedmont team is no stranger to coming from behind, folks.

If you know anything about the Piedmont Bulldogs, they will not let this affect them at all.

They will stick with their game plan.

Only a yard game here on this first down carry.

Of course, everyone that follows the Bulldogs know about their comeback last year in the 3A State Championship game.

They were down 29 to six to Montgomery Academy.

Wound up winning 35, 33.

And you know, in their match up against Gordo just a couple of weeks ago, coach, they were down seven nothing at halftime.

- [Rick] Yes, and you know, I'll go back to a game we had earlier against Anderson, you know, a school that frankly they were out manned against.

I mean, Jack Hayes almost brought 'em back single handedly.

They almost won that game.

- [Mickey] This was a bullet throwing over the middle right through the hands of Cody Holloway.

So now here we go.

All of a sudden, third nine for Piedmont.

- [Rick] Yeah, ran that slant route.

Very difficult to catch, you know, a ball coming from that angle when you carry your hands low and have to bring them up to try to match the angle of a ball.

You have to time it almost exactly right and just a little bit late getting those hands in position to catch.

And that was a big drop right there.

Now that one would've for some yardage.

Big, big third down right here.

- [Mickey] Bulldogs are four of eight on third down in the game.

Third and nine here.

Hayes' pass is just a little too high out at the 42 yard line.

It was intended for Thomas Probes, and it's a three and out here for this Trojan defense.

- [Rick] Well, if you're a St. James Trojans, that's the best thing that could have happened.

If you're on the other side of the field, this is pretty tough.

There's one that could have been a big, big play and this ball just sails a little bit on Hayes.

Slightly overthrown in that deep off cut to the field.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes, now five of 14 passing.

And here's the electric co-op putt.

Hits at the 50 and will take a Piedmont roll and out of bounds at about 40.

So good fill position as the St. James offense comes back out onto the field.

- [Rick] Well that one sounded funny coming off the foot, off the side of the foot, but got a good role on it.

Got about 31 yards out of it.

- [Mickey] This young man's really, really picked up his game.

And again, you mentioned it coming out in the second half, you said they gotta get KJ Jackson going.

Now he's seven of 11 for 148 yards throwing.

- [Rick] Yeah, he's hit two big passes for scores and you know, that's gotta be a great motivator for him.

- [Mickey] Here's a gift to Harrison, sweep it around the left hand, cuts it back up inside, runs into Piedmont's Trent Young.

So it'll be a gain of three yards on first end.

- [Rick] Yes.

Still trying that left side to the outside a little bit different scheme that time.

They had a lead blocker outside, but still plenty of white shirts out there to deny much yardage.

- [Mickey] So second down at seven.

Now you get the feeling this is a big series for this Piedmont defense.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Mickey] And Jackson's pass incomplete, too high intended for Jake Huff.

So now it's third and seventh for St. James.

And an opportunity for this Piedmont defense to get off the field and get the ball back to their offense.

- [Rick] Yeah, it ran a little out cut there and it looked like almost that Jackson had too much time.

- [Mickey] So third down and seven for the Trojans.

Jackson, goes down the middle, receivers they are caught at the 29 yard line in strike and it's a touchdown!

That is number seven, Clint Houser, and what a strike delivered by quarterback KJ Jackson.

- [Rick] Well, you know, they get in a three by one seven and they run double post down the middle of the field and he's really just going to pick which safety he thinks he has the best angle with, and throws that post to the middle of the field.

That young man there had a couple of strides on the defender and boy this offense has exploded in the second half.

- [Mickey] And your electric cooperative extra point attempt is good by Jake Huff.

And here we go.

KJ Jackson.

You know, coach, the first half of this game, it was all about Jack Hayes.

Well, I got news for you.

(laughs) The second half so far has been all about KJ Jackson.

- [Rick] Yeah, it really has.

And and you saw it in the route.

It was a double post move and had two steps on the safety to the right side of your screen, Houser did.

And just another well thrown ball and great route.

And boy, they are stretching the field now.

- [Mickey] Our two impact players were the two quarterbacks today.

And boy have these two quarterbacks made this 3A State Championship game very special so far.

- [Rick] And that young man is feeling it this half.

- [Mickey] Here's the Aldot scoring drive.

Just they had a two play scoring drive to start the second half.

Here's a three play scoring drive.

Coach, it is 21 unanswered points here in this third quarter by St. James.

- [Rick] Well, I think they found some match up, you know, that they could take advantage of it.

And that's one of the things that I had in my notes leading in this.

One of the keys to this game is could the Piedmont secondary match the speed of these receivers?

Early didn't seem to be much of a problem.

Boy sure has been in the second half.

- [Mickey] And the high short kick fielded at the 21 yard line by Pento.

And he is pushed out of bounds.

Piedmont fans wanting a flag, not gonna get one.

And so the Bulldogs will come out first intent at their 32.

- [Rick] Well, we said before this last drive that Piedmont needed to answer.

Well, you can double that now.

They down 11.

Still not insurmountable by any means, as you said earlier in this broadcast, we send them behind before, and there'll be no panic on that sideline, but they really need to get a drive going now on this drive.

- [Mickey] Well, there is clearly a confidence level on the St. James offense here in the second half.

It just wasn't there in the first half.

And that clearly gonna be an issue for Piedmont's defense for the rest of the game because KJ Jackson and these receivers have really got it going.

Let's see what Piedmont can do after a three and out on their last possession.

They go right back to Jack Hayes right up the middle and Hayes pounds his way forward for a seven yard gain.

- [Rick] But just back to your point, Mickey, when you can throw the ball vertically down the field successfully, it changes everything there.

There's really nothing in football more devastating than the deep ball for a touchdown.

It can break a team's will.

It's just like that play right there.

I mean there was tough hard-nosed blocking double lead through the whole and they got seven yards.

Three plays earlier, St. James with one flick of the wrist put seven points on the board.

- [Mickey] Second and three, Jack Hayes, follows a bevy of lead blockers crosses the 50 and he's down to about the 46 yard line of St. James.

So when your Piedmont in a little bit of trouble, what do you do?

