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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Maplesville High School finished their long road swing to start the season on Sept. 13 at Notasulga High School, ending it on a high note with a 51-20 win. The Red Devils used a huge second half to pull away from Notasulga comfortably in the end to stay unbeaten this season.

Both shades of Devils went back and forth in the first half with touchdown drives, starting with Roman Hall getting things going for the Red Devils’ offense with a 40-yard touchdown run to put them up 7-0 early. Hall ran for a team-high 194 yards on 25 carries and the touchdown. It was the running game for Maplesville where it saw its most success with 226 of their 369 total yards coming on the ground.

Notasulga stayed with them and took the lead after a touchdown rush and two-point conversion, but the lead was short lived as quarterback Pearce Yeargan connected with Aidan Abbott from 14 yards out to retake the lead at 14-8 after the opening frame. Abbott caught a team-high five balls for 85 yards and the score.

The Blue Devils tied things up in the second quarter, but it was short lived again as Yeargan called his own number with a three-yard touchdown rush to send the Red Devils into the halftime break with the slim lead.

“We did not play very well (in the first half), and there were a lot of simple things we did not do,” Maplesville head coach Brad Abbott said. “The good news was that the kids on the way to the locker room were taking ownership for the simple things that were not getting done, and they were challenging each other to come out in the second half and play to the standard that we want them to play to.”

Adjustments were made to the Maplesville defense in the second half, and they did not give another score the rest of the way. The only points that came Notasulga’s way was a scoop-and-score touchdown after one of the Red Devils two fumbles in the game, the only one they lost. Dee Elliott led the defense with eight tackles and added a sack, and Colby Mitchell pulled down an interception.

Hall punched in two rushing touchdowns in the third quarter from one and eight yards out, plus both two-point conversions to make it 37-20 Maplesville going into the last 12 minutes.

The offense kept their foot on the gas down the stretch with Yeargan finding Jakobe Nix for six, and Mike Gee powering in for a one-yard score. Yeargan was 10-for-19 passing for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Maplesville (3-0) gets their first originally scheduled opportunity to play in front of their home crowd on Sept. 20 taking on fellow unbeaten Autauga Academy at 7 p.m.

“The kids are excited, and they know it is going to be a big challenge and happy to have that game at home,” Abbott said. “We are looking forward to a great week of practice with a lot of excitement, and it should be a fun game to be a part of.”

The game is a Class 1A Region 4 matchup, and the winner will retain at least a share of the top spot in the standings.