Ohatchee, AL – Ohatchee’s defense comes up with big plays to help Tribe’s offense, and the Indians knock off previously unbeaten Wellborn in Class 3A, Region 6 play.
This week’s area scores
FRIDAY, Oct. 11 Alexandria 48, Ashville 7, FINAL Anniston 37, Etowah 8, FINAL Central-Clay 40, Holtville 3, FINAL Cherokee County 35, Hokes Bluff 21, FINAL St. James 55, Cleburne County 35, FINAL Coosa Christian 49, Cold Springs 8, FINAL Glencoe 32, Saks 28, FINAL Tallassee 31, Handley 22, FINAL Jacksonville 63, Lincoln 17, FINAL Jacksonville Christian 51, Cornerstone (Rainsville) 31, FINAL Booker T. Washington 32, Munford 21, FINAL Ohatchee 37, Wellborn 30, FINAL Piedmont 41, J.B. Pennington 21, FINAL Pleasant Valley 34, Gaston 6, FINAL B.B. Comer 36, Randolph County 34, FINAL Southside 36, Buckhorn 21, FINAL Spring Garden 27, Gaylesville 12, FINAL Bullock County 29, Talladega 7, FINAL Wadley 29, Lee-Scott 28, FINAL Weaver 45, Locust Fork 34, FINAL Westbrook Christian 48, Innovation Academy 7, FINAL Oneonta 24, White Plains 7, FINAL Winterboro 27, Woodland 20, FINAL Open : Donoho, Oxford, Ranburne.
By Joe Medley
Ohatchee’s defense has had little to celebrate this season, even in the Indians’ best moments.
The Tribe’s D will have Jayden Heard’s interception and 82-yard return against Wellborn on Friday to celebrate. The Indians will have the game-clinching stop to celebrate.
With a little help, Ohatchee held Wellborn to one second-half score and walked out of the Creek Bank victorious, 37-30, in a Class 3A, Region 6 battle.
The Indians (4-4) got their third victory in four games and improved to 2-4 in region play, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
“It means the absolute world,” Ohatchee receiver/defensive back Colby Hester said. “It keeps our run going. There’s still a chance. We’ve just got to keep winning all the way through.”
They forestalled previously unbeaten Wellborn’s bid to clinch a playoff berth at least one week. The Panthers fell to 5-1, 4-1.
Quarterback Jake Roberson hit on 13 of 19 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Heard rushed for 104 yards and a score, caught a touchdown pass and had a crucial interception.
Hester caught seven passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and Nate Jones rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
For an Ohatchee team that made statewide headlines with a 76-71 victory over New Hope to open the season, and has outscored opponents 347-334 in eight games, there’s moral victory, even in victory.
“We finally finished one,” Ohatchee coach Chris Findley said. “We don’t make anything easy on ourselves, but tonight, we finally finished one.”:
Defense played a role.
Ohatchee’s defense closes in on a Wellborn ball carrier Friday at Ohatchee. (Photo by Joe Medley)
After Nick Morrow’s tipped-ball catch put Wellborn in scoring position in the game’s final sequence, and a roughing-the-passer call moved the Panthers closer with eight seconds left, Ohatchee forced two incompletions in the end zone.
The final play, which started with 2.4 seconds left at Ohatchee’s 13-yard line, after the roughing call, saw the Indians pressure Wellborn quarterback Aziah Amberson. then converge to knock down his desperation pass at the goal line, touching off a celebration.
“There was really no Xs and Os adjustment at halftime,” Findley said. “We thought we had what we wanted, Xs and Os wise, it was just making the plays … guys getting their reads, filling where they’re supposed to fill and making plays.
“They did, for the most part in the second half. They had a couple of big pass plays, but we had guys there. That’s been the big thing. I feel like we’ve had guys where they needed to be all season. They just haven’t been making the plays.”
Heard’s interception and return was the Ohatchee D’s biggest play. With the Indians protecting a 31-22 lead in the fourth quarter, Heard won a jump ball, tipping it to himself at the goal line then returning to Wellborn’s 18-yard line.
“I just seen it in the air and had to make a big play for the team, so we can do something on offense,” Heard said. “I jumped, tipped it and tried to run it back for the score.”
That set up Jones’ 15-yard touchdown run for a 37-22 lead.
Heard’s interception “was really big,” Findley said. “It kept them from getting points, and we turned it into points on the other end.”
Amberson threw a 34-yard, jump-ball touchdown pass to Jaxon Newton to bring Wellborn within 37-30 with 2:33 left, setting up the final sequence. It was Wellborn’s only score of the second half after leading 22-16 at halftime.
For Wellborn, there was the touchdown that got away in the third quarter. An illegal block wiped out Ethan Carroll’s catch-and-run touchdown. Newton, who also had a 50-yard touchdown run for the game’s first score, dropped Amberson’s perfect-lead bomb at the goal line on the next play.
“We had our chances,” Wellborn coach Jeff Smith said. “Hats off to Ohatchee. They played great. They played great.”
Ohatchee took its first lead, 23-22, on Jake Roberson’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Colby Hester at 8:29 of the third quarter. Owen Abernathy added the extra point.
Heard’s 20-yard touchdown run and Jones’ conversion run at 3:29 of the third made it 31-22.
Ohatchee’s offense has produced all season and did again Friday. Wellborn’s defense had given up 67 points total points this season before Friday.
The Indians did it while missing wide receiver Brayden Collins. The hero who caught the “Hail Mary” pass to win the New Hope game missed Friday’s game with a hamstring injury.
Collins is day-to-day, Findley said.
Wellborn can still clinch a playoff berth with a victory over Locust Fork at home next week. The Panthers finish the regular season with region games against Locust Fork, Piedmont and Westbrook Christian.
Wellborn-Ohatchee updates
–Kickoff 7 p.m.
FIRST QUARTER
–On fourth down and two, Jackson Newton breaks a 50-yard TD run around right end. Conversion good at 5:35. WELLBORN 8, OHATCHEE 0
–Nate Jones with a 2-yard TD run at 1:37, and Jake Roberson throws the conversion pass to Colby Hester to tie it. WELLBORN 8, OHATCHEE 8
SECOND QUARTER
–Caleb McCurry with a 13-yard TD run, and Kyle Bright runs for the conversion at 9:41. WELLBORN 16, OHATHCEE 8
–Jayden Heard with a 6-yard TD run at 6:14, and Roberson to Hester for the conversion. WELLBORN 16, OHATCHEE 16
–Aziah Amberson’s 73-yard pass to Nick Morrow set up Bright’s 7-yard TD run at 1:26. Amberson’s conversion pass fails. WELLBORN 22, OHATCHEE 16
THIRD QUARTER
–Robertson hits Hester on a deep slant for a 39-yard TD pass at 8:29, and Owen Abernathy’s PAT kick is good. OHATCHEE 23, WELLBORN 22
–Heard with a 20-yard TD run, and Jones runs for the conversion at 3:29. OHATCHEE 31, WELLBORN 22
FOURTH QUARTER
–After Heard returns an interception 82 yards to the Wellborn 18, Jones rambles in for a 15-yard TD run. Conversion pass incomplete. OHATCHEE 37, WELLBORN 22
–Amberson throws a 34-yard, jump-ball TD pass to Newton at 2:33, and McCurry runs in the conversion. OHATCHEE 37, WELLBORN 30
Ohatchee cheerleaders celebrate after Ohatchee’s 37-30 victory over Wellborn on Friday at Ohatchee. (Photo by Joe Medley)
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