You go right back to your work horse, Jack Hayes.

- [Rick] Well this play is strung out pretty well right here.

But Hayes is gonna do a really nice job right at the end of the play.

Watch him cut inside right there and break that arm tackle and get out of bounds.

He came down a little bit funny on that left shoulder and he came up favoring it just a little bit, you see right there, him moving that arm.

- [Mickey] Already had a left hand injury in the first half that he's come back from.

And there you see the shoulder issue there.

Hayes, throws down field, it's caught and dropped again as number 21, Ishmael Bethel, headed in his hands.

But Ziggy Holloway very physical at the end of the play.

- [Rick] Yeah, I really think this ball's a little bit late.

I think Bethel, you know, you can see he's got by two steps on the defender.

The ball is late and behind on a very good job, again, by Holloway of playing out of phase and separating those hands off the football.

- [Mickey] There is just a renewed confidence and energy this St. James football team here in this third quarter.

So it's second and 10 Piedmont.

The Trojan 46, Jack Hayes, again.

Maybe three yards as Hayes, coach, just rushed it for the 27th time in this game.

- [Rick] Well, you know, John McKay, the legendary Southern Cow coach when asked why Charles White cared the ball 35 times in the game if it was a problem.

He says, why?

The ball's not heavy.

And that's kind of what we're looking at today.

Now St. James has done a really good job of involving their safeties in their run stopping scheme a lot more.

They've attacked the line of scrimmage, that gives you two extra hats in the box.

And to this point, Piedmont has not been able to take advantage of it by throwing the football.

You see those safeties are tight, tight on the line of scrimmage.

Third and seven, Jack Hayes, gets around the edge as St. James loses containment and Hayes makes 'em pay.

It's a first down inside the Trojan 30.

- [Rick] Now this play is designed to hit right up the gut, but Hayes sees the daylight to the outside and bounces it to the outside.

Takes another shot.

I'll tell you what, now he's been popped pretty good several times today.

- [Mickey] It is a first down.

An Aldot first down drive safely Alabama as Piedmont trying to safely get this thing into the end zone.

Get some points here in the second half.

Jack Hayes dives down inside the 20.

That'll be a four yard pickup on first down.

- [Rick] That's his 29th carry of the day.

And I talked about Major Ogilvy earlier in his 38 carries.

Man, that was a lot of carries.

I didn't realize it that night when I called 'em all.

And I think Hayes may go past that.

- [Mickey] And out of the 6A State Championship game that we'll do tomorrow night features another pretty good running back from Mountain Brook.

- [Rick] Yes, sir.

A very, very good one.

A lot of similarities to that game and the last State Championship that Mountain Brook won.

- [Mickey] That'll be coming your way tomorrow night here at the Super Seven in Auburn.

We've got a timeout taken by Saint James.

And speaking of the game coming up tomorrow, go ahead and take a look at the Children's of Alabama Super Seven schedule, coach.

We've got a lot of football still to go here.

- [Rick] Yeah.

We really do.

I mean, you know this Pickens County Leroy game that you know will be very exciting.

Ramsey Charles Henderson tonight.

You know, Charles Henderson was one of those teams that people said, yeah, well, you know, they might be a contender to maybe possibly make the playoffs this year 'cause they were only two and eight the year before.

And they've kind of come outta nowhere, and they're gonna play a very, very good Ramsey team.

Cherokee County and Andalusia.

I mean, they both have great running backs right there.

Five and BB Comer.

I mean, five is five.

BB Comer has one of the best teams they've had in the history of the school.

And Mountain Brook and Saraland will be a definite contrast of styles.

Outside of that, you don't have much going on, Mickey.

(Mickey laughing) - [Mickey] And you see they're a slight breeze inside Jordan-Hare Stadium today.

You know, it was 49 degrees and sunny when we kicked it off.

It's warmed up a bit.

We're in the low fifties, but it's gonna be a pretty chilly day and a chilly night, coach.

- [Rick] That may be low fifties on your side of the booth.

But over here, I don't think it is.

(laughs) - [Mickey] All in all, outstanding weather today in Auburn, Alabama.

Second down and six.

Here goes Hayes cuts it back up inside.

He's inside the 15 and bulls his way inside the 10 as he runs over Ziggy Holloway.

First in gold, Piedmont.

- [Rick] Now this is that double lead power over the left side.

And folks, the men have gone to jail for less than that, what he did to poor Ziggy Holloway on that right here.

Holloway stood right in there.

But boy Hayes, I mean he is a physical, physical runner at the end.

But I always- - [Mickey] And Piedmont back in the Alabama Votes Red Zone presented by the Alabama Secretary of State.

It's first in goal at the nine.

It's Jack Hayes again.

Surprise, surprise.

Only a couple of yards this time though is a sea of blue jerseys converged to slow Jack Hayes, who is now over 200 yards rushing in this game.

- [Rick] And I, you know, I knew that he would be a factor both ways, but I didn't think it would be, you know, he's five for 15 for 70 yards throwing the football, 207 rushing.

I didn't see that kind of lopsided deal.

Now, looking at the St. James defense right there, if they can hold here, even if they can hold to a field goal, I think that'll be a big, big moral victory for them.

Piedmont to my thinking, it has to get seven under this.

- [Mickey] Yeah, they're thinking touchdown.

Second down in goal.

Jack Hayes spins down to about the five and that's gonna set up third third in goal.

- [Rick] Yeah, tried to cut back on that wide.

Was supposed to go to the outside.

You know, if you're pursuing on the backside, you really always wanna stay on the back hip of the football.

And that time, St. James did an excellent job of pursuing that.

- [Mickey] Should be an exciting fourth quarter in the 3A State Championship game.

A third quarter dominated by the Trojans of St. James is they have a 31, 20 lead as we head to the fourth quarter here in Auburn.

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(bright music) - [Mickey] Football at the highest level being played here in this 3A State Championship game at the Super Seven in Auburn.

Both coaches, Steve Smith, Piedmont, Jimmy Perry of St. James.

And here we are.

Piedmont now with a third goal at the five as we begin the fourth quarter.

