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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor 

Thorsby High School posted its second-highest scoring output of the season winning 55-20 over Billingsley High School in both teams final 2023 regular game of the season on Nov. 3. 

The two teams traded rushing touchdowns to begin the game as Thorsby’s Coden Cummings and Billingsley’s Kaden Cotton punched in 49 and two-yard scores, respectively. Cummings added a 21-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion run by Nate Thomas late in the quarter to give the Rebels a 14-6 after the opening frame. 

The Bears continued to stay in the game as quarterback Landon Jones got into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run. Jones was 13-for-19 passing for 170 yards. 

However, a pair of short touchdown runs by Grayson McManus and Thomas extended the Rebels lead to 28-12 where it sat at the intermission. 

Thorsby outscored Billingsley 27-8 in the second half to ice the game away. McManus got his second rushing score early in the third quarter, and then found Braxton Price for a 15-yard touchdown connection in the third quarter to put the game out of reach at 41-12. 

“This is coach (Charles) Bowden’s second year here running this defense, and like anything else, they are starting to understand and buy into it more, and each week they learn a little more,” Thorsby head coach Daryl Davis said. “It takes lots and lots of time to get that … The more they understand it and learn what to do, they can fly around even faster.”

Thorsby’s Aiden Seeley took over under center in the fourth quarter and tossed two touchdown passes, one each to Thomas and Lucas Jackson. Jones had a 10-yard rushing touchdown and two-point conversion in the fourth quarter for the Bears. 

Nathan Gilmore led the Bears in tackles with 13, followed by Caiden Wilkins with eight.

Thorsby finishes the season at 8-2, their best record since 2018 when they went 9-2. The Rebels now turn their attention to Chickasaw High School in the first round of the AHSAA Class 2A state playoffs on Nov. 9. 

Billingsley ends its 2023 campaign at 2-8.