Patriots come up short in big region battle with Walker
JASPER – Homewood fell short, 17-14, in a defensive struggle Friday night at Walker High School’s Ki-Ro/Gambrell Field. While the ninth-ranked Patriots outgained the Vikings by 90 yards (275-185), it was four turnovers, three in the second half, which aided Walker on Senior Night.
“I was real proud of the defense, but Walker came up with some big plays in the end. Hats off to them. They have a good football team,” Homewood coach Ben Berguson said. “It’s hard to beat a good football team when you turn the ball over four times.”
Homewood collected 127 yards offense, while holding Walker to 20 during a scoreless first half. The Vikings’ woes continued on the opening drive of the second half, losing a yard, but senior Lane Davenport reversed Walker’s momentum. Davenport picked off Homewood quarterback Carson Griffis near midfield with 8:10 play in the quarter. Vikings’ QB Jackson Holladay executed his first scoring drive of the night (44 yards, 52 seconds) on 3-for-3 passing for 42 yards. Myron Mitchell caught the third pass and broke a tackle at the 4 to dive into the end zone. Christopher McKellar’s extra point gave Walker a 7-0 lead.
Three plays later, it was Isiah Cox’s time to pick off Griffis, returning the ball to the Homewood 31. Cox also picked off a pass in the first half at the Vikings’ 2. The Patriots held Walker to a 35-yard McKellar field goal to make it 10-0.
Griffis changed his luck on the next drive, hitting Derrick Underwood for a 39-yard pass down the sideline on third-and-7. Underwood collected 50 yards by air and 9 on the ground en route to a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 10-7 with 37 seconds left in the third.
Walker and Homewood traded punts, but Marquell Oliver appeared to partially block a 20-yard Griffis punt early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings once again worked the short field position and took time doing so. Holladay hit Mitchell for two first down passes of 15 and 26 yards to get to the Patriot 21. Running back Marlon Oliver was unable to gain much on the ground during the game, but he tested his arm, hitting LaMykah Hood on an 18-yard halfback pass with 4:24 to play.
The Vikings managed to eat up 10:22 of the fourth quarter clock with key first downs and the Patriots’ fourth turnover of the game, a muffed kickoff with 4:18 to play.
Homewood’s defense held following the fumble, but Walker’s Lyndon Harris appeared to break up a Griffis fourth-and-20 pass. However, Underwood stayed focused to secure the tipped ball and race to the end zone for an 85-yard touchdown with 2:30 to play. The score pulled the Pats within three, 17-14, but the ensuing onside kick failed.
Marlon Oliver picked up his longest run of the game, a 12-yard gain, with just over two minutes to play to pick up a Walker first down and help run out the clock with no Homewood timeouts remaining.
“The last few years we’ve been really good at stealing games in the end, but we couldn’t come through with it tonight,” Berguson said. “We’re going to go back to work next week, and we’ll be back.”
The win puts Walker in the driver’s seat in Class 6A, Region 5 after a Jackson-Olin loss, as both Walker (6-1) and Homewood (5-2) are now tied for the region lead at 4-1. It is the first win for Walker over Homewood since a 10-6 upset at home in 2000. Despite that loss, Homewood went on to win the region title in 2000 and claim the Class 5A state championship at Legion Field.
Underwood finished the night with 221 all-purpose yards including 136 yards on three catches, 26 yards rushing and 59 on kick returns. Griffis led the Homewood offense with 213 yards on 18-of-31 passing.
Griffin Gentry had a sack in the first half and C.D. Daniels had an interception for the Patriots in the second quarter.
Homewood hosts Hueytown for its final home game of the season next Friday. Hueytown knocked off Jackson-Olin on Friday, giving the Mustangs their second region loss.