By Gary Lloyd
Points will be hard to come by in this one.
McAdory has one of the best defenses in any classification, and Pinson Valley has shown signs of having a stingy defense in the second halves of games.
The two face off at McAdory on Friday in the second round of the AHSAA Class 5A state playoffs. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
McAdory is 9-2 and ranked No. 10 in Class 5A. Pinson Valley is 7-4, coming off a 23-20 overtime win over Hartselle (8-3) last week. McAdory was No. 1 in the preseason and remained in the top spot until the fifth week of the season, when it dropped a 22-14 overtime game against Center Point. That was the highest point total McAdory has allowed in a game this season.
McAdory has surrendered just 10.5 points per game in its 11 contests this season. Defensive end Cory Thomas, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound behemoth, anchors that defense. He holds scholarship offers from most of the Southeastern Conference schools and top programs around the nation. Other defenders are capable of taking the ball away and quickly turning it into points for the Yellow Jackets.
The McAdory offense can struggle at times if Garian Bradley and Justin Mabry are slowed down in the backfield.
Pinson Valley will need to start the game strong, something it has struggled with this season. Playing a full 48 minutes is a must at McAdory. Junior running back Nick Gibson will need to be his usual self, and senior quarterback Brooks Garrett will need to connect for some big plays with Trey Underwood, Desmond Williams, Dylan Evans and Errius Collins. The defense will need to create a turnover or two to give the Indians’ offense a short field to work with. If Juray Smith comes up with an interception or the front seven force some fumbles, Pinson Valley could have a good chance of moving on to the Class 5A quarterfinals.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.