St. James outscoring Piedmont 21 zip in that third quarter.

Piedmont trying to answer.

Jack Hayes breaks it outside and he gets into the end zone for a huge Piedmont touchdown.

Fourth rushing touchdown of the game for Jack Hayes.

- [Rick] Well this run here by Jack Hayes is just a test of will because when he bounced it outside, I thought he had run into two would be tacklers.

And I really didn't think he was gonna gain a yard and he just willed his way into the end zone.

St. James had 10 guys in the box.

Really more people than Piedmont could block.

But just a great, great run and a great effort.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes coming back out to the huddle.

So the Bulldogs are gonna line up and go for two here.

- [Rick] Well, you're in the fourth quarter and really this'll get it within a field goal if they can make the two.

One doesn't really help you that much.

Very understandable.

- [Mickey] And Jack Hayes keeps, and he spins his way in for the two point conversion.

So Piedmont pulls to within three now at 31 to 28.

- [Rick] You know, looked like he was gonna be stopped there just for a second.

Now this is the touchdown.

Watch him bounce outside.

You see those two blue shirts right there and he just runs right through 'em.

And here's the run again from a little bit different angle.

I really thought they had angles on him, but some guys just will their way in.

And then the decision to go for two right after this to get it within a 3 point game.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes, 33 carries for 216 yards as you see the Aldot scoring drive.

Such an important scoring drive here for Piedmont.

But Jack Hayes's performance today, just incredible.

216 yards rushing right now.

70 yards passing.

He has over the majority of Piedmont's total offensive production has been from number seven.

- [Rick] Oh, I mean he's got 276 of 299.

I think that is definitely a majority, my friend.

That's for sure.

- [Mickey] And this handled kickoff here by St. James.

But they're able to get it.

Houser had it knock loose and it goes outta bounds.

So that was not a very special, special teams play at all that time for St. James.

But they're lucky to maintain possession.

They've got a couple of guys injured.

- [Rick] They've got two down.

Looks like one is number two, Ethan Beard, the wide receiver.

And I can't see the other number.

- [Mickey] I think it's Clint Houser.

- [Rick] I think you may be right.

- [Mickey] Holding his left leg here.

- [Rick] That would be a big loss, obviously.

- [Mickey] Yeah, Houser three catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns in this game.

St. James fans holding their breath seeing number seven down on the field.

Let's take a look again at the chaos on the kickoff return.

- [Rick] And of course you never want that kickoff bouncing around at all, then not handled clean.

It went down.

It all comes loose in this.

Bodies everywhere.

Every time that ball bounces on the kickoff, you get very nervous as a coach and pretty good coverage, obviously by Piedmont.

And this will start St. James at their own six yard line.

- [Mickey] Yeah, I think that's the big takeaway that the two injured players are off the field and seem to be okay.

The big takeaway is the poor field position now for St. James.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

And of course obviously from Piedmont perspective, they want to take advantage of this and force a quick punt or turnover.

- [Mickey] One of the few running plays of the day call for KJ Jackson.

And he gets very little, maybe two yards as he was met in the hole by Piedmont senior defensive end, Brett Alford.

- [Rick] Yeah, his number's in the running game.

He had 127 yards rushing coming in on the year.

Five rushing TDs.

But that is not his forte.

Of course, they wanna be careful with the football down here.

- [Mickey] If Piedmont can hold, get the ball back with good field position, then they'll have a chance to reclaim the lead.

- [Rick] Yep.

- [Mickey] That is what they're looking to do here.

Second down and nine.

Jackson fakes, goes up top, receiver breaking freeze.

Got it in stride.

That's Beard.

It's a foot race with Trevor Pike.

(crowd cheering) And Beard's gonna win it.

Can you believe this?

- [Rick] Well, just a post riding, you know, just a really, really good job by Beard of sticking an outside move and blew right by the corner and Jackson puts the ball right on the money.

And who knows, that 94 yarder might be a State Championship, but we've learned over the years, not to count out the Piedmont Bulldogs, but boy, what a clutch, clutch play by St. James.

- [Mickey] And coach, we have to give kudos to this offensive line.

Obviously the thread of the running game slows the rush down.

But KJ Jackson, he hasn't been touched today when he's throwing the ball.

- [Rick] No, he had all the time in the world right here.

And of course when you have that kind of confidence, that's just huge.

- [Mickey] And the extra point attempt is no good.

So the score will remain 37, 28.

And let's take another look at this long touchdown pass.

- [Rick] Now this is, again, this is a straight post route, stuck the move to the outside to set up the corner, and just blew right by him and there's no catching him.

- [Mickey] And Beard has had a good day, three receptions, 141 yards in the long, of course here of 93.

- [Rick] Yeah, and that ball really beautifully thrown.

I mean, you know, right where it's easy to handle.

- [Mickey] KJ Jackson's day just keeps getting better.

He looks like a different player in the second half, no question about it.

- [Rick] Well, I mean, he's been a dramatically different player.

I mean, right now he up to 298 throwing.

- [Mickey] Coach, this is the second two play scoring drive they've had.

They had a three play scoring drive in the third quarter.

So three touchdowns, seven plays combined.

Those three touchdowns.

- [Rick] Well, the stats still a story though.

He's thrown for 230 yards in basically one quarter of football.

He threw for 230 yards in the third quarter in the first series of the second half.

- [Mickey] Hansen backs up and fills it from the goal line and brings it out.

Good coverage as they get to him at about the 21 yard line, Cole Anderson, the junior, hustling down on special teams.

Hansen a little shaken up there at the end of that play.

- [Rick] You got popped pretty good.

I've said that a lot today.

A lot of people gotten popped pretty good today.

Now, Piedmont's gotta answer.

The problem with that is the way they have answered has been with pretty methodical drives.

And if you think about what just happened, they took about, what, about six, maybe about four and a half minutes to drive the length of the field to get it back to a three point game.

Three plays later, they're not down seven points anymore, they're back down to 10.

- [Mickey] Jack Hayes, very deliberate on this rushing attempt.

