Pike Road had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They blew past the Bessemer City Tigers, posting a 37-7 victory. Given the Patriots' advantage in MaxPreps' Alabama football rankings (they are ranked 32nd, while the Tigers are ranked 96th), the result on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Pike Road to victory, but perhaps none more so than Mike Jones, who rushed for 114 yards while picking up 7.1 yards per carry. Jones' rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fourth straight game with at least 101 rushing yards.
Pike Road didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Markel Thomas and Braylon Outlaw.
Pike Road was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 252 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 153 rushing yards in six consecutive contests.
Pike Road pushed their record up to 8-3 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 46.8 points per game. As for Bessemer City, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-4 record this season.
Pike Road will square off against St. Paul's Episcopal at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. St. Paul's Episcopal's defense has only allowed 9.1 points per game this season, so Pike Road's offense will have their work cut out for them. Bessemer City does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
