By Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
On Thursday night, the Prattville Lions opened the 2024 season against the Pike Road Patriots, ranked #7 in the Class 6A preseason poll. Due to ongoing construction at Stanley-Jensen Stadium, the game was held at Wetumpka Municipal Stadium. The season opener for both teams featured plenty of fireworks. In the 3rd quarter, Prattville quarterback Gavin Rigdon threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Brodie Bowman. In the 4th quarter, running back KJ Blue scored once from 13 yards out and again from 51 yards out with under 2 minutes to play to seal the game.
Donovan Brown returned the opening season kickoff for a touchdown, but the Lions wouldn’t score again until 13 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. With less than 20 seconds left in the half and no timeouts, Prattville gave the ball to their running back, Tristen Blackmon, who scored from one-yard out. Pike Road led at the half 17-14.
The Patriots seemed to have Prattville on the ropes several times in the 3rd quarter, but each time the Lions fought back. Pike Road took more than 6 minutes off the clock in the opening drive of the 3rd quarter to take a 24-14 lead, but Brown made his second big return of the night, this time getting to the Patriots’ 20-yard line. Rigdon threw his first touchdown pass moments later to Bowman.
Pike Road scored on a 69-yard touchdown shortly after to push the lead back to 10, but once again, the Lions responded with a touchdown pass from Rigdon to Bowman. Pike Road led 31-27 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Clinging to a four-point lead early in the 4th quarter, Pike Road faced a 3rd and 23. They ran a draw and picked up 24 yards. On the next set of downs, the Patriots faced a 3rd and 9 and the quarterback ran for 10 yards. It looked like the Patriots were driving for a two-score lead, when they faced a 4th and 3 inside the Prattville 30-yard line. The Lions defense held, and got the ball back, but this time the Lions’ offense went three and out and punted the ball away. The ball bounced on the turf and hit a Pike Road player. The Lions recovered at midfield.
A few plays later, Blue scored on a run from 13-yards out to give the Lions a 34-31 lead. The Lions defense held again and got the ball back. Facing a 3rd and 11, the Patriots were called for a pass interference to keep the Prattville drive alive. Blue struck again, scoring the knockout blow from 51 yards out and giving the Lions a 41-31 lead with 1:22 left in the game.
The Patriots threw a touchdown pass on the last play of the game to make the score 41-37.
For the game, Rigdon threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns, both to Bowman. Blue rushed for two touchdowns, and Blackmon rushed for 71 yards and one touchdown.
The Lions are 1-0 on the season and will travel to Millbrook next week to face Stanhope Elmore.
