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Homewood’s Kaleb Carson (3) rushes for a first down during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Walker Bostick (51) lines up for a play during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Micah Jones (26) runs the ball for a first down during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood banner before the game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Luke Eldridge (6) prepares for the game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Walker Kaleb Carson (3) celebrates a touchdown during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood defenders make a tackle during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood student celebrates during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Joey Luckianow (49) makes a tackle during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Hayes DeCoudres (80) collects a squib kick during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Kaleb Carson (3) throws a pass during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s head coach Ben Berguson on the sideline during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood’s Tomon Felton (8) motions to the sideline during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood players helmet during game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood students celebrate a touchdown during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood marching band member performing at halftime during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood color guard member performing at halftime during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood color guard member performing at halftime during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood marching band member performing at halftime during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
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Homewood kicks a field goal during a game between Homewood and James Clemons on Thursday Oct. 30, at Madison City Stadium. Photo by Zach Irvine.
MADISON – The smile on his face and the clothes dampened by the contents of a water cooler were good indications that Homewood High School football head coach Ben Berguson was enjoying the moment after his team finished the regular season with a 38-28 road win over James Clemens on Thursday night at Madison City Stadium.
But, despite the fact that the celebration of his 100th win as a high school football head coach was just beginning, his mind raced forward.
“I'm just thinking about the playoffs right now, you know?” Berguson said with a smile.
However, he did reflect on reaching the milestone.
“It's crazy that this is number 100,” said Berguson, who won 94 of those games at Homewood. “You know, I've coached with a lot of great coaches and coached a lot of great players over the years. I just happen to be the one with HC behind my name. But it's a special moment. I don't know what to think right now. It'll settle in. I guess if you're anywhere long enough, you know, good things are going to happen.”
His 100th victory was far from easy against a James Clemens team that was one of four teams tied at the top of the Class 7A, Region 4 standings. In fact, the Patriots saw a 10-point third quarter lead evaporate and had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to secure their ninth regular season win.
“Games like that Mountain Brook game helped us win this game,” said Berguson, whose team’s lone loss of the season came to Mountain Brook.
Homewood and James Clemens (5-5 overall) were tied at 14 at halftime. The Patriots scored on a 1-yard run by Davis Griffin on their opening possession and finished their final first half possession with an 11-yard scoring toss from Kaleb Carson to Reid Goldstein.
The Patriots opened the second half with a 70-yard kickoff return to the James Clemens 5-yard line by Chappy Chapleau, but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Judson Eanes. Three plays later, Homewood’s Tate Burdeshaw intercepted a Matthews Evers pass at the James Clemens 45-yard line. Pressure by Rodregus Lambert forced the errant throw by Evers. It took 11 plays for Homewood to finish the drive on a 5-yard run by Carson that gave the Patriots the 24-14 lead with 5:17 left.
At that point, it looked like Homewood might pull away. However, James Clemens had other ideas. The Jets cut into the margin on the next possession when Anthony Gideon Jr. shook loose on a 49-yard touchdown run. James Clemens then took a 28-24 lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Evers to Alex Lively with 9:36 left in the game.
Homewood responded the way one would expect from a team that finished the regular season 9-1 and captured the Class 6A, Region 5 title.
The Patriots needed just under three minutes to recapture the lead at 31-28 on a 27-yard run by Griffin, who finished the night with 102 rushing yards on 17 carries. After a defensive stop, the Patriots took over at midfield. Eight plays later, Chapleau surged in from seven yards out to give Homewood the 10-point advantage with 1:24 on the clock.
Not long afterward, Berguson got his Gatorade bath.
“I just thought we played soft tonight,” Berguson said. “Now, I thought we came out and played in the second half. But, you know, we can't do that going in the playoffs. I mean, we've got to play four quarters. And we're going to face a really tough Pell City team next week. We've got to be ready.”
Thursday night just might have helped Homewood prepare for that test.
“Yeah, we needed a game like that tonight, there's no doubt,” Berguson said. “It’s a lot like a playoff game, you know what I'm saying. It'll prepare us for down the road for sure. And I think we came out of it healthy, which is always a plus.”
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