By Gary Lloyd
For The Tribune
It was obvious from the opening kickoff.
The Class 6A No. 2-ranked Clay-Chalkville Cougars were better than the Albertville Aggies.
Tre Hrabowski returned the opening kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown, and the rout was on.
The Cougars (3-0) racked up 465 yards of offense and blasted Albertville, 52-7, at Cougar Stadium on Friday night.
“We played awfully well tonight,” said Clay-Chalkville Head Coach Jerry Hood. “They did what I asked them to do.”
Hood said the Cougars had their best three days of practice of the season this week
. It showed Friday.
“I thought we executed well and we were physical,” Hood said. “I was very proud of that.”
The Cougars scored on their first play from scrimmage three minutes later when junior quarterback Hayden Moore connected with DeAndre Woods for a 45-yard score. Junior running back Sidney Battle scored on a 39-yard rush with 3:48 to play in the first quarter, giving Clay-Chalkville a 21-0 advantage.
Albertville got its lone score of the night a minute later when quarterback Dalton Williams found Andrew Adams for a 53-yard touchdown.
Junior running back Kenterrius Gray, who had two rushing touchdowns called back because of penalties, bulled his way for a 1-yard score at the end of the first quarter to put the Cougars up 28-7.
Moore scampered for a 16-yard score early in the second quarter and Robert Greene kicked a 38-yard field goal to give Clay-Chalkville a 38-7 lead with 3:59 to play in the first half.
That series was the last for Moore at quarterback. Junior signal caller Blake Bailey hit Terrelle West for a 52-yard touchdown late in the half to put the Cougars up 45-7.
Clay’s final score was an 8-yard run by Stephone Sheffield midway through the fourth quarter.
Moore finished 6-for-7 passing for 94 yards and a touchdown. West rushed four times for 98 yards and caught three passes for 67 yards and a score. Battle carried three times for 60 yards and a touchdown. Sheffield rushed 10 times for 77 yards and a TD. Woods caught two passes for 62 yards and a score.
Defensively, junior linebacker Jalen Dawson and sophomore defensive lineman LaDarrius Harris recovered fumbles for the Cougars.
Senior safety T.J. McCollum left the game with an apparent knee injury in the third quarter. Hood said the standout defensive back will have an MRI.
The Cougars play host to Pell City on Friday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Photo by Anna Malone