Lions claw way into final

The rematch lived up to its billing.

A year after losing to Opelika in the Class 6A quarterfinals and nine games after winning a regular-season battle, Prattville edged Opelika 23-16 Friday night to earn a spot against Hoover in the state final.

The Lions (14-0) took advantage of an Opelika (12-2) turnover late and played stifling defense the entire game. Justin Albert's third touchdown with 2:07 to play put the Lions in front by 10.

Opelika answered with a 32-yard Zach Blatt field goal before Prattville covered an onside kick to seal the win.

"This feels great," Albert said. "Give Opelika credit, this was a hard-fought game. They stuffed us a few times, but we just kept coming back."

"We want to go all the way," said quarterback Larry Smith, finalist for 6A Back of the Year and Mr. Football. "This was an all-out war tonight between two very good teams. We just want to win one more."

Albert and Smith provided the offensive spark Prattville needed. After struggling to put points on the board early, Prattville responded with 17 second-half points.

Smith finished with 99 yards passing and 133 yards rushing on 21 carries.

Albert was the workhorse, rushing for 176 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries.

"Justin did a great job and so did the offensive line," Smith said. "They made the offense work."

Albert gained 110 yards in the second half.

"The offensive line opened holes and I fit through them," Albert said.

"We've busted our tails this season and it paid off tonight." Prattville coach Bill Clark called it a big night for the "entire offense."

"Our backs, our linemen and our receivers all did a great job," Clark said. "We had to have everyone working together to play like we did against Opelika's high-powered defense."

The Prattville defense held Opelika to 198 yards for the game. Opelika running back Joe Wilson was held to 66 yards on 16 carries.

The defense came up with two turnovers. William Albert picked off a Brandon Dowdell pass on the fourth play of the game. Junior Reggie Dozier ended an Opelika drive in the fourth quarter with a pick at the Prattville 21.

"I had to make the play," Dozier said. "The ball was under-thrown and I broke on it. We needed a big play right then."

Justin Albert said Dozier's pick was one of several "big-time plays."

"We had a lot of guys step up tonight," Albert said. "Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games."

The pick set up a final scoring drive for the Lions. Justin Albert started the drive with a 30-yard run and ended it with a 29-yard touchdown scamper. On the scoring run, Albert line up at quarterback. Seeing that the Opelika defense wasn't set, Albert called a quick snap and exploded up the middle.

"I caught them," Albert said. "They weren't down and ready, so we snapped the ball quick. The play worked great."