Prattville High is ready for their close-ups.

For the better part of four quarters, the Prattville High School Lions physically imposed their will on Hoover High School while the MTV cameras rolled. After four quarters of play, the Buccaneers' bid for a fifth straight title came to a crashing halt as the Lions were the ones holding the state championship trophy courtesy of
a 35-21 victory over the nationally ranked Bucs.

The two teams, who finished the regular season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the Class 6A polls met in front of a record-setting crowd of 30,000 at Legion Field. The Lions jumped on the Bucs early in the first
period.

Zach Brownell recovered a block Bucs punt in the endzone with 10:56 left to play in the opening frame.

Brian Egan split the uprights with the point after try to give the Lions an early 7-0 lead.

They didn't look back from there.

Justin Albert broke free on a 13-yard scamper for a touchdown, Egan tacked on the extra point to give the Lions an early 14-0 lead with only :06 ticked off the second quarter clock.

With 0:31 left before the intermission, future Crimson Tide slugger Ross Wilson races through the heart of the Prattville defense and into the end zone on a designed quarterback keeper, cutting the Prattville lead to seven, 14-7.

The Buccaneer defense stalled the opening Lion drive of the third period at midfield and then marched downfield for a touchdown. Dennis King sprinted up the middle for the Hoover High touchdown. With the extra point, the Bucs had cut the lead to a touchdown, 21-14.

Albert, however put the game on his shoulders in the fourth period, scoring two of his three-touchdown performance in the fourth frame. The first, a 14-yard rumble, pushed the doubled the Lions' lead, 28-14. His second score of the period, a 64-yard ramble down the sideline and into the end zone put the game out of reach, 35-14 with 2:36 left in the game.

Hoover managed one late touchdown and point after, cutting the score to 35-21.

But when the final horn sounded, the Bucs were the ones left stunned as the Prattville Lions raced to grab the state championship trophy.

Albert led the Lions with another 100-yard performance. This week the senior runner torched the Buc defense to the tune of 153 yards. Quarterback Larry Smith broke free on a handful of carries and netted 99 yards rushing.

From the quarteback slot, Smith was 11-of-14 for 96 yards and a touchdown. His counterpart, Wilson, threw for 184 yards and a game-changing interception late in the game, completing only 14 passes.

Read Wednesday's Progress for complete coverage and more photographs.