Lions collect 5th trophy, advance to semifinal
The Albany Lions emphatically answered any questions regarding their legitimacy as a contender in the Class 2A Division II football playoffsThursday, Nov. 30 with a 52-14 victory over fourth-rankedCollinsville in a state quarterfinal at Iowa Park.
The win sends the Lions (14-0) to the state semifinals for the third year in a row. Albany will face No. 10 Sunray at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 (tonight), at Lowrey Field in Lubbock.
The winner advances to the 2A DII championship game against the winner of Friday’s gamebetweenNo. 2 Mart and No. 7. Chilton.
A week after having to battle until the final minutetogetpast Muenster in the regional round, the Lions took control early on a breezy night at Iowa Park. Albany led 24-0 at halftimeandused a string of six consecutive scoring possessions to decide the matter.
“We played really well in all phases of the game,” Lions head coachDenneyFaithsaid.“Itwas a great team effort, and I think that stemmed from having really good practices during the week. The kids were prepared and focused.”
Almost as important as the outcome was winning decisively after the previous week’s struggles, Faith said.
“We know we’re capable of that,” he said. “To be able to do it in the fourth round of the playoffsagainstareallytalented football team is really exciting.”
Adam Hill scored five touchdowns for the third time in the playoffs, Chip Chambers matched his season-high passing total by halftime, and the defense shut down another prolific offense as the Lions extended their season.
“It was a big confidence boosterbasedontheweekbefore when we only put up 19 points,” Hill said. “This was definitely important for the confidence of our team.”
Albanygained501totalyards with one of its most balanced performance of the season – 243 yards rushing, 258 passing. Hill rushed for 223 yards and four TDs on 29 carries in addition to catching two passes for 31 yards and another score. Chambers was 15 of 21 passing for a season-high 258 yards with three touchdowns. Cason Fairchild had six receptions for 113 yards, and Branson Beal added five catches for 90 yards. Both had a TD. Meanwhile, the Lion defense held Collinsville (12-2), which cameinaveraging 496.5 total yards and 51.8 points per game, to 281 total yards. The Pirates gained 150 yards on their two scoring drives, the second of which came against substitutes.
“The coaches put a great game plantogether,and thekidswereable to execute it,” Faith said.
Tyler Chapman led the Lions with 15 tackles with Zane Waggoner adding 12 and Houston Heatly nine. Five others each recorded six stops as 19 players recorded a defensive statistic.
Wyatt Windham, Beal, and Luke Marshall each had an interception, all of which led to Albany scores. Collinsville quarterback Logan Jenkins, who was 21 of 43 passing for 221 yards, had thrown just four interceptionsthrough12games.
“Guys are making plays,” Faith said. “That’s huge right now.We’llhavetodoitagainthis week facing a similar offense.”
It was the third game in a
See Football, pg. 2B
Executing his signature hurdle, Adam Hill (top photo) clears a couple of Collinsville defenders for a score during the Lions’ dominant 52-14 quarterfinal victory last week. Jaxson Hoel (above) finds some running room with several teammates helping clear the way. Albany will take on the Sunray Bobcats in Lubbock Thursday night in the state semifinal playoff.
Donnie Lucas / Albany News row Albany came up with three interceptions, giving the Lions nine in the playoffs after getting 10 in the regular season.
“The defensive line did a great job,” Marshall said. “They made (Jenkins’) life miserable and gave us an opportunity to catch some wonkyballs.Theoffensedid their job putting points on the board. You can’t ask for a much better game.”
Waggoner said the key for the defensive front was tokeepJenkinsfromscrambling for big gains.
“We were able to utilize a two-way go for our defensive tackles,” Waggoner said. “Being able to spy the quarterback,wereallyshut him down. He didn’t have room to breathe.”
Jaxson Hoel and Hill each had a sack and the Lions recorded four hurries and 13 pass breakups. Windham broke up three passes with Marshall and Calhan Fairchild each getting two.
