That would be the home team. Big time. Prattville throttled Foley 54-7 to advance to round three of the AHSAA 6A playoffs at McGill-Toolen in Mobile.

The junior on display turned out not so great on this night, but two Prattville juniors came up big as well as two seniors. More on Julio Jones of Foley, and Prattville’s Justin Albert and De’Kendrick Moncrief later, along with Larry Smith and a new name for recruiting: William Albert. Read on for more on him.

It took Prattville all of two plays to go on top. Larry Smith found a wide open De’Kendrick Moncrief for 63 yards and six points just 38 seconds into the game. After an exchange of punts, Foley’s Stuart Barbalich bobbled a snap and was thrown for an 18-yard loss to the 18, and Albert took it in from there. With 4:32 left in the first quarter, Brian Egan kicked it to 14-0.

Smith struck again when he found wide open Jeremy Shannon for 62 yards and pay dirt. Egan slipped on the PAT, and it was 20-0 with 2:45 left in the first quarter.

Foley was on the ropes. Could the visitors respond? Sort of, as Foley moved the ball 53 yards before Roosevelt Byrd fumbled at the Prattville 17. The quarter ended with Prattville up by two scores.

Larry Smith broke off a 29-yard run on 3rd-and-12 to set up an incredible 12-yard touchdown run by Albert that included a leap and a 360-degree spin. Both sides hushed in awe. Wow. Smith found Quay Moncrief for the 2-point conversion to make it 28-0 with 10:14 left in the half.

Albert broke the 1,000-yard mark on the season when he scored, but was not done. After Prattville blocked a punt in the red zone, Albert followed blockers for a three-yard touchdown, and Egan kicked it to 35-0 with 6:50 left in the half.

Imagine the stadiums from Mobile to Huntsville, and Opelika to Corner as THAT halftime score was called out over the PA.

The Prattville defense already had sacked Byrd six times in 24 minutes of play, with Alabama verbal commitment, Nick Gentry, a part of two of those among his nine first-half stops. The buses back to Baldwin County were already warming up. The five Iron Bowl-bound RVs left late in the third quarter.

Justin Albert had 94 yards rushing and threetouchdowns at the half. Vanderbilt pledge Smith had 219 yards on 8-for-12 passing for a pair of scores. Albert finished with 172 yards, and Smith had 270 in the air.

Jones finally caught a downfield pass for seven yards and promptly fumbled during a scoreless third quarter.

Justin Albert ran for 24 on a fourth-and-two to start the final stanza, and scored two plays later from the 15 on a block by cameo fullback Gentry. With 10:08 left it was 42-0, but Clark left Albert in to cover Jones. Jones caught a 23-yarder, and again fumbled, and Albert recovered. Jones did not return to the game after limping off the field.

De’Kendrick Moncrief moved to quarterback, and made a Vick-tacular 55-yard run during which he reversed his field twice. Sung Hyun Bae hit the upright on the PAT, so it was 48-0. The No. 2 defense gave up a 37-yard Byrd-to-Zach McDufie pass to lose the goose egg with 8 minutes left in the game.

L.C. Morris brought Byrd’s next-to-last high school pass back 99 yards for a touchdown to close out the scoring.

TOP PROSPECT: I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count. "He’s strong. He’s fast. He’s physical. He catches the ball with his hands," said Prattville coach Bill Clark of Foley star Julio Jones. "He blocks well. He’s just a complete player." Clark and his friend, Foley coach Todd Watson, both see similarities in Jones and former Hoover great Chad Jackson. "He’s that same type player," Clark said.

"Both of them are great athletes and great players," said Watson, who coached Jackson as Hoover’s offensive coordinator. "Chad really had to work a lot harder to become a great receiver, whereas things seem to come a little more naturally to Julio. Julio’s a little taller, and a little stronger. Chad may have been just a step faster. He can run. There are a lot of comparisons between the two."

Jackson went on to star at Florida before cracking the New England Patriots lineup this year as a rookie with just three years of college. One other thing about the 6-3, 210-pound Jones: he runs great routes.

Jones, the state’s top junior, picked a bad night to have a bad night. For the game, Jones hauled in three balls for 53 yards for the visitors, but had the two drive-killing fumbles. He was shut down and out by 5-foot-9 William Albert. Covered like a glove while the game was in doubt.

On Foley’s first offensive snap, Jones caught a swing pass after going in motion from tailback, a play Albert was not on him. Jones broke a tackle at the line and went 23 yards up the sidelines. He rushed four times for 19 yards on handoffs and reverses. He ran two kickoffs back for 38, but he caught no balls on Albert in the first half, while the game was in doubt. Jones also plays some defense. He got run over at the goal line by the 5-8 Albert, but paid his fellow junior back with a vicious hit just in bounds to stop a 16-yard second quarter run.

"You can screw this thing up by not handling this week right," Clark told his team afterwards. "There is no school, but we’ve got a job to do. You’ll have your Thanksgiving Thursday, but the feast is on Friday." McGill-Toolen will be hungry, too.

SUPER SENIORS: If he accepts his only current SEC offer, the Mississippi State Bulldogs will get a good one in Foley quarterback Byrd (6-1, 205). On a tough night, Byrd hit on 10-28 passes for 161 yards (117 in the fourth quarter) and a touchdown. He was sacked eight times.

Though he missed the final two regular season games while recovering from minor surgery, Alabama verbal commitment Nick Gentry (6-2, 265) is “\"100 per cent" now per Clark. On this night, Gentry made nine tackles (unofficially). Three were for a loss. Three were sacks.

Tasked with the unenviable task of covering Jones was corner William Albert (5-9, 155). Albert is quick and tough and is not playing his final year of football, in all likelihood. "Unbelievable," said Clark. "We told William, ‘You’re challenged. This is going to tell you if you’re a big time player.’ He stepped up. Jones is such a gteat player, and William stepped up to the challenge. I’m telling you: William Albert is a Division-One player. There’s no doubt in my mind." Strong stuff. Albert backed it up.

JUNIORS TO WATCH: Prattville’s Justin Albert caught Watson’s eye this week on tape. "Speed. Speed. He can run, and very elusive. He’s done a great job for them all year. It’s a difficult task to try and slow him down."

Thing is, Albert’s not the only Prattville junior who bears watching. De’Kendrick Moncrief (6-0, 175) can run and catch, too. The speedster hauled in five catches for 163 yards, plus the 55-yard run.

Foley receiver Mike Washington (6-2, 160) is a year in the weight room from being a prospect, himself. He caught two passes. Robert Lester (6-2, 205) is a solid safety.

SUPER SOPHS: Quay Moncrief (5-11, 160) is a younger version of brother De’Kendrick. Fast, hands, and a good kick returner, too.

Foley’s Zach McDuffie lines up all over the place at 5-7, 160. He can catch it or run it. Dexter Page is 5-9, 150 and a similar player.

NEXT UP: Off for Thanksgiving, then back atcha in two weeks for the semis.

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