By Erik Harris, sports editor
PINSON — After missing a second-round win over Shades Valley, Pinson Valley senior Ga’Quincy McKinstry returned to the field last Friday night, as his third-ranked Indians tore by No. 1 Oxford, 34-2.
The win avenges last year’s season-ending loss to the Yellow Jackets and gives McKinstry one more home game in Willie Adams Stadium. Second-ranked Mountain Brook, fresh off a 21-10 victory over Clay-Chalkville, is scheduled to visit this Friday night with a spot in the Class 6A state championship game up for grabs.
McKinstry, a 5-star cornerback in the 2021 cycle, earns his second Tribune Player of the Week award for a shutdown performance against Oxford senior wide receiver Roc Taylor last week. The 6-foot-2 wideout was unable to separate from McKinstry, who appeared to shadow him for much of the contest.
Taylor, a Tennessee verbal, failed to grab a single reception, despite multiple targets in the quarterfinal loss. McKinstry, an Alabama commit, nearly hauled in a couple interceptions on deep shots to Taylor, but juggled both opportunities to the ground.
He would not, however, juggle an early-second-quarter rip from quarterback Zach Pyron, who led him into the end zone from 25 yards out for a 14-0 advantage. That would be McKinstry’s only reception of the game, but it’s all he needed as the Tribe pitched its second defensive shutout of the postseason.
As a team, Pinson Valley forced six three-and-outs and five turnovers while sacking Yellow Jackets quarterback Trey Higgins 10 times in the third-round win.
“It starts up front,” said first-year Indians head coach Sam Shade. “Our defensive line does a wonderful job getting after the quarterback and then we’ve got some guys in the backend that can cover, buy time for those guys to get those sacks, so it all works together.”
Previous Tribune Player of the Week recipients:
- Springville quarterback Pearson Baldwin
- Leeds receiver Joshua Ruff
- Hewitt-Trussville running back Armoni Goodwin
- Pinson Valley quarterback Zach Pyron
- Hewitt-Trussville kicker Ethan Wilson
- Leeds running back Rametrius Yelverton
- Clay-Chalkville defense
- Hewitt-Trussville running back Sean Jackson
- Springville quarterback Pearson Baldwin
- Clay-Chalkville defensive back Kameron Peterson
- Pinson Valley athlete Ga’Quincy McKinstry
- Pinson Valley receiver Jaquel Fells Jr.