Football Friday Night: Wadley, Handley win region titles; all four county teams make playoffs
Wadley’s Lyn Robertson (left) and Cortavion Lynch were part of a swarming defense that helped send the Bulldogs to 49-13 win over Winterboro Friday in Wadley.
Things could not have gone better for the hometown schools on the final Friday of region play as Randolph County can now boast two region champions and four playoff teams thanks to the results of Friday’s games.
Wadley and Handley won big in their winner-take-all games, while RCHS left no doubt in its quest for the No. 3 seed and Woodland is in the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Here’s how a celebratory night went for the four county teams.
Wadley 49, Winterboro 13
Jaquez Wilkes ran for 181 yards and four touchdowns, and Cortavion Lynch added 157 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries as Wadley closed out its second straight unbeaten regular season and extended its overall winning streak to 21 in a row.
Wadley jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but Winterboro briefly seized momentum with a 20-yard touchdown pass that cut to 14-7 with 9:43 left in the second quarter. That momentum built when Winterboro’s defense forced Wadley’s first punt of the night on the ensuing possession. But Wadley’s Jaydon Buchanan came up with an interception on Winterboro’s next possession, and it was all Wadley after that.
Wilkes scored three of his four touchdowns in the first half as Wadley eventually took a 28-7 lead into the break. Lynch had a 34-yard touchdown run on Wadley’s opening possession of the second half, before Wilkes’s 80-yard burst closed the door with 2:31 to go in the third quarter.
The win gives Wadley its second straight region title and first for new head coach Dake Rivers.
The Bulldogs’ regular season is done. They will host a first round game on November 7.
Handley 42, Booker T. Washington 12
Handley fell behind 6-0, but the defense erupted for three straight turnovers that sparked a 28-point first quarter and sent the Tigers to the region championship in their first year under head coach Chris White.
Handley got two interceptions and a forced fumble that allowed them to score 21 points over the final three minutes of the first quarter. Ridge Nelson nearly had a pick six but was tackled at the 1-yard line before Ladarious Tucker punched it in.
On BTW’s next possession Tucker was on the spot to recover a fumble forced by Christopher Sutton deep in Golden Eagles’ territory. Again Handley cashed in on the opportunity with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Cordan Patterson to Elijah Stegall with 1:23 to go in the quarter.
Tucker wasn’t done, however, as he grabbed a pick six of his own with 21 seconds left in the quarter to give Handley a 28-6 lead and erase any doubt as to which team would end up as the region champion.
Handley closes the regular season on a 9-game winning streak and will have next week off before opening the playoffs at home on November 7.
RCHS 47, Beulah 0
Mo Winston ran five times for 132 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter and added an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter as the Tigers locked down the No. 3 spot in their region with a 47-0 win over Beulah Friday.
Brayden Terrell added 65 yards and a touchdown on six carries, and the Tigers also got touchdown runs from Lavonta Dye and Michael Hobbs as they improved to 7-2 for the season.
RCHS has won three straight games and outscored BB Comer, Childersburg and Beulah 145-18 over that stretch.
The Tigers will close out the regular season with a tough game at home against Hokes Bluff Thursday before hitting the road for the first round of the playoffs – most likely against Thorsby.
Woodland 55, Donoho 6
Woodland earned its first playoff berth since 2021 with a dominant 55-6 victory over Donoho. Woodland led 20-6 late in the first half before Asa Burge scored on a 100-yard return as time expired in the first half to send Woodland to the locker room up 27-6. Woodland rode that momentum through the rest of the game to improve their record to 3-6 and set up a playoff date against Hubbertville in two weeks.
The Bobcats will close out the regular season next week at home against Horseshoe Bend.
Other scores
Clay Central 6, Pell City 3
Lanett 48, Ranburne 7