And it's just well defended there by St. James, again, of two yards on the play.

And a nice job there by Connor Owens, the senior defensive lineman for St. James.

- [Rick] Almost too deliberate at that time.

He got sworn pretty good at the end of that run, as we see some young St. James Trojans that are having a big time.

- [Mickey] Still plenty of time here.

We're about at the 10 minute mark of the fourth quarter.

Bulldogs, obviously though, need to answer again.

Jack Hayes passes away and it is caught by DeFell and he advances the football to the 35 yard line for a first down.

Tackled there by Will Johnson.

- [Rick] Just a little stop right at about 10 yards.

Ball was a little bit high.

Nice job of going up and getting the ball and picking up a big first down.

- [Mickey] Sixth completion of the day for Jack Hayes.

Six of 16 passing for 80 yards.

Most of his work has been running the football.

Low snap, Hayes.

That's a good job just getting rid of that and avoiding a big loss.

All right, Susan.

Let's check back in with you down on the field.

- [Susan] Hey guys.

So the St. James team showing a lot of heart, but playing together is nothing new for these guys.

They have eight starters who've been playing together since they were in the, what they call the Termite League, which is the third and fourth grade level of Peewee Football.

So nothing new for these guys.

I understand they've won several championships along the way and they're looking for another one here today.

- [Mickey] Yeah, Susan, this St. James team was really built to win now.

They kind of look at this as a two year window.

You see some of the young Trojans there in attendance.

But coach, this roster, they got 14 juniors, 14 seniors.

They all play.

So this is...

They kind of have been looking toward this period of time in their football program.

- [Rick] Yeah, well they've been building for this, you know, for a while, and, you know.

- [Official] Time out.

Piedmont.

- [Rick] You hear about the Termite Leagues.

I remember way back when I used to go to those games 'cause I was a junior high coach then.

And you see these little fellas in full gear and no shoes playing barefoot.

And that's where it starts in Montgomery.

They start 'em young and work 'em up.

And these guys been together a long time.

They're used to winning and, you know, really the second half they've been unstoppable.

I mean, they've scored, you know, with almost another quarter to go.

They've scored 27 points in the second half.

- [Mickey] You know, they've clearly been the class of 3A this year.

You know, you mentioned Piedmont, one of their two losses was to Foray Aniston who had Analusia on the ropes.

And Analusia is playing for a 4A State Championship this week.

And then they lost a Cherokee County who is playing in the 4A State Championship game.

Meanwhile for St. James, they lost to Hanley, which was in the thick of things in 4A, and then 5A Charles Henderson, who's playing 4A State Championships.

- [Rick] So I mean, you know, their losses on both sides have been to really, really quality teams.

And, you know, just back to the scoring just for a second.

I mean, this is a real problem that Piedmont has is not only do they need to score and frankly score a little bit quicker than they probably would want to right now.

There's no sure bet that they can stop St. James's Houser.

They hadn't done it yet.

So they're gonna need a score, they're gonna need a turnover, I think.

- [Mickey] Yeah, KJ Jackson, the quarterback for St. James.

He's got a real clean jersey right now, coach.

I think that's been a big key to this second half.

- [Rick] Yeah, he hasn't been touched.

And that's not gonna help.

- Cold start, on the offense.

Five yard penalty.

Second down.

- [Mickey] I tell you, I don't know how well it's coming through to you at home watching, but this St. James crowd in attendance, to say that they're into this game, would be an understatement.

- [Rick] Well, they have been.

And I tell you, they got about a 25 member band that has been rocking the entire afternoon.

And right on cue, they pick up.

- [Mickey] So second and 15 after the five yard penalty for Piedmont.

Great block under four, they snap it just in time.

Jack Hayes, busted out of the pocket and he is in trouble, stays alive, heaves it downfield, and just again, just gets rid of it to avoid what would've been a huge sack.

- [Rick] That's a heck of a play just to avoid that sack.

I don't know how he got out of the Bulldog headlock he was in.

You can see you're gonna come from the left of your screen as he's flushed.

I mean he's tackled right there and he just, I don't know what that move is, Mickey.

I know, if I did that, I'd be in a frame in a bed.

Was that kind of a reverse shoulder shrug?

I, you know, heck of a move though to avoid that.

But now this brings a third and about a third, about 20.

- [Mickey] Well, Jack Crow, when he was in the booth with us, he talked a lot about blitzing.

I think the Trojans come after Jack Hayes here.

- [Rick] Nah, I think they're gonna play coverage.

- [Mickey] Hayes airs it out deep.

It is incomplete.

Almost intercepted.

You had two defenders in Ziggy Holloway and Clint Houser surrounding Raleigh Pinto, the intended receiver.

Great coverage on the back end.

- [Rick] And I think one of the stores of this game is gonna be how well the St. James secondary to this point has played contested balls in the air.

They've won just about every jump ball if you think about it this morning.

- [Mickey] They been physical back there.

- [Rick] Yeah, they've won just about every one of 'em.

They've knocked the ball loose, they've separated hands, they've knocked balls down.

And that's a big part of this game.

- [Mickey] And that's a big stop there.

Piedmont will have to punt with late 8:53 to go in the game.

And it bounces at the 43 and, Beard, picked it up, then dropped it, and he's still on his feet.

Kind of a dangerous play by Beard.

But it works out in his favor as St. James gonna have it first down near midfield.

You know, we've talked a lot about Jack Hayes for good reason.

But you gotta give the dude in KJ Jackson, the junior quarterback for St. James.

What a second half today.

- [Rick] Well, you can stretch the field vertically.

It changes everything for both sides of the ball.

And can he stretch the field vertically?

I'd say so.

Can he stretch the field vertically?

I'd say so.

- [Mickey] And again, a very clean uniform as his offensive line has done a great job protecting him today.

And he looks to throw on first down, floats out of the pocket, throws it down for Beard.

And waiting for the signal.

It's a touchdown.

- [Rick] Well, this is the scramble drill.

You know, he scrambles to his left and that crossing route was really supposed to be kind of a medium yardage route, breaks it vertical, heads for the far pylon.

