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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Thorsby High School used 35 unanswered points on the road to defeat Greensboro High School 51-20 on Oct. 18. The Rebels improved to 4-2 in Class 3A Region 3 play, and have all but wrapped up their spot in the state playoffs, the school’s eighth consecutive appearance in the postseason.

“They stepped up to the challenge,” Thorsby head coach Daryl Davis said. “That win basically got us in the playoffs, and we told them all week that they do not want to be the team that did not get it done, and this will be the eighth year in a row (in the state playoffs).”

The game was back and forth early as Grayson McManus and Tyler Lockhart each punched in short touchdown runs followed by McManus to Brooks Barnett two-point conversions to sandwich Greensboro’s first touchdown and make the score 16-6. The teams traded scores again as Greensboro’s score to make it 16-12 was nullified by McManus with a one-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion toss to Braylon Carroll to send the Rebels into halftime up 24-12.

Carroll had 51 yards on five carries and went 2-for-2 passing.

Coming out of the intermission is where Thorsby really hit their stride. McManus ripped off a long 81-yard touchdown run and found Malachi Allgood for a 37-yard touchdown connection to stretch the lead to 38-12 quickly. McManus hit Carroll for a 28-yard touchdown and he pushed across the last score — an eight-yard touchdown run.

McManus had arguably his best of the season going 7-for-11 passing for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 161 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns, giving him 301 total yards and five touchdowns in the playoff-clinching win for the Rebels. Brooks Barnett was McManus’ favorite target with five receptions for 76 yards.

“(Making the playoffs in Class 3A) is huge for us,” Davis said. “It is good for the kids, and we are playing good now to get two road wins like that in a row. Now, we have one at home against a great team that is playing really well. We are going to go to work and get ready.”

Allgood led the Thorsby defense with 12 tackles, followed by Tyler Lockhart with nine stops, a sack and a fumble recovery. Carroll and Javien Cooper each grabbed an interception, and Barnett had two sacks.

Thorsby (4-4) hosts Southside Selma High School on Oct. 25 in its next game, and final region game of the season. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.