Mortimer Jordan vs. Clay-Central

It was so much fun the first time around, they’ve decided to do it all again.

On the first Friday of October, Mortimer Jordan beat Central Clay County in shocking fashion as Blue Devil senior Daniel Franklin scooped up a blocked field goal by the Vols and ran into the end zone as time expired for a 32-27 victory.

Clay-Central has gone 7-0 since that night in Kimberly to earn a return trip to Jimmie Trotter Stadium, this time in the semifinals of the Class 5A playoffs. The Vols have won those games by an average margin of 28.5 points, including three straight double-digit victories in the playoffs.

Behind a stout defensive effort, unranked Clay-Central went on the road for a 35-13 thumping of No. 1 Etowah last week in the quarterfinals. According to the Gadsden Times, Etowah gained just 200 yards of total offense and gave up a pick-6 to Vols’ defensive back Shamari Simpson en route to its first loss of the season.

“Clay-Central is a great team, great coaching staff. We know what they’re about and they know what we’re about, so it should be a good game, at least I hope we can make it a good game,” said Mortimer Jordan head coach Dusty Goode of the upcoming rematch.

I think his team creates a memory. I think his team wins and returns to the Super 7 for the second time in four years.

Pinson Valley vs. Clay-Chalkville

The Pinson Valley faithful filled Waldrop Stadium with their thoughts following a 48-7 quarterfinal win over No. 10 Homewood last week. As the team broke from their postgame singing of the alma mater, Indians fans shouted it loud and proud: We want Clay! We want Clay! We want Clay!

“I’m glad the fans want them [No. 3 Clay-Chalkville],” joked Pinson Valley head coach Patrick Nix. “I sure don’t want them again. It’s hard as heck to beat a team twice in a year and now we’ve got to beat them four times in two years—hard as heck.”

His Indians beat their crosstown rival 37-7 last December in the state semifinals on their way to the program’s first state championship. They came back with a 28-21 vanquish of the Cougars this season in Week 3. Pinson Valley has won the last five meetings in this rivalry, but Nix knows nothing will come easy with a championship game invite on the line.

“They are really, really good and we’ve know the whole year that if we could make it to this point, that’s who we were going to have to play again.”

Excluding that mid-September loss in Willie Adams Stadium, Clay-Chalkville (12-1) has a perfect batting average. The Cougars score 41.4 points per game, including no less than 35 points in three postseason victories over Mae Jemison, Hartselle and Oxford.

And the defense has held up its end, holding the aforementioned opponents to 6, 7 and 9 points respectively.

“I’m glad the fans want it, but I would’ve picked probably something different,” continued Nix.

The way I see it, Clay-Chalkville wants this win in the worst way. They crave it like Kirby Smart does this week, but they ain’t getting it. Pinson goes to Jordan-Hare.