The Alabama Christian football team gave Hillcrest-Evergreen all they could handle Friday night, but in the end the Jaguars were able to hold off the Eagles, 28-21. The Eagles took the lead with 3:11 remaining in the game, but were unable to stop Hillcrest from responding with the game winning score with less than a minute to play. Several times during the game, ACA could have given up against the more talented Jaguar squad, but instead fought to the very end.
The big play Jaguars struck quickly to open the game and scored in just four plays to take a 7-0 lead. Despite no functioning play clock, the Eagles slowed the pace of the game to keep the explosive Hillcrest offense on the sidelines. ACA’s first drive lasted 11 plays and ate up 5:39 of the first quarter clock. Although the drive ended with a missed field goal, the tone for the game was established.
Midway through the second quarter the Eagles scored on a seven play 51 yard drive to tie the game. The drive was a mixture of runs and passes and ended on an eight yard touchdown pass from Jalen Clark to Preston Hicks. Clark would finish the night completing 12 passes on 18 attempts for 113 yards and one touchdown. Hillcrest responded in only three plays with a touchdown to take a 14-7 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Alabama Christian continued to shorten the game, but were unable to put points on the board. The Eagles held the ball for almost nine minutes in the quarter. However, the Jaguar offense struck quickly late in the quarter using three plays to take a 20-7 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
ACA cut the lead to six points with a touchdown midway through the final quarter. The key play of the drive was a 37 yard run up the middle by Jalen Clark on a 4th and 3 on the 40 yard line. Three plays later, Clark punched it in to make the score 14-20. The offense needed the ball back and the defense gave it to them as Hillcrest punted the ball after three plays. With 6:17 remaining in the game, ACA’s go ahead drive began. On 3rd and 13, Preston Hicks caught a pass from a deflection and raced 53 yards to the Jaguar 15 yard line. The catch was Hicks’ eighth of the game covering 79 yards and the second quarter touchdown. With momentum on the Eagle’s side, Jalen Clark scored his second touchdown of the night to give ACA the lead, 21-20. Clark rushed for 160 yards on 32 carries, the fourth most carries in school history, and two touchdowns in the game. Hillcrest scored the winning touchdown with 46.7 seconds left in the game to advance to the second round next week.
Miller McCarthy led the defense with six tackles while Otasowie Dion added five tackles.Bryan Farrington, Khalil Jackson and Jack Thomas each recorded four tackles and a sack.