By Erik Harris
HUFFMAN – The road trip is over for top-ranked Clay-Chalkville. After getting by Huffman 41-7 on Friday night, the Cougars have survived four consecutive road games to open the season and preserve their unblemished record, which dates back to the 2014 opener.
Clay-Chalkville (4-0, 1-0 Class 6A, Region 6) disposed of any upset-minded Vikings with a dominant first half. The Cougars found points on four of their first six drives of the night to claim a 31-0 halftime lead.
“I was really proud of the kids,” Clay-Chalkville head coach Jerry Hood said. “We handled the adversity of the weather and give Huffman a lot of credit, too. They played with a lot of class.”
Cornerback Amari Holloway put the opening half to bed with an interception that he returned 60 yards for a touchdown. The senior stepped in front of a careless pass and worked his way through heavy traffic before strolling into the end zone with 27 ticks remaining on the second quarter clock.
“I just saw the ball in the air and attacked it. I went to the sideline like coach told us to. I used my speed and scored the touchdown,” Holloway said.
Holloway’s catch and run came minutes before senior Andrew Van Winkle connected on his first field goal—a 35-yarder—of the soggy night. The first-year starter also drilled one from 42 yards out late in the third frame to pull the advantage to 34-0.
Clay-Chalkville needed a strong defensive showing after a shaky night in Tuscaloosa last Friday, and that’s exactly what it got. The Cougars swarmed the hosts’ offense, holding them to 35 yards rushing on 19 first half carries. Things weren’t any prettier in the air.
Vikings’ quarterback Pervis Tumbow went 1-for-5 through the air for six yards and the interception.
Nyre Holden went under center for Huffman in the second half and provided a much-needed change of pace. Holden scored the Vikings’ only points of the game on a three-yard scamper with under a minute remaining, but it was much too little, much too late.
The defending state champions scored its final points of the game on a wheel rout from Ty Pigrome to Nico Collins from eight yards out. Collins was on the opposite end of an earlier passing touchdown when he fired a strike to Dez Williams on a reverse pass that went all 32 yards in the second quarter.
“We’ve worked on it for a little while now and it was after a turnover on a punt and that was the time to take a shot and let (Collins) throw one in front of the Alabama coach.”
That unlikely pitch and catch happened moments after running back Brandon Berry sprinted down the left sideline for a quick 43-yard touchdown run. Berry finished with 100 yards on only eight carries and the score. Almost all of his production came in the opening 24 minutes of play.
“(Berry) continues to show that he is a mature football player and A.J. Walker did a fantastic job tonight,” Hood said.
Pigrome got the rainy game stared when he took a read option keeper 23 yards off right tackle to convert a third down with a touchdown. Pigrome completed six of his 14 attempts for 68 yards and a score to go along with 71 rush yards and the early score.
Defensively, Armoni Holloway, like his twin brother, pulled in an interception.
Clay-Chalkville will suit up for its home opener next Friday night when Region 6 rival Pinson Valley comes knocking.
Follow Erik Harris on Twitter @jeharris2.