Jackson picks him up and puts it right on the money.

And this hill got really, really, really steep now for the Piedmont Bulldogs.

- [Mickey] You know, KJ Jackson took a shot on his lower leg after throwing the ball.

I thought for a moment he might have been passed the line of scrimmage.

But it is a huge touchdown pass.

Another one in the second half for KJ Jackson.

Five touchdown passes in this game.

- [Rick] He's 10 for fifteen, three hundred and fifty one yards.

And remember he only had 68 yards at halftime.

- [Mickey] Coach Steve Smith has thrown the red flag, and I'm wondering if it's about where the pass was left his hand in conjunction with where he was at the line of scrimmage.

So there's- - [Rick] He's close.

I tell you what, but you know, the rule is of any part, you know, of the thrower is behind the line of scrimmage, he's okay.

Look, and I'm sure that's what's being contested right here if he was past the line of scrimmage.

- [Mickey] You could also see on the replay the shot that Jackson took to his lower leg.

But he is moving around on the sideline.

Appears to be okay.

So here's another angle, coach.

- [Rick] This might be a little bit better.

He looks okay there to me.

He looks about a half yard behind the line of scrimmage, beautifully thrown ball.

- The previous play under further review of whether the quarterback has crossed the liner scrimmage when he passed.

- [Rick] What do you think, Mickey?

I think he was okay.

- [Mickey] In real time, I was actually looking at it and I thought he might have been, but on the replay, I agree with you.

I think he's in good shape.

We'll see what the officials think after the review.

And here you can see what you think here.

- [Rick] The ball is gone.

I think he's behind.

- [Mickey] I think clearly there that left foot is just about a half yard or so behind the line of scrimmage.

- [Rick] Yeah now the follow through takes him well past the line, but you know, really, you know, that shot is not right down.

So, we'll see.

- [Mickey] Here's another angle.

This is more down the light here.

Great angle here by our crew.

- [Rick] I think he's good.

- [Mickey] And as you always have to point out in these review situations, the call on the field is a touchdown.

- [Rick] Yes.

Yep.

- [Mickey] And then of course on the other end, did Beard stay in bounds?

- [Rick] Yeah, I thought he was in bounds too.

Now, I've been right, you know, a few times today and last night.

The odds are well against my favor of being right.

But he looks like he's in bounds there.

And you know, the ball's in his right arm, which is inside the pylon.

- After further review, the play stands.

It's a touchdown.

(crowd cheering) Piedmont is charged and loses one challenger.

They have one remaining in the game.

- [Mickey] Well coach, I think they got it right on both ends of that.

- [Rick] Yep.

I do too.

And you know, this second half has really been really amazing.

33 points in a quarter and a half for the St. James Trojans.

Boy, have they have responded.

- [Mickey] And here's your electric co-ops of Alabama extra point attempt coming up momentarily from Jake Huff.

Out of a hole from be Eli Riggs, but we're, that whistle.

- And the timeout.

- Timeout.

- [Mickey] Take a timeout.

- St. James, they're second to the half.

- [Rick] You know, I'm really amazed that, I mean, Jackson is thrown for 283 yards already in the second half.

283 and a half.

- [Mickey] Well his work has been through the air of course.

And Jack Hayes primarily on the ground.

And we've mentioned our impact players at the top of the telecast and it was the quarterbacks and boy they have delivered in this game.

- [Rick] Yeah, they really have.

Now the problem that Piedmont has right now is that delivering on the ground isn't gonna cut it now.

They're too far down with too little time left.

They're going to have to throw the ball effectively.

And they had a hard time doing that.

You know, Hayes for as good as been is six for 19 on the day.

They've had a lot of contested balls that we talked about earlier that they've not been able to bring down.

So, as we said, the mountain to climb has just gotten a lot higher for the Piedmont Bulldogs.

Boy, what a second half performance by St. James.

- [Mickey] They were down 20 to 10 at halftime of this game.

What a third quarter and they've carried it on into the fourth quarter.

And they'll go for two, receiver wide open, and Jackson finds him as Clint Shores on the receiving end of the two point conversion.

- [Rick] Just the old action flood route.

Piedmont been on the run fake.

Nobody out in the flat.

Looks like he was out to practice early.

And two more points on the board for the Trojans, and they can smell that trophy now.

- [Mickey] And again, we talk about these short scoring drives.

One play 53 yards to go with two two play scoring drives and a three play scoring drive.

I mean this has been an incredible second half here by St. James.

And we still have 8:29 to go in this game.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

Now the significance, you know, math is not my strong point, okay.

The significance of that two point conversion is it's now a three score game instead of two because even 16 points now, it's gonna only get 'em to 44.

So that was a big, big two point conversion.

- [Mickey] Time not on the Bulldog side here as Hansen will fill the kick at the six and he returns it right out to the 20.

Another good job of kick coverage there by St. James as Miles Zukowski and Cole Anderson converged to make the tackle.

And only one timeout remaining for the Bulldogs, the rest of the way.

You mentioned of the James Secondary.

Not have they had good coverage, but as we talked about earlier, I think their physical play on the back end has really been a big key to this game.

- [Rick] Well it really is.

And of course, you know, in the secondary, the only thing that really matters, doesn't matter what coverage you're in, doesn't matter what technique you have, is can you play the ball in the air?

If you can play the ball in the air, you're gonna win.

If you can't, you're gonna lose.

And St. James has won just about every one of those today.

- [Mickey] Piedmont's gonna have to put it.

- [Rick] There's another one.

- [Mickey] And Probes takes a shot from Beard right as the ball arrive.

- [Rick] Well and this is exactly what you teach a defender to do.

I mean, he drove on that a very clean play, aggressive play.

But he drove on that slant route and played right through the up field shoulder.

Big, big hit.

- [Mickey] Probes still feeling it down on the field.

And here's the physical play of the secondary we've talked about several times today.

- [Rick] Well again, you can see.

I mean, this is exactly what you teach a defensive back to drive on that ball.

A clean head breath, aggressive hit, just knocks that thing loose.

