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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The 81st meeting between fierce, local rivals went Verbena High School’s way, outlasting Billingsley High School 40-32 on the road on Sept. 13. In a series that dates back to 1932, it was Verbena’s Isaac Stoudemire who put his mark in the series’ history with two first-half touchdowns to boost the Red Devils to the Class 1A Region 4 win.

“I think they played with a lot of heart, they are gritty and the grittiest team I have ever coached,” Verbena head coach Allen Brothers said. “We are not athletic, never the biggest or the strongest, but they find a way to win. They played a team tonight that we do not match up well with. Billingsley has a great passing game, and we struggled at times to stop it. We had just enough gunpowder in our arsenal to do it.”

The first half was back and forth between the two teams as they traded turnovers to start the game — Billingsley’s on an interception by Hayden Wilson and Verbena’s on downs. The Bears struck first with a 14-yard quarterback keeper by Landon Jones for a touchdown to put them on top 6-0 after the missed point after.

Verbena responded right away with a touchdown drive of their own, capped by a fourth down conversion that went for six points by Stoudemire. Triston Wilhite punched in the two-point conversion to put the Red Devils ahead 8-6 after the first quarter. Stoudemire ran 114 yards on six carries and the two scores. As a team, the Red Devils ran for 394 yards.

The two teams traded equal outcomes to start a quarter again in the second, but this time with touchdowns. Kaden Cotton ripped off a lengthy touchdown run for Billingsley before Jaxson Kelley got in a score to make it 14-12 with both teams not converting their two-point conversions. Stoudemire’s impressive first half was capped with a 77-yard touchdown scamper just before the break to stretch Verbena’s halftime lead to 20-12. He was also the leading tackler for the defense with 11 tackles, followed by Wilson and Kelley each with six.

The Red Devils picked up right where they left off in the second half with a long touchdown drive that took up nearly half of the time in the quarter, aided by a huge pass play from Caleb Short to Kamari Ceasar. That set up Jacob Morris’ two-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 26-12 where it stood after three quarters. Morris had 68 yards rushing on 13 carries.

The Red Devils had the ball back when the fourth quarter began, but Billingsley had them in a fourth down. Short was able to pick his way through the defense for a touchdown run, followed by the two-point conversion by Jackson Brothers to give Verbena its largest lead of the night at 34-12. Short was Verbena’s leading rusher with 117 yards on 13 carries.

The Bears did not show signs of rolling over as Cotton got into the end zone again on the ensuing drive to cut the lead down to 34-18 with just over eight minutes left. The Billingsley defense forced a fumble and recovered it deep inside their own territory to set up Jones to find Kyle Boice from 10 yards out to convert the turnover into points, and cut it to a two-possession game at 34-26 after Jones’ two-point run. Cotton ran for 201 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 99 yards.

“It seemed like every big play we got we were unfortunate with either penalties or we did not execute,” Billingsley head coach Lanny Jones said. “It was little stuff like that, and until we get it fixed it makes it tough for us. I think the good thing was we kept fighting and put ourselves back in position to extend the game. We have to learn to play with that energy and intensity in the first three quarters.”

As the Bears inched closer, Short ripped off his second touchdown of the second half to make it 40-26, but it was still a two-possession game. Billingsley stayed alive again on their next possession as Jones found Boice again for a touchdown connection to make it 40-32, but the Bears defense could not get off the field the next drive to get the offense the ball back, giving Verbena the win. Jones was 14-for-22 for 302 yards, and ran for 82 yards. Boice caught a team high seven balls for 163 yards and the two scores.

“We just keep building,” Brothers said. “I told them all along that we are going to play one week at a time. Next week we have Ellwood (Christian), and I do not care what is after that.”

Verbena (3-0) will host Ellwood Christian Academy now for their next game on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. following a venue change. Billingsley (1-3) will travel to Autaugaville High School for their next game on the same day and time. Both games are region matchups.