Patriots stage comeback, stay unbeaten
IRONDALE — No one would say, or could say for certain, what magic transpired in the Homewood High School football locker room at halftime Friday night.
Down by two touchdowns to home-standing Shades Valley, the Patriots were in danger of seeing their unbeaten regular season streak end and their Class 6A Region 5 championship hopes delayed, if not squelched entirely.
But Homewood took advantage of a Mounties offense that ran out of gas in the second half and scored 24 straight points to rescue a 37-27 victory, extending their winning streak to eight games and securing the region crown.
Down 27-13 at halftime, the Patriots tied the game midway through the third quarter, thanks to two touchdowns in less than a minute and a half. Quarterback Larkin Williams found junior wide receiver Marcus McGhee on a leaping catch almost on the end line, on a play that covered six yards. Then, after holding Shades Valley to a three-and-out, Williams connected with senior receiver William Hall on the first play of the ensuing possession, breaking for 80 yards and a score.
Sophomore kicker Lane Gilchrist put the guests ahead with a 38-yard field goal — his third n four attempts for the night — which finished off a drive set up by an interception from Chance Hall early in the fourth quarter.
The clinching score came in spectacular fashion with 1:42 left in the game. Williams tossed a short pass to receiver TyShawn Buckner, who appeared to get a first down on the Mounties sideline to allow Homewood to run out the clock. But somehow Buckner wrestled himself out of the grip of multiple Shades Valley defenders and broke free for a 58-yard touchdown dash that truly put the victory away.
It was Buckner’s second touchdown reception of the night; he went 60 yards in the first two minutes for the game’s first score. That play made it look like the Patriots were going to run away with the game early on, but the Mounties would have none of that.
On their very first play from scrimmage, Trenton Thomas took the ball 80 yards to tie the game. Then, after holding Homewood to a three-and-out, quarterback Desmond Trotter moved the hosts down to the Patriots 2-yard line on a 52-yard pass play; he then ran it in for the touchdown to take the lead.
Early in the second quarter, Trotter scored again on a 1-yard run, and then threw to Kelandre Sanders for a 50-yard touchdown toss late in the first half.
That was the last score for the speedy Mounties.
Junior running back David Robertson Jr. did much of the hard work on offense in between scores, running for 117 yards in the first half alone and finishing with 160 yards on 30 carries. And after the final whistle, he was ready for more.
“I’m feeling good. I’m not tired. I want to keep playing,” Robertson said. “Coach [Ben Berguson] told us we needed to pick it up at halftime, and I guess we did.”
Berguson picked up a Gatorade shower at the end of the game, one that he said was played the way it should have been.
“That’s the way region championships are supposed to be,” he said. “I told them at halftime that we could only control us, don’t worry about what they’re doing. We just came out with a lot of heart in the second half.”
Buckner finished with three catches for 130 yards and two scores. Hall had 113 yards and a score on seven touches. Wiiliams was 16-of-24 passing with no interceptions for 280 yards and four touchdowns.
Overall, Homewood gained 487 yards for the night, an average of 7.37 yards per play, and had no turnovers. Shades Valley gained 346 yards in total, with 289 through the air.
The Patriots (8-0, 5-0 region) finish Region 5 play at home next week against Hueytown. The Mounties (5-3, 3-2) must beat John Carroll Catholic at home to keep their playoff hopes alive.