- [Mickey] Probes appears to be okay, good news for Piedmont.

Yeah, Beard leading with the shoulder there.

You could clearly see that on the replay.

Just a good clean hard hit by the junior, Ethan Beard.

- [Rick] I mean their secondary play today has been outstanding.

- [Mickey] So second down at 10 for the Bulldogs.

Hayes passes almost intercepted by Clint Houser who had a great break on the ball.

- [Rick] Yeah, he was playing kind of a kind of a squad corner and he just broke on that ball and very fortunate that that was not intercepted.

'cause he really, I mean he reached in and knocked that ball awake.

Hayes could have very easily picked that thing.

A very frustrating second half for that side of the field.

- [Mickey] So a third and 10 here for the Bulldogs.

Hayes steps up.

And it's incomplete, official reaching for the flag.

And there's gonna be interference this time.

I think they're gonna get Clint Houser.

They're a little bit too much physicality on that play.

- [Rick] Yeah, I think maybe he might have had, you know, a wrap around the waist with that left arm.

We'll see.

- Touch interference on the defense.

15 yard penalty.

First down.

- [Rick] Now this is an out cut.

You see Houser and you see that left arm is wrapped around the waist and sometimes you can get away with that, but usually on those lateral routes, it's difficult to get away with that technique.

- [Mickey] So that gives the Bulldogs a first down out at the 36.

Keeps the ball in their possession.

Comes some pressure from the edge.

Jack Hayes throws it deep, incomplete, Bethel the intended receiver, but just too many blue jerseys back there.

Coach, again, the two quarterbacks coming into this game.

The two leaders of both of these teams.

And they have both been very effective.

Of course, Jack Hayes of Piedmont.

- [Official] Foul play on the passer.

Defense, 15 yard penalty.

First down.

- [Rick] Guys got a roughing passing.

Penalty attack on 15.

- [Mickey] But back to the quarterback comparison, most of Jack Hayes work has been done on the ground.

And then KJ Jackson, 351 yards passing, most of that here in the second half.

- [Rick] And the vast, vast majority of those yards in the second half.

And, you know, just a really two completely different styles of what they've had to do today.

You know, Hayes' numbers, throwing the ball are not good at all.

Six for 21.

But most of those incompletions have been right on the money.

They just haven't one many battles at the point of attack.

- [Mickey] Bulldogs run it on first down and only get about a yard as Holloway is stopped in his tracks after a short gain.

And we've got a stoppage of play as one of the St. James defenders lost his helmet has to come off the field.

- [Rick] That was AJ Alozie that had to come out.

- [Mickey] So a couple of penalties have kept this drive going.

Had the past interference and the late hit on the quarterback by this Trojan defense.

- [Rick] And that clock continues to run.

It's gonna be down around seven minutes.

- [Mickey] Hayes steps up, and delivers a strike, but it's dropped at the 41 yard line by Probes.

- [Official] Pass intended for number 11, Thomas Probes, turned down.

- [Rick] Well and you see that, you know, that brace on his left arm 'cause of that screw in his hand.

That, you know, that doesn't make it any easier trying to catch the football.

And I go back again to that two point conversion, which was so, you know, so huge.

I mean, they gotta score three times now.

- [Mickey] Third down, and eight.

Hayes we'll run it.

And he has met behind the line of scrimmage and thrown to the turf.

(crowd cheering) First man to arrive was senior, AJ Alozie.

- [Rick] Well, and Jack Crows' a little bit of a prophet this half.

You know, he talked about that they needed to bring more pressure in the second half.

And they have used their pressure game in a timely manner.

If you can see that penetration coming from the inside, right up the chute.

From the same gentleman that had to leave with his helmet off about two plays earlier.

- [Mickey] So Piedmont, will go forward on fourth and 11 from midfield.

Jack Hayes drops back.

Yeah, we're gonna have a holding call.

And this pass is incomplete.

Nice job defending once again in the secondary by Ziggy Holloway knocking that pass down.

But was clearly a holding call.

- Holding.

Offense.

Penalty's declined.

First down, St. James.

- [Mickey] So St. James will take over, with six minutes, 30 seconds.

- [Rick] With great field position and a chance really realistically to put the final nail in the coffin here.

- [Mickey] Again, the play in the secondary today is just really stands out, is one of the key reasons that St. James is knocking on the door of their first ever State Championship.

- [Rick] Gonna look at Ziggy Holloway right there.

I'd like to know the background of that name.

That's kind of a cool name, Ziggy.

- [Mickey] So first down, right at midfield.

Jackson on the quarterback run picks up a couple of yards, but it's all about running the clock now if you're St. James.

- [Rick] Well, it most definitely is Mickey, but I gotta be honest, I'm not sure I wouldn't be tempted to launch one again.

They've had pretty good luck with it.

- [Mickey] Well, these are speedy receivers for the Trojans.

And with the time that its offensive line has been able to give Jackson, it's just created a coverage problem for this Piedmont secondary.

- [Rick] Absolutely.

- [Mickey] Second and eight.

And keep it on the ground.

Harrison his first carry in a while and he has stopped for about a yard gain as Piedmont's Fisher Adams on the tackle.

We are under six minutes to go in this one.

Third down at nine.

- [Rick] Well, and you know, in third and long here in the past, they've just set up and launched one deep.

Didn't get a first down, but they got a touchdown, so.

- [Mickey] Well, the way Piedmont's come back against teams in the past.

You can't blame 'em if they don't go for it.

Jackson.

- [Rick] No, you can't.

- [Mickey] Looks to throw.

He gets hit from behind.

A flag comes in, and they gonna take a shot.

- [Rick] And they another post route wide open in the secondary.

- [Mickey] AJ Jackson, well taken a shot from behind.

And we've also got Ethan Beard down for St. James.

- Rolling on field is a fumble recovered by Piedmont.

Well folks, we had a hold him on offense.

That penalty's been declined.

First down.

- [Mickey] We'll take a break and return to Jordan-Hare Stadium.

St. James leading Piedmont 45 to 28.

- Hi, I'm Lionel Richie.

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- [Mickey] And we are back at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.

