High School Sports

ASHLAND — The much-anticipated game between No. 2-ranked Clay County and No. 9 Lanett — the showdown for the role of favorite in Class 2A, Region 5, — turned into a meltdown by Lanett.

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Clay County won 41-8 and led 34-0 before Lanett managed a touchdown against Clay County reserves with 2:29 left to play.

"You beat a good football team tonight," Clay County coach Danny Horn told his Panthers in the locker room. "That's a team we may see again somewhere down the road."

Lanett coach Ronnie Sikes wasn't so sure of a possible rematch in the playoffs.

On the field afterwards, Sikes gathered his team around him and questioned their lack of emotion and inability to play as a unit.

"I can't explain it," Sikes said. "I can't explain why my team doesn't have any emotion. These last two weeks, we have not played football."

Clay County (6-0, 4-0) was at its best, passing and running efficiently and playing stifling defense.

Lanett (4-2, 3-1) took the opening kickoff and held the ball almost eight minutes. The 15-play drive, sparked by a pair of runs on third-and-long plays and aided by a pass interference call on fourth-and-10 from the Clay County 36-yard line, ended on downs at the Clay County 13 when a fourth-and-2 run was stuffed for no gain.

"That was a big fourth-down play," Horn said. "We needed to get out on them early. If they had scored on that first drive, it would have been a different ball game."

From there, it was Clay County, Clay County and more Clay County, much to the delight of homecoming queen Brooke Anderson, the reunion Class of 1968 and the rest of the noisy homecoming crowd.

Running back J.D. Williams rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 carries. Quarterback Quamain Simmons attempted only four passes but completed all four, two for first-half touchdowns as the home Panthers took a 20-0 halftime lead. Simmons also passed for a 2-point conversion. Horn was so pleased that he announced an off day on Monday, much to the pleasure of his players.

Clay County needed just six plays to move 87 yards its first time with the ball. Fullback Alex Scott moved the chains with a pair of first-down producing runs. Simmons ran for 11 yards and another first down at the Lanett 48. From there, with Clay County in a double wing set, Williams took the ball through the line at right tackle and never stopped. The extra point kick was blocked but Clay County led 6-0 with 1:47 left in the first quarter.

Clay County took advantage of Lanett errors to score twice more before intermission. An 11-yard punt on the final play of the first quarter gave Clay County possession at the Lanett 36. Simmons completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Michael Millender who out-jumped his defender just beyond the goal line for the ball. Simmons tried to run for a 2-point play but was stopped well short.

Down 12-0, Lanett sought to pass its way back into the game. The fifth pass attempt of the drive went right to Simmons, who returned the interception to the Clay County 49. Two plays later, from the Lanett 49, Simmons found Breeman Ackles downfield. Ackles slipped away from his defender and ran untouched from there for Clay County's third touchdown of the half. Simmons and tight end Gavin McNatt combined for the 2-point play with 1:59 left in the half.

Williams took the second-half kickoff 38 yards to the Clay County 39. From a power I, Clay County ran straight ahead four times then Williams scored on a 20-yard run around left end, easily breaking an arm tackle 10 yards from the end zone. The first of three extra points by Edwin Mendoza completed the third quarter scoring.

The first play of the fourth quarter was a 19-yard scoring run by Ackles. The drive was kept alive by a spectacular catch by Millender good for 38 yards on a third-and-19 play.

Lanett scored on a 31-yard run by Kordelrus Morgan with 2:29 to go and passed for a 2-point play. A short kick gave Clay County the ball near midfield. Reserve tailback Glenn Ackles scored from the 4 yards out.

The Ackles brothers combined for 124 yards rushing, 61 by Breeman and 63 by Glenn. Simmons had 45 yards on the ground and Scott 27.

Clay County travels to Horseshoe Bend on Friday.