Serenity Rutledge led top-ranked Moody to a 41-12 win over No. 3 Northside in the Class 1A/5A Alabama High School Athletic Association flag football playoff quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Rutledge threw for 2 touchdowns, ran for another and intercepted 2 passes – returning one for a TD – as the Blue Devils (19-3) advanced to next week’s semifinals against the winner of Thursday’s John Carroll vs. Boaz game.
“She is an incredible athlete,” Moody coach Wren Moore said of her sophomore standout. “Our defense set the tone early and we were able to keep it rolling.”
Rutledge got the Blue Devils on the board when she stepped in front of a Northside pass on the Rams’ second snap of the game and returned it 30 yards for the touchdown. She put Moody up 14-0 when she ran for 9 yards from her quarterback position on the Devils’ second possession of the game.
Baylee Appling threw 2 yards to Avery Patton to draw Northside (19-2) to within 14-6.
After Rutledge got her second interception, she threw 16 yards to Zoey Terry for a score and then added a 26-yard TD pass to Sophie White.
Stat sheet: White had 7 carries for 119 yards including a 56-yard touchdown run.
Coachspeak: “We have two more wins to go to get our championship. We will rest after Dec. 3. We have some great athletes on our team. I was really proud of our defensive effort.” – Moody coach Wren Moore
“Our kids made history tonight by reaching the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, we ran into the team that is going to a state championship. Moody is a great team. I am so proud of my girls. It has been a great season.” – Northside coach Riley Honeycutt
– Jeff George
CLASS 6A/7A
Central-Phenix City 55, Opelika 0
The top-ranked Red Devils ran their winning streak to 55 games with the rout of visiting Opelika. It was 18-0 Central-Phenix City’s 16th shutout and 16th win that ended via the Alabama High School Athletic Association mercy rule.
The Red Devils, ranked third in the nation by USA Today, led 15-0 after one quarter and 35-0 at the half.
Senior quarterback Mariah Harrison threw for 222 yards and 4 touchdowns and ran for 44 yards on 6 carries with 2 TDs. She completed 17-of-22 passes in the win.
Savannah Sevier caught 9 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. Colby Cook had 5 catches for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Kennedi Ellis had 4 flag pulls for Central. Amaya Brooks, Lauren Carreo and Sevier finished with 3 each. Madison Fuller intercepted 2 passes for the Devils.
Smiths Station 19, Alma Bryant 18
Brooke Norred hit Lynzie Mounce with a 14-yard touchdown pass with 2:18 left in the game to lift the Panthers past fifth-ranked Alma Bryant and into the state playoff semifinals.
Smiths Station improved to 14-4 on the season while the Hurricanes’ season ends at 13-2. The Panthers will play top-ranked Central-Phenix City in the semifinals.
Smiths Station broke on top with a first-quarter touchdown – and what proved to be the winning extra point – when Norred threw 5 yards to Korbyn Missildine. Courtney Allen caught a pass to record the decisive PAT.
Norred pushed the lead to 13-0 with 1-yard run in the second period before Alma Bryant got on the board when Mari-Margret Grayson connected with Madi-Marie Grayson on a 3-yard pass for a score. The home team led 13-6 at the half.
The Hurricanes cut the lead to 13-12 with a third-quarter TD when Mari-Margret Grayson ran 9 yards for a score.
Mari-Margret Grayson then found Reighan Bosarge with a 12-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter to give Alma Bryant its only lead of the night at 18-13.
Norred completed 23-of-39 passes for 239 yards with 2 touchdowns. She was intercepted twice. Mounce caught 6 passes for 112 yards and the game-winning TD. Missildine caught 7 passes for 70 yards and Reagan Thomas had 5 catches for 44 yards.
Malayah Williams led the Panthers with 8 flag pulls. Jordyn Smith finished with 5 pulls and Svetlana Cervantes had 4. Kennedi Treadwell had 2 flag pulls with an interception.
Grayson completed 12-of-20 passes for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns with an interception.
CLASS 1A/5A
Montgomery Catholic 13, Tallassee 7
The second-ranked Knights jumped to a 13-0 lead and held off No. 6 Tallassee at home, handing the Tigers their first loss of the season. Montgomery Catholic’s defense shut down the Tigers’ passing game, intercepting 6 throws.
Catholic will meet intra-city rival Brewbaker Tech in the playoff semifinals next week.
Junior Hayden Fitts completed 5-of-14 passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted 3 times for Catholic (20-4). She also ran 11 times for 65 yards in the win.
Avery Sadler scored both of the Knights’ touchdowns on a 1-yard touchdown run and a 17-yard reception.
Frances Rogers caught 2 passes for 24 yards and Kallie Hampton and Ellis O’Connor also had 2 catches apiece.
Fitts and Maggie McNeely led the Catholic defense with 6 flag pulls each. Zariyah Thomas recorded a sack in the win.
Tallassee ended its season at 12-1.
AHSAA FLAG FOOTBALL
QUARTERFINALS
Results, schedule with AL.com Top 10 rankings shown.
CLASS 6A/7A
No. 1 Central-Phenix City (18-0) 55, Opelika (7-7) 0
No. 2 Vestavia Hills (27-1) 31, Homewood (12-5) 0
No. 6 Spain Park (16-4) 34, No. 8 Prattville (15-8) 7
Smiths Station (14-4) 19, No. 5 Alma Bryant (13-2) 18
SEMIFINALS
Smiths Station at Central-Phenix City, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Spain Park at Vestavia Hills, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
CLASS 1A/5A
No. 2 Montgomery Catholic (20-4) 13, No. 6 Tallassee (12-1) 7
No. 7 Brewbaker Tech (15-3) 37, Marbury (10-5) 19
No. 1 Moody (19-3) 41, No. 3 Northside (18-2) 12
No. 9 John Carroll (10-6-1) vs. No. 5 Boaz (13-1), Thursday, 6 p.m.
SEMIFINALS
Brewbaker Tech at Montgomery Catholic, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Moody vs. John Carroll-Boaz winner, TBD
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