And while we were away, we had the challenge flag thrown by St. James, coach Jimmy Perry.

Because basically the ruling on the field before we went to break was that there was a fumble by quarterback, KJ Jackson, recovered by Piedmont.

I think most folks here thought that it was just an incomplete pass.

And we'll get another look at it here.

- [Rick] And you know, we'll see if the arm is moving forward.

Boy that's a bang, bang deal.

- [Mickey] How about that one, coach?

(giggles) - [Rick] I'm sorry my mic went out.

What'd you saying, Mickey?

That one was tough.

You know, I'm gonna say it's an incomplete pass for this reason.

It looked like the ball coming loose and the arm coming forward at best was simultaneous.

But what direction did the ball go?

It went forward.

- After review, the rolling on the field stands.

St. James is charged with time out, and have one challenges remaining.

- [Rick] But hey, what do I know?

- [Mickey] Well, you can't fight City Hall, as they say.

And we've had two challenges, one from each coach and neither is successful.

- [Rick] That's kind of the way that works.

It's good that they have that chance to do that, so.

- [Mickey] So Piedmont does get it back if it's rule to fumble and a recovery by the Bulldogs.

So 4:54 to play, one time out for Piedmont.

But again, they're down three scores.

- [Rick] Now, back to that two point conversion again, just what you said that three score is huge because if it was just two, you know, you would say, well let's get a score and then whatever time we got left, we'll try to tie this game up, it'll be three.

You gotta move and you gotta move rapidly.

You gotta get big chunks of yardage.

And that ain't gonna do it.

- [Mickey] Cody Holloway goes nowhere.

- [Rick] Just don't have time for, you know, for their running game, which has been pretty successful on the day relatively speaking, but it's been 6, 7, 8 yards plays.

They just don't have time for it.

- [Mickey] St. James now at 441 yards of total offense.

- [Susan] Pam, this is Susan.

Can you hear me?

- [Mickey] Pretty much all of the second half.

Remarkable comeback here in the second half after being down 20 to 10 at halftime.

Second down in 10 for Piedmont.

Hayes' pass incomplete.

Intended for Gavin Gurley who kind of seemed to cut off the route.

- [Rick] Yeah, well you know, Cosner Harrison, who moon lights is a pretty dog on good line when he's not playing running back.

Matter of fact has four interceptions, excuse me, has 27 tackles on here.

Got right in the way of that throwing lead.

Jumped up and I really think got in the vision of both the receiver and the quarterback.

- [Mickey] So it's third at 10, with 4:10 to play.

Hayes passes incomplete.

Probes the intended receiver.

Once again, the coverage was very good for St. James.

Fourth and 10 coming up.

- [Rick] Yeah, brought a little crossing route right there and had a defender over the top and underneath, really know to go with the football and brings up this.

- [Official] Illegal formation on the offense.

Five minutes in the back field.

Penalty's declined.

Fourth down.

- [Rick] I was gonna say, I thought they would decline it and they do.

- [Mickey] Let's see coach Smith and giving the call to Jack Hayes.

Fourth and 10 for the Bulldogs.

Their hopes fading here today in Auburn as they trail big here late in the fourth.

Hayes eludes one defender, stays alive, looking downfield, throws it up for grabs and it is incomplete down at the 30 yard line.

St. James will take over again.

- [Rick] Yeah, well the pressure was on Hayes almost immediately and had to roll to the side of the field where he didn't have very many receivers and there were a lot of defenders and just threw it up for a jump ball.

And we know who's won those today.

And ball goes over again.

And that might do it.

- [Mickey] And some more highlights of the job that has been done today by this St. James Secondary.

- [Rick] The only thing that matters in the secondary when all is said and done is the ability to play the ball in the air.

And they have been outstanding at that today.

- [Mickey] Ball hawks, no doubt about it.

Jackson and the offense back out there, Harrison up the middle for a game of four.

And again, it's about running the clock now if you're St. James.

- [Announcer] Cosner Harrison on the ball.

- [Rick] We're gonna be under 3:30 when this one snapped again.

I'm sure they'll try to milk that clock.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we see the ball snapped with four seconds left on every play.

And they are within tasting distance of their first state title.

- [Mickey] Second down in seven.

And again, you're right, Jackson looking at the play clock.

Milking it, snapping it with five seconds to go, they hand it off to Harrison.

And if you running for Harrison inside the 40, very near a first down.

- [Announcer] Number five, Cosner Harrison.

- [Rick] And as I said, I mean they can smell this now.

I mean that offensive line, they're gonna churn out, and they're gonna give that ball to that good back of theirs.

They're not going for first downs right now.

They're going for State Championship.

- [Mickey] Third down at about a yard.

Again, Jackson milking that play clock.

They snap it with about five to go.

Jackson sneaks forward for the first downing.

Coach, Piedmont does have one time out remaining, but that pretty much seals the deal right there.

- [Rick] Yeah, I think it does.

And I really, I mean that quarterback sneak was almost uncontested.

He had two yards before he was even touched.

Just a tremendous second half.

And I don't know what that gentleman said to 'em at half time, but he needs to bottle it and sell it because I mean, the second half, I mean the stats tell the stories.

35 points in the second half and holding Piedmont to just eight.

Tremendous turnaround, just a great job by the guys in blue.

- [Mickey] Jackson, hands off to Harrison.

And he is taken off of his feet by Piedmont's Trevor Pike.

Gain of five yards and the St. James crowd can sense it as we're under two minutes to play in the game.

- [Rick] Well, just a magnificent second half performance and two great football teams and it's really been a heck of a game.

But in the end, there's too much firepower by the St. James of Trojans.

The ability to stretch the field and their ability really to defend the passing game on the other side have been huge in this game.

- [Mickey] And here's the handoff to Harrison as he surges forward once again near another first down.

And now we will go under one minute to play.

Coming up, we hope to catch up with the winning coach, Jimmy Perry, after the game.

And then we'll also have the trophy presentation live for you from Pat Dye Field here at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

First of three games today here at the AHSAA Super Seven Football Championships.

Third down in a yard.

