Will Heath, for the Tribune
LEEDS — Mortimer Jordan racked up 423 yards of offense on Friday night at Homer Smiles Field, enough for a 31-28 victory over Leeds, in the season opener for both teams.
The Blue Devils (1-0) spent most of the second half on offense, rallying from a 28-14 deficit to win the game. They took the lead for good on a 12-yard catch-and-run by Parker Reno, who broke at least two tackles on his way to the end zone with 4:02 left in the game. Mortimer Jordan would hold on for the victory.
“We got a bunch of fighters,” said Mortimer Jordan head coach Dustan Goode. “I don’t know how good we are, but they fought hard.”
The loss is the first in the regular season for Leeds (0-1) since 2021. It also came despite a command performance from junior quarterback Conner Nelson, who accounted for 218 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns.
Leeds head coach Jerry Hood quickly credited the Mortimer Jordan defense, which kept Leeds off the board in the second half.
“They just played better defensively,” Hood said. “We couldn’t really get anything going.”
Nelson’s counterpart, Mortimer Jordan quarterback Garrett Ames, was equally good. He finished with 231 yards through the air, constantly dodging the pass rush from Leeds’ Kavion Henderson and Chris Burge.
“He (Ames) gave us fits,” Hood said. “We haven’t had that much trouble with a quarterback in a long time.”
Blue Devil tailback Terence Gaines finished with 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
It was Gaines that helped the visitors stay in the game early.
The Blue Devils failed to field the opening kickoff, allowing Leeds to recover the football at the 38-yard line. Nelson was in the end zone within two plays, and Leeds led 7-0.
Mortimer Jordan responded with its own two-play drive, culminating in a 40-yard run by Gaines. He added another on the second possession, answering a 48-yard touchdown by Taylon Gaiter.
In the second quarter, Nelson dug the Green Wave out of a hole with a 97-yard touchdown run on an option keeper.
“We can fix a flat tire, but we can’t fix blowouts,” Goode said. “We had a lot of blowouts in the first half.”
Nelson added a third touchdown later in the quarter before Ames found Eli Stokley on the first half’s final play. “We just lost a kid in the back of the end zone,” said Hood. “Those things happen.”
Leeds tried desperately to hold off the Blue Devil offense in the fourth quarter, allowing them to reach the Leeds’ goal line twice before stiffening to hold them to a field goal and on downs.
With five minutes to play, the offense failed to make a first down and faced 4th-and-5 at its own nine. The Green Wave lined up to punt but attempted a fake that gained nothing.
Two plays later, Mortimer Jordan took the lead on Reno’s catch.
“I cost us a game,” Hood said. “I told the kids, this is a million percent on Coach Hood.”
Nelson led the Green Wave into position to answer the score down the stretch. But a 4th-down snap sailed over the quarterback’s head, and Mortimer Jordan ran out the clock after that.
The Blue Devils will host Springville in their home opener next week.
“Ain’t nothing easy,” Goode said. “But it was a great, great win for us.”
Leeds will travel to face Pell City.
“Hopefully, we’ll learn from it and get better, but this is all on Jerry Hood right here,” Hood said.