THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

SWEET WATER – Maplesville’s hopes for a perfect season and a state championship faded away Friday night.

The Sweet Water Bulldogs brought the Devils to the end of their road in the AHSAA playoffs with a nail-biting game and a 46-36 win.

On the first drive, Maplesville’s Marcus Wilson rushed the ball twice and completed two critical passes to Nick Andrews and Brian Bailey. Bailey’s 35-yard reception gave the Devils the early lead of 6 points.

The Bulldogs (12-0) bit back on the next drive as quarterback Anthony Landrum ran in the touchdown from 5 yards for their first score with 2:37 in the first quarter.

Sweet Water’s Drew Luker hit receiver Scottie Nelson deep for a 45-yard gain on their next possession. They scored with six and a half minutes in the second quarter, again on a Landrum run of 3 yards.

It was 4th and 6 for the Bulldogs with 42 seconds in the first half and they had the ball on the Maplesville 14-yard line. Antonio Landrum caught an 11-yard pass to give them first down yardage and a fresh set of downs. Anthony Landrum ran it in again for the score the next play.

Maplesville took the opportunity to score next. With just seconds on the clock, the Red Devils put together a two-play drive that gave them six points and a bit of hope as they went into the locker room. Brian Frith caught a 38-yard pass to give Maplesville a TD with no time remaining. The score stood at 19-14 in favor of the Bulldogs at the half.

Wilson completed 4-out-of-5 passes Maplesville’s next possession for 60 yards. He then made it into the other end zone with a 10 yard run and a solid drive.

This drive left the score at 33-22.

With 9:12 to go in the game and Sweet Water up 33-22, Johnny Locket tipped up Wilson pass, and it fell into the hands of Sweet Water’s Wes Burnett. Burnett ran it nearly all the way in from 43 yards out, but as the tackle was being made, the defensive end flipped it back to Locket for the score.

Maplesville answered back as Drek Gardner made two grabs for a total of 57 yards, one of them a touchdown. After the 2-point conversion, the score was 39-30 with 8:12 to go.

Devin Wolf ran back another interception for the Bulldogs for their final score of the night.

Frith caught a 48-yard pass for the touchdown with 4:45 to go, the last of the night.

Wilson passed for 314 yards, but Maplesville as a team was held to 52 yards. Frith led the Devils in receiving with 110 yards.

Sweet Water had 389 total yards, and Landrum was responsible for 185 of their 273 rushing yards.