Friday night began a very important three-game stretch of the season for Alabama Christian. If ACA could win all three games, against Region opponents, they would secure the number three seed and earn a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive year, a school record. The Eagles started the trio of games against PCA on Senior Night. The seventeen seniors honored have never played anywhere else besides ACA, which is rare in this age of rampant transferring.
All of the bounces went ACA’s way early and the game was never really in doubt. The Eagles kicked off to start the game and while no Panther seem to want to jump on the ball, Otasowie Dion darted past the opponents and recovered the kickoff for ACA at the PCA 21-yard line. The offense scored in two plays as Corey Landers carried both times, scoring on a 19-yard run to put the first points on the board with just over a minute gone in the game. The second kickoff was a line drive that caromed off a PCA up-man and returned to kicker Tyson Summers, who recovered the ball on the ACA 48-yard line. The drive started with the Panthers jumping offsides on two straight plays to give Alabama Christian a first down. From there, Dion ran the ball on three of the next four plays and scored from one yard out to increase the lead to 14-0 with 8:38 left in the opening period.
Coach Summers congratulates Preston Hicks on his record breaking catch.
A bronx cheer went up from the Panther faithful as PCA was able to cover the next Eagle kickoff. The visitors were running their first play from scrimmage in the game, already down by two scores. AC Walters broke up a third down pass to force a quick punt back to ACA. The Eagles moved 64 yards in seven plays to extend the lead to 20-0. Hayes Hunt, coming back from injury last week, hit David Ortiz-Ramirez on a five-yard completion for the touchdown. As the first quarter neared its conclusion, PCA showed a little life on offense, but turned the ball over on downs at the Eagle 43-yard line. To squash any hope of the Panthers keeping the momentum, Avery Stuart caught a slip screen from Hunt and raced 57 yards past the defense for a score and a 27-0 lead on the last play of the quarter.
Avery Stuart runs past the PCA defender on the way to the end zone.
PCA finally got on the board to start the second period, aided by four Eagle penalties on the drive. The Panthers drove 76 yards in 13 plays and ate up almost half of the quarter to cut the ACA lead to 27-7. Once again, to make sure PCA did not capitalize on the positive scoring drive, Corey Landers took the ensuing kickoff 77 yards down the left sideline to stretch the lead back to 33-7. Alabama Christian closed out the half with one final score as Hayes Hunt found Preston Hicks on a 33-yard score to extend the lead to 40-7. The touchdown reception was Hicks’ 15th of his career and moves him to the top of the list in career touchdown receptions.
Corey Landers returns the kick for a score in the second quarter.
The second half went by in a blink as it was decided to have five-minute quarters, with a running clock, to finish the game. ACA kept the ball for the entire second half as they ran eleven straight times and had three penalties called against them. The game ended in victory formation at the Panther 20-yard line.
A convincing win over PCA.
Hayes Hunt had a perfect night in the pocket as he completed all six passes he threw for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Avery Stuart caught two for 67 yards while Preston Hicks had two for 50 yards as both receivers had a touchdown catch. Corey Lander rushed for 62 yards on six attempts and a touchdown. An eleven yard run by Landers in the first quarter pushed him past the 3,000 yard mark for his career. The senior is only the third Eagle ever to run for that many yards. Since PCA’s offense only ran 29 plays in the entire game, defensive opportunities were scarce on the night. Blake Shaw led the team with six tackles followed by Preston Hicks with five. William Milner, Taylor Thompson and Brady Smith each added four tackles. Smith and Otasowie Dion both had sacks while Dion and Tyson Summers both recovered fumbles on kickoffs.
Next week, Alabama Christian hosts Greensboro for Homecoming in another crucial Region contest.