VALLEY HEAD, Ala. — The South Lamar High School football team celebrated its return to the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs in grand fashion Friday night.
Playing in a postseason game for the first time since 2008, South Lamar went on the road and upset region champion Valley Head 39-13 in an opening-round game of the Class 1A playoffs.
South Lamar will return home to play host to Ragland (10-2) in the second round Friday night. Valley Head finishes 5-5.
Hershel Smith rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Stallions. Smith scored two first-quarter touchdowns (on runs of 91 and 10 yards).
Dustin Weathers added 14 rushes for 105 yards, as the Stallions rushed for 300 yards as a team. Weathers scored on a 12-yard run in the second quarter.
Kyle Redmond hit Dillon Trammel on a 40-yard touchdown to help South Lamar build a 26-7 halftime lead.
In the second half, Redmond scored on a 1-yard run and Austin Vice added a 29-yard run.
Weathers and Justin Cheeks had 11 tackles apiece to lead the defense. Weathers also had a fumble recovery.
n Opp 70, Lamar County 36: At Opp, Alabama, the Bulldogs were eliminated in the opening-round of the Class 3A playoffs.
Lamar County (7-4) couldn’t control Raheem Bonam, who scored eight touchdowns, including an 89-yard kickoff return for touchdown.
The Bobcats led 38-6 at halftime. In the first half, Bonam scored on runs of 83, 11, 52, 52, and 6 yards. In the second half, Bonam scored on a 56-yard run, had the kick return, and caught a 31-yard pass from Reggie Thompson.
Thompson also hit Hennis Washington on a 23-yard touchdown. Tye Lindsey scored on a 14-yard run.
Lamar County received a 28-yard touchdown pass from Cullin Carter to Jeremy Denton and a 7-yard touchdown pass from Carter to Lane Pennington. The Bulldogs got rushing touchdowns from Dyshun Williams (14-yard run), Alex Wheeler (3-yard run) and Bryce Myles (3-yard run).
Opp (8-3) finished with 610 yards, including 450 rushing yards. Bonam had seven rushes for 262 yards.
n Geneva 17, Aliceville 14: At Aliceville, Alabama, the Yellow Jackets lost on a touchdown with 36 seconds left in regulation time in the Class 3A playoffs.
It was the 100th career victory for coach Donnie Chesteen at Geneva (6-5).
Aliceville (9-2) was held to 196 yards of total offense — its second lowest total of the season. The Yellow Jackets rushed for 158 yards and passed for 38 more.
Senior Jeremy McMullen rushed 21 times for 83 yards and had touchdown runs of 10 and 12 yards. Senior Jaterrius Steele added 42 yards on seven rushes. Santiago Taylor was 2 of 8 for 38 yards.
Anfernee Mullins led the Yellow Jackets with six tackles, while Jakari Garner and Jerquendez Hill each had five.
n Flomaton 35, Pickens County 20: At Reform, Alabama, the Tornadoes were eliminated in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Pickens County (7-4) was led by Darrien Latham, who had 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Zachary Thomas has 55 passing yards, 56 rushing yards, and a score.
Jamel Grace led Flomaton with 38 rushes for 365 yards and four touchdowns. Jamal Brown added 12 rushes for 46 yards, while Tripp Vickery had nine rushes for 48 yards and his team’s other touchdown.
Flomaton (8-3) rushed for 453 yards.
n Randolph County 45, Sulligent 7: At Sulligent, Alabama, the Blue Devils lost at home in the opening-round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Roman Glass scored on a 20-yard run for Sulligent (6-5).
n Edgewood Academy 61, Pickens Academy 0: At Elmore, Alabama, the Pirates’ season ended with a loss to the unbeaten Wildcats in the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association Class 2A playoffs.
Pickens Academy finishes the season 4-6.
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