Patriots advance to quarterfinals with win over Pike Road
HOMEWOOD — A rainbow can symbolize a lot of things.
For Homewood High School head coach Ben Berguson, that 7 a.m. rainbow over Interstate 65 meant one thing — a Homewood win 12 hours later.
“The rainbow blessed us,” Berguson said. “It was coming right into Waldrop [Stadium] when I was driving in this morning to work. I was on [Interstate] 65. I said, ‘We’re going to win tonight.’”
Homewood (10-2) rode a strong first-half offensive performance and swarming second-half defensive
showing to a 24-21 win over Pike Road (7-5) in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Pike Road’s Tre’Marcus Webb scooted for a 17-yard touchdown with 4:41 to play to cut the deficit to 24-21. Homewood tried to run out the clock but had to punt from the Pike Road 43-yard line with fewer than two minutes remaining. Woods Ray’s punt bounced forward and was downed at the 2-yard line. Ray said Homewood had punting issues last year, so he’s been handling those duties.
“I guess I’ve gotten kind of good at it,” he said.
Ray was good with his arm and legs again this Friday night, especially in the first half. He passed for 52 yards on Homewood’s second drive, capping it with a 3-yard touchdown run. Pike Road answered five plays later when quarterback Kaleb Foster found Anthony Rogers across the middle for a 52-yard touchdown.
Ray dialed up a 29-yard touchdown to Jackson Parris early in the second quarter to regain the lead. Rogers tied the game up on the ensuing drive with a 17-yard touchdown. He rushed seven times for 39 yards on the drive. Homewood took a 21-14 halftime lead when running back Mondrell Odell bulled his way for a 3-yard score with 36 seconds until halftime.
Homewood managed only a fourth-quarter 26-yard field goal by Whit Armistead, but it was enough.
“We were firing in the first half, couldn’t really get anything going in the second half, kind of frustrating,” Ray said. “But, I mean, it’s the playoffs. I’m just glad we got the win.”
Rogers, one of the best Class of 2025 running backs around, finished with 138 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. He accounted for 190 total yards of the 298 that Pike Road had in the game. Foster finished 6-of-11 for 88 yards and a touchdown.
“We tackled better than we have in weeks,” Berguson said. “It’s just been great. What a great, gutsy performance. I knew [defensive coordinator] Freddy Lawrence would dial them up. I told the guys before the game a nine-win season is a good season, but a 10-win season is a great season.”
For Homewood, Ray completed 13-of-26 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. He rushed 16 times for 89 yards and a score. Parris caught six passes for 91 yards and a touchdown, and Charlie Reeves came up big with 82 yards on seven receptions. Odell rushed for 21 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half.
Homewood will travel to Saraland (11-1), who beat previously unbeaten Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 56-31, for the Class 6A quarterfinals.
Said Ray, “We’ll get a good matchup, but I’m just excited to play another game.”