PREP FOOTBALL: Auburn High drops Central, clinches region title

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Calvin Jenkins heard the reminders over the loudspeakers all night.

Hoover, the only team in the state ranked above his Auburn High Tigers, was getting beaten by rival Vestavia Hills.

He heard them, but he had to put them in the back of his mind.

There was just something he had to do first.

“I knew we had to do what we had to do to win this game,” Jenkins said. “I know that we’re gonna be the No. 1 team in the state.”

Auburn certainly acted like it Friday night at Duck Samford Stadium.

The Tigers rebounded from a 5-point halftime deficit to shut out Central in the second half and take a 26-12 win that kept their undefeated season intact, clinched their second straight region title and made a convincing case that the best Class 6A team in the state might play somewhere other than Hoover or Prattville.

“It feels like it’s been a long time coming,” Jenkins said. “We’ve worked hard for it.”

For a half, No. 8 Central (7-1, 5-1) looked like not only the only team that could hang with the No. 2 Tigers (8-0, 6-0) this season, but a team that could possibly knock them off.

Quincy Lewis recovered a fumble in the end zone to give the Red Devils a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter.

After Auburn answered with a three-play, 75-yard scoring drive to go ahead, Central ground out a 15-play, 84-yard drive that chewed up 7:11 and, after a 1-yard plunge by Deon Hill, ensured the Red Devils went into the locker room with a 12-7 lead.

“Coach said, ‘When adversity comes your way, what would men do?’” Jenkins said. “We never got down and we never got too high. We just let it roll, play after play, let it roll.”

The Tigers were rolling on both sides of the ball in the second half, racking up 191 yards on the offensive end — they had 359 for the game — and holding the Red Devils to only 48 and three first downs after the break.

Deon Anderson fell on a muffed punt at the Central 3 early in the third quarter, setting up Auburn’s go-ahead score.

From there, it was all Tigers.

“The momentum changed when we muffed that punt,” Central coach Ron Nelson said. “You can’t do that against a great football team. And Auburn’s a great football team.”

The Auburn defense recorded two sacks, a Dequavious Cobb interception — his sixth on the year — and eight tackles for a loss on the night, with defensive tackles JaMichael Payne and Rodney Thomas closing holes nearly as soon as they opened.

Payne had six tackles, and Kevin Griffin led the Tigers with eight.

“Secondary was gonna do their job, but D-line had to step up,” Cobb said. “D-line’s the truth. I love my D-line.”

While the defense set the tone, Jenkins showed again why it’s good to have a three-year starter behind center.

The senior extended Auburn’s lead to 20-12 with a 48-yard touchdown run in the middle of the third quarter, then led the Tigers on two long drives that ended in Mason Wachter field goals, icing the game.

Jenkins was 11-of-19 passing for 144 yards — with five of them for 103 yards going to Jason Webb — and rushed 15 times for 134 yards and two scores.

“He kept his composure, threw the ball really well tonight and just made great decisions,” Auburn coach Tim Carter said. “He just did a great job of leading our team.”

Hill led the way for Central with 92 yards on 23 carries — his first sub-100 yard night on the season - and Glenn Miller added 11 tackles on the defensive end.

As Auburn players celebrated on the field after the game and waved their school’s flag, it was with the satisfaction of knowing they had just been a part of history.

“We’ve never been back-to-back region champs,” Carter said. “This is a great feeling.”

dmorrison@oanow.com | 737-2568