By Britney Bailey, For the Tribune
CLAY- The Clay-Chalkville Cougars have gained their first victory of the playoff season in round one to advance after defeating the Gadsden City Titans at home Friday night 33-3.
Xavier Starks started things off for the Cougars with a 72-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff. The PAT from Joseph Del Toro gave the Cougars a seven-point lead with mere seconds off the play clock.
Aaron Osley added to the Cougar lead with a 33-yard touchdown run at the 6:00 mark. Del Toro added another PAT to up the lead to 14-0. Osley’s touchdown was an impressive finish to a 5-play drive for 70 yards for the Cougars. Osley finished the night with 90 yards on ten carries.
The Titans scored their first and only points just before the second quarter with a 32-yard field goal from Chris Thomas.
Despite heavy efforts from Cougar quarterback Aaron Frye and tight end Jacari Johnson, the Cougars could not reach the endzone in the second quarter. However, Del Toro delivered with two field goals of 22 and 26 yards to put the Cougars up 20-3 going into the half.
A pick-six at the hands of Cougar cornerback Lance Lee added on six more for the Cougars at the 1:41 mark in the third, giving the Cougars a 26-3 after an unsuccessful PAT attempt.
The night’s final touchdown came in the top of the fourth quarter with 9:59 to go in the contest. Cougar running back Joshua Woods punched in a one-yard touchdown run to end the contest with a 33-3 final score. The Clay offense generated 185 yards through the air and 153 on the ground.
The Cougars limited the Titans to 160 total yards.
“Our defense played well, and they answered the challenge we gave them Monday. They didn’t play well last week, so they responded well,” Cougar Head Coach Stuart Floyd said of his defense stepping up in the win.
The Cougars advance to the second round, facing Muscle Shoals on the road. They met at this same time last year and won.
“They’ve got a lot of experience like we do in the playoffs; they’re a third, fourth round team year in and year out, there’s a lot of experience with them and their coaching staff,” said Floyd on the familiar matchup.
Photos credit: Ron Burkett
