It was a blistering assault beginning from the first play of the game.
Williamson’s Julian McDonald was waiting as a tipped pass sailed past an Orange Beach receiver, and he returned it 23 …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Please log in to continue |
It was a blistering assault beginning from the first play of the game.
Williamson’s Julian McDonald was waiting as a tipped pass sailed past an Orange Beach receiver, and he returned it 23 yards for a Lions’ score just 12 seconds into the contest.
By the time it was over, No. 1 Class 4A Williamson had earned a smoothering 42-0 win over the previously undefeated and No. 6 Class 4A Makos.
The Lions take sole possession of first place in Class 4A Region 1 at 3-0 with Orange Beach (3-1), Citronelle (2-1) and Vigor (1-1) all behind them with one loss.
“I think we've handled adversity really, really well this year and that's one thing I've been really proud of our guys all year,” Orange Beach Coach Wade Waldrop said. “But throughout the course of that game, I don't think we did. And it snowballed and did exactly what we said we could not do.”
Waldrop said he and his Makos will get back to work as another region foe, Satsuma, comes to town for another Thursday game. A win guarantees the Makos a spot in the Class 4A playoffs.
“Just like when you win a big one, you got to flush it,” Waldrop said. “The message is you’ve got to respond. Hats off to them, tough night for us. Head up, eyes forward, on to the next one. The message doesn't change when you win it or lose. This is what we got to do to improve, get our eyes moving forward.”
Williamson’s defense, led by blue-chip talent including Oklahoma commit Jaylen Scott and Florida commit Ellis McGaskin, was by far the star of the show, posting its fourth shutout in five wins.
“They're good,” Waldrop said. “They're very good, they're well coached, they all play really hard.”
By halftime, Orange Beach had possessed the ball seven times – the last was a one-play possession to end the half – but had run only 20 plays with just one first down and 23 total yards to show for it.
Williamson, meanwhile, ran 35 plays from scrimmage, hustling to the line after each play against a Makos defense that was getting little rest between Lion possessions. Williamson held a 21-0 advantage at halftime, rolling up more than 200 yards on offense and 13 first downs.
“They played with some tempo that we couldn't really see on film,” Waldrop said. “I don't think they've really been doing that all year long, but they did a really good job.”
After the pick-six start and a quick three-and-out that netted minus-one yard, Orange Beach had a rare shining moment in the first half.
The Makos forced Williamson to turn the ball over on downs at the Orange Beach 23 on its first official possession of the game after a fourth-down incompletion.
From there, the Makos lost four yards and attempted a fake punt from their own 19 that was stopped for no gain. Five plays later, Williamson’s Jordan Jackson plunged in from two yards out for a 14-0 lead with 5:21 left in the opening quarter.
Orange Beach responded with its only first down of the half, but McDonald snagged a second pick on the next play to set the Lions up on their own 15 after a penalty negated McDonald’s 52-yard interception return.
Williamson kept the ball on a back-breaking 10-play, 85-yard drive with Jackson escaping from four Makos on a swing pass for 22 yards and a 21-0 lead.
In the second half, the Lions scored on runs of 17 and 7 yards by Nathaniel Mitchell, and Wilder passed 76 yards to Jacob Massey with 8:34 left in the game. Captain Munnerlyn Jr. ran for two on a botched PAT kick snap for the 42-0 final margin.
Orange Beach’s best shot at scoring came early in the fourth quarter when Williamson’s defense got another three and out but the returner fumbled the punt. The Makos recovered at the Williamson 43, but quarterback Tucker Wade’s fade pass to the corner of the end zone on the ninth play fell incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 11.
Williamson quarterback Wilder completed 16-of-23 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, unofficially.
Jackson and Mitchell combined to run for more than 200 yards combined on 35 rushing attempts.
Williamson showed why it has one of the most elite defenses in the state on the first play of the game and never let up.
Orange Beach entertains Satsuma, 1-2 in the region and 4-2 overall, on Thursday, Oct. 8 and the Makos can secure a playoff spot with a win.
Williamson travels to Citronelle on Friday, Oct. 9.
