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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Maplesville High School won the Class 1A Region 4 title after coming out on top 36-12 in a physical clash with cross-county rival Verbena High School on Oct. 25. The Red Devils capitalized on three first-half turnovers by Verbena and were able to hold the visitors to just six points in the second half. The two teams combined to rush for 313 yards, and both brought the physicality to the game on both sides of the ball.

“You cannot give them good field position and turn the ball over three times against a good team, you will never win that way,” Verbena head coach Allen Brothers said. “Earlier in the year we had some turnover issues and fixed them, then went on a little run of not turning the ball over, but tonight we got bit by the turnover bug a bit. Hats off to (Maplesville), they are a phenomenal football team and they brought the fight to us.”

The first half of the game was a tale of Maplesville capitalizing on the Verbena misfortune in the running game. The visitors were determined to keep the ball out of Maplesville’s hands, and were working the play clock down on their first drive. However, the drive came to an end as Verbena lost their first fumble of the half, and it was scooped up for a 75-yard fumble return touchdown by Ethan Rencher to take the early 7-0 lead.

Nehemiah McCary punched in a four-yard touchdown to double the advantage at 14-0 later in the quarter, and Verbena broke the ice for its offense as Isaac Stoudemire bounded into the end zone from three yards out to cut the lead to 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.

McCary ran for a team high 95 yards on 14 carries and the touchdown.

Maplesville’s defense forced two more fumbles out of Verbena’s offense in the first half, and both were recovered by James Jones. The first was turned into points when Pearce Yeargan found Davarian Clark on the first play after a fumble to stretch the lead to 21-6. Both defenses forced turnovers on downs down the stretch of the first half, but Maplesville still held the 21-6 lead at the intermission.

“We were lucky they only scored six points in the first half as well as they were moving the ball,” Maplesville head coach Brad Abbott said. “Our defensive staff went in at halftime and saw some things, and they made some adjustments to how we were playing that offense. The second half we did a better job of getting them into some fourth downs and our defense off the field.”

Verbena’s Caleb Short started the second half with his second interception of the game after pulling one down in the first half. Both defenses flexed their muscles and held each other scoreless through the third quarter. Verbena got itself back into the game early in the fourth quarter as running back Jacob Morris threw a touchdown pass to Traie Brown from nine yards out, but Maplesville stopped the two-point conversion again to keep it a two-possession game at 22-12.

Morris was Verbena’s leading rusher with 54 yards on 14 carries, followed by Triston Wilhite with 36 yards on 13 carries.

“You just go back to work,” Brothers said. “We have at least two more games, and we have some things to work on. Our kids are resilient … Minus a few turnovers, we were right there in the ballgame. It is a tough loss, but one day we will get these guys.”

The rest of the game was all Maplesville as Yeargan found the end zone from 10 yards out, followed by a McCary two-point conversion, and Jay Lagrone punctuated the win with a three-yard touchdown run.

Luke Gray led the Maplesville defense with nine tackles, followed by Jones and Dee Elliott with seven each.

“This group was really close (to the region championship) last year, and they realized how it can slip away, do not take it for granted and how important it is,” Abbott said. “This group was committed this year … This is an important goal they checked off, they will get their year up on that board and it is a big deal for them. It is exciting for these kids to say they are region champs.”

The win was Maplesville’s (8-1) ninth consecutive over Verbena in the series’ history and locks up the No. 1 seed out of the region for the state playoffs. Verbena (7-2) will be the No. 3 seed out of the region for the playoffs. Maplesville hosts Alabama Christian Academy to finish their 2024 campaign on Nov. 1, and Verbena hosts Red Level High School to finish their season as well on the same night. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.