By Marla Jones, Sports Editor • marla@southerntorch.com
FYFFE, Ala. —The Fyffe Red Devils defeated the Piedmont Bulldogs 14-6 in the semifinals of the Class 3A Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) State Playoffs on Friday night.
The first half was a hard-hitting battle between the two teams. At the end of the first quarter, the defensive battle between the two teams made the score 0-0. Ike Rowell scored on a 2-yard scamper into the endzone, with 6:44 remaining in the second quarter. The Red Devils kick was good to take the 7-0 advantage. With 4:30 remaining in the first half, Piedmont scored on a 3-yard dash into the endzone. Ike Rowell blocked the field goal attempt. The Fyffe Red Devils made two crucial plays in the last minute of the first half. Piedmont was facing 2nd and 10 at the Fyffe 22 and was looking to take the lead until Chase Wooten blew past the Piedmont blocker and sacked the Quarterback. The football went out of bounds at the 32 line yard. On third and twenty, Brody Dalton sacked the quarterback and caused a fumble. Malachi Mize recovered the ball and ended the Piedmont threat as time ended in the first half.
During the intermission, the rains came, making offense almost impossible against the two defensive teams. Fyffe had a good kickoff return to start the red machine rolling in the second half. On the Bulldog opening possession, Rowell intercepted the ball and gave the Red Devils great field position on the Bulldog 38-yard line. Four good punts by Justin Stiefel kept the Bulldogs backed up. With 2:47 remaining in the third, Kyle Dukes intercepted the ball and brought in the pick 6, to take the 14-6 advantage. The Devils hammered the nails in the Bulldogs coffin with an interception by Justin Stiefel with less than two minutes in regulation play. In the last minute of the game, Ty Bell recovered the fourth Piedmont fumble to make the final score of the night, 14-6.
The Fyffe Red Devils (14-0) will take on Montgomery Catholic in the Super 7 State Football Championship at Bryant-Denny Stadium at the University of Alabama on Thursday. Kickoff will be at 10 a.m. For those who are unable to attend, the games will be live-streamed over the subscriber-based NFHS Network.