Jackson sneaks forward and it'll be another first down.

- [Rick] And that will be the termination of the contest, I believe.

- [Announcer] St. James, Jack the quarterback, came around.

Tackled by 42, Brett Holdem.

The play is good for St. James.

- [Mickey] St. James would not have to snap it again.

And it looks like Coach Perry's about to get a bath here.

(giggles) - [Rick] That's usually what that means.

(laughs) Not many people are gonna steal the water jug.

I can tell you.

They're going after something.

- [Official] Timeout.

Piedmont.

- [Mickey] Well, Piedmont has chosen to take their final time out, much to the chagrin of the St. James fans.

- [Rick] That gives them a lot more time to get Coach Perry in their gun sites.

Let me tell you, those Gatorade baths are not fun.

Those suckers are cold.

- [Mickey] On a daylight today, coach.

I agree.

(laughs) - [Rick] Yep.

All right.

See, this is the camouflage right here.

Coach is coming over and saying, you better not do that.

Come on guys.

Sneak around, get about eight guys in front of the bucket, have somebody come up and start hugging coach to distract him, and then, that's the way you do it, isn't it?

- [Mickey] What a second half turnaround.

This game will be remembered for a long time.

- [Rick] I'm watching the bucket.

It's moving its way.

It's working down, the bucket's at about the 35 yard line.

- [Mickey] Jackson takes a snap, the victory formation.

(crowd cheering) And that will do it as St. James has come into Jordan-Hare Stadium today.

- [Rick] And the bucket has made it.

- [Mickey] Coach Perry gets his bath and St. James gets their 3A State Championship.

- [Rick] Congratulations on a great, great win.

Just a magnificent second half performance.

First trip to the big dance.

First state championship.

How about that?

Good football game.

Lot of fun to be a part of.

- [Mickey] Celebration underway for the St. James fans.

So take a look at our Children of Alabama Super Seven schedules.

So we've crowned the 3A State Champion, St. James, knocking off Piedmont.

Auburn beating Thompson last night in the 7A, and then we've got much more coming today.

The 1A championship game kicking off at three then tonight, it'll be the 5A State Championship game.

Let's send it down to Susan.

- Hey guys, I'm here with Coach Perry.

Coach Perry, this is St. James 50th anniversary of fielding a football team.

And you're celebrating by taking home a State Championship.

Tell me what it means to your team.

- Well, it just means the world.

You know, this group's never done this before, and I'm just so proud of them.

- Well, congratulations.

You're a little bit wet here, but go celebrate with your team.

- All right, thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

I appreciate these youngings, they never gave up.

They were down 10 and a half kept battling.

I love them.

- Great job.

- Thank you.

- [Mickey] All right, we'll step aside for a timeout and come back with our trophy presentation presented by Google.

You're watching live coverage of the AHSAA Super Seven Football Championships from Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.

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(lively music) - [Official] You go home.

- [Mickey] St. James has captured the 3A State Championship with a 45, 28 victory over Piedmont.

Time now to pitch it to the field for the Google Trophy presentation.

(lively upbeat music) - [Announcer] Fans, please direct your attention midfield.

- [Rick] Susan is amazing.

She's out there roaming the field, but I think she's red hatting telling 'em to go.

- [Announcer] The awards will be presented by the AHSAA staff and members of the Central Board of Control, central board member, Mike Welch, superintendent of Cherokee County Schools, representing Piedmont and Tilter board member, Luke Hallmark, superintendent of Marengo County Schools, representing St. James.

- [Susan] Hey, Hamman.

Am I clear?

- [Announcer] The official Wilson Championship footballs will be presented by Brandon Dean, assistant director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association to both head coaches.

First, from Piedmont High School, head coach, Steve Smith.

(crowd cheering) Now from St. James High School, head coach, Jimmy Perry.

(crowd cheering) Congratulations to both for a great season.

- [Rick] Tell me when I get back where's my... Yeah, I'm holding up here.

He gon' tape it.

Yeah, you shouldn't go any further now.

- [Announcer] Now presenting the most valuable player award.

Mike Baker from Coca-Cola and JT Lawrence, assistant director of the AHSAA.

The 2022 Most Valuable Player award for the class 3A Championship game is given to KJ Jackson from St. James High School.

(crowd cheering) Now to present the 2022 state runner up trophy for class 3A.

Central board member, Mike Welch, from District Five, and Kim Vickers, associate executive director of the AHSAA.

The 3A State Championship runner up led by head coach Steve Smith, the Piedmont Bulldogs.

(crowd cheering) (crowd cheering) And now to present the 2022 State Championship trophy for class 3A is Alvin Briggs, executive director of the AHSAA, and central board member, Luke Hallmark, from District Three to head coach, Jimmy Perry, of the St. James Trojans.

(crowd cheering) Congratulations to St. James, the 3A State Champions.

(crowd cheering) This concludes the award ceremony.

Thank you for supporting the AHSAA Super Seven Championships on behalf of the Alabama Athletic Association and their corporate partner.

- [Mickey] And congratulations to the St. James Trojans.

First ever State Championship with a 45, 28 victory here today, knocking off the defending champions from Piedmont.

Coach, it was a 20, 10 game at halftime.

It looked like Piedmont might be on their way to another State Championship.

The second half kickoff fumbled by Piedmont, and the whole game seemed to change at that point.

- [Rick] Well, it was really huge.

And I think that, what it did is it provided a spark and gave a young quarterback a lot of confidence that really, frankly, had struggled a little bit in the first half.

And he was just on fire the entire second half.

351 yards passing on the day.

About two 80 of it coming just in the second half.

So a big, big night for that... Well, a big day for that young man and boy, what a tremendous second half by St. James.

- [Mickey] That'll wrap up our coverage of the 3A State Championship game from Auburn.

For our entire crew, For coach Rick Rhoades, Mickey Shadrix saying so long from Jordan-Hare.

But stand by, the AmFirst post-game show is coming your way live here from Auburn.

We'll be back again tonight for the 5A State Championship game.

Thanks for watching the AHSAA Super Seven Football Championships.

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