“It’s all based on situations, and we practiced really hard and were prepared,” Marshall said. “We had some of our most physicalpracticesandwere very prepared for their formations; then we executed the way we needed to.”
Albany delivered the openingsalvobydrivingthe opening kickoff 75 yards in nineplaysforBeal’s26-yard TD catch.
“That was the first time all season we won the flip and took the ball,” Faith said. “We wanted to use some clock, and put points on the board. We were able set the tone for the game.”
Chambers connected with Beal for a 25-yard gain to the Pirate 24, but a penalty left Albany facing third-and-12 at the 26. Chamberswasabletoavoid pressure and found Beal downfield.
“I can always count on Branson,” Chambers said. “Therewasjustalittlepressure, and I saw him open. I had to hit him.”
Theteamstradedpunts; thenAlbanyopenedthesecond quarter with a 15-play, 79-yard drive for a 28-yard fieldgoalbyWaggoner,who had a season-high 10 kicking points. The kick came after a touchdown run by Hill was negated on a penalty, but the Lions ate up morethanhalfaquarterfor the second week in a row.
At that point, Collinsville hadtakenjust12snaps for the game.After another Pirate punt, the Lions put the game away with two TDs before the half.
Onthefirstplayafterthe punt, Chambers hit Cason Fairchild over the top for a 67-yard score. Windham’s interception and 25-yard return gaveAlbany the ball at the Pirate 46 with 1:02 left, and two plays later, Chambers hit Hill for a 24-yard score.
The Lions took a 24-0 lead at the break.
“We can really run the ballwithourgreatoffensive line and the great talent we have at running back,” Chamberssaid,“butIthink whenwethrowtheballwell is when we play our best. We got a wakeup call the last game, and we came in angry. We executed.”
Collinsville’s biggest gain of the night, a 37-yard pass to Cash Morgan, put the Pirates at the Albany 30 with seven seconds to go. Hill’s sack and another heavy rush kept them out of the end zone.
The Pirates opened the second half with their best drive to that point – 47 yards in 13 plays, converting twice on fourth down. The effort proved fruitless asAlbany held on downs at its35.Eightplayslater,Hill burst over the goal line on a 2-yard run for a 31-0 lead.
Hillputhisstamponthe secondhalf,runningfor176 yards and all of his rushing touchdowns.
Collinsville got on the board with the type of drive its success was based on – 75 yards in three plays in lessthanaminute.Jenkins hit Rylan Newman for a 35-yard TD, but it was too little, too late.
The Lions responded witha10-playdrivecapped by Hill’s second 2-yard TD. Beal’s interception was followed on the next play by Hill’s 57-yard TD run, and Marshall’s theft led to Hill’s 30-yard scoring jaunt for a 52-7 lead.
Collinsville earned a consolation score late, moving 75 yards in 13 plays. Jenkins connected with Landon Carpenter from 7 yards out with 38 seconds remaining.
Facing Sunray
Sunray (12-2), the runnerup from District 1-2A DII behind Gruver, advanced with a 67-6 demolition of Clarendon in the quarterfinals.
“Sunray’s a really good footballteam,verytalented on offense,” Faith said. “They have good receivers, and the quarterback is as good as we’ve seen all year.”
Once again, the Lions face a high-powered attack withtheBobcatsaveraging 490.1 total yards and 49.4 points per game. Quarterback Armando Lujan (267-407-7–4,007, 60 TD passing; 87-968, 20 TD rushing) is the catalyst.
“Sunray’s quarterback, in my estimation, is just as goodasCollinsville’s,”Faith said. “The only difference is theyruntheballbetterthan Collinsville. They’ll make us have to defend the run more, but it’s still going to be very similar.”
Sunray is in the semifinals for just the third time in school history. The Bobcats lost to Windthorst in 2003 and Seymour in 2007.
Faith said Albany, with most players returning to the semifinals, will count on its experience.
Tickets, $6 for adults and $4 for students, must be purchased online at lubbockisd.hometown ticketing.com. THSCA, district and senior citizens passes will be honored.
