By Erik Harris
For The Tribune
MCCALLA — They’ve been saying it for years and rarely is it proven wrong.
Defense wins championships, and behind a unit that’s yielding only 11 points per game, No. 10 McAdory still has title aspirations after beating Pinson Valley 34-17 in the second round of the AHSAA Class 5A state playoffs Friday.
“I can’t be more proud of this football team, they did everything we asked them to do,” said Indians head coach Matt Glover.
The Indians (7-5) made it interesting for the McAdory Stadium crowd when they took a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. Glover and his underdog team looked destined to pull the upset after scoring on their first two drives.
Pinson Valley’s opening drive went 11 plays and ended with a Saul Rios 39-yard field goal that had more than enough leg. Their ensuing drive went 99 yards to the end zone. A personal foul by Yellow Jacket defensive end Cory Thomas extended the drive and placed the visitors just 15 yards out.
From there, Glover put it in the hands of his talented ball carrier, junior Nick Gibson. Five snaps later, the junior scampered two yards for the TD.
Pinson Valley junior running back Nick Gibson
file photo by Ron Burkett
Things were looking promising for Pinson Valley, but McAdory (10-2) woke up and lived up to its wealthy reputation from that point on.
Senior quarterback Kyran Moore showed his leadership by taking the usually defensive-minded team on his back and leading it to the quarterfinals.
The righty rolled right and threw touchdown passes on the host’s next two drives in time to claim a 13-10 lead. His first one was a 25-yarder to senior DeKorian Vanderbilt that pulled the Yellow Jackets to within three with 6:25 remaining in the half.
Moore connected with senior Justin Mabry on the second trip. Mabry found the opening in the defense, made the short reception and quickly went 78 yards for the score with 1:45 remaining in the half.
Shortly after the big play, McAdory’s Shaquille Terry blocked a Brooks Garrett punt, scooped it up and found the end zone and sent the Indians limping into the locker room down 20-10.
The start of the third was just as bad as the end of the second for Pinson Valley. Moore showed his big-play ability once again by scrambling 59 yards for the score. The scoreboard read 27-10 in favor of the home team with 10:18 remaining in the third.
Gibson answered by diving over the top for six on the next Indian drive, but that was the final score of the night for Pinson Valley. Gibson finished the game with 35 attempts for 103 yards and two scores.
Moore went on to commandeer a nine-minute, 18-play drive that completely took the air out. Mabry capped it all off with a 2-yard touchdown rush that finalized the score at 34-17.
Moore proved to be the difference maker in this one with his 308 yards of offense — 197 passing, 111 rushing — and three touchdowns.
“We knew controlling him would be the key to the game and we didn’t do a good job of controlling him,” Glover said.
Garrett ended the night 8-for-21 for 116 yards passing and a pair of interceptions.
“I feel good, I’m not ready to be a senior yet, I wanted to win it my junior year, but I feel good about my senior year,” Gibson said.
