By Loyd McIntosh
Homewood rebounded from a dramatic overtime loss to Mountain Brook with a thorough pounding of the Gardendale Rockets Friday night, 42-9. The win puts the Patriots in a first-place tie with Parker in 6A Region 7.
Quarterback Kaleb Carson had another solid outing, completing 17 of 27 passes for 195 yards. While Carson didn’t throw for a touchdown, he was efficient in moving the offense down the field and setting up big plays on the ground. His longest completion of the night went for 40 yards, helping keep Gardendale’s defense on its heels.
The star of the show was the Homewood running attack, led by running back David Griffin. The workhorse of the running back crew, Griffin gained 78 yards on 11 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown run.
Junior running back Chappy Chapleau chipped in for 30 yards on three carries and two touchdowns, and Carson scored a pair of touchdowns on one-yard plunges on a light night for the quarterback on the ground. Wide receiver Tomon Felton also got in on the rushing action on a reverse, galloping 71 yards, setting up a score by Griffin late in the first half.
Felton was the leading receiver for the Patriots, gaining 71 yards on eight receptions, for 142 total yards on the night. Wide receiver David Walden also had a solid game with six receptions for 69 yards, and Kam Foster chipped in with 41 yards on four receptions.
The Homewood defense was also solid, allowing quarterback Ridge Wiggins only one touchdown in the first half and shutting out the Rockets’ offense in the second half.
With the victory, Homewood improves to 6-1 overall, 4-0 in region play. The win couldn’t come at a better time for Homewood after the wild overtime loss to Mountain Brook. The Patriots are off next week and will travel to downtown Birmingham to face the Parker Thundering Herd on Friday, October 7.
The defending 6A state champions, Parker is currently 5-2 overall, their only losses coming to 7A Hoover and the Carrollton Trojans, seven-time Georgia state champions. The Thundering Herd is currently 3-0 in region play with a chance to improve to 4-0 following their matchup with Minor on Friday, October 10, setting up a battle with Homewood for first-place in Region 7. The Patriots will also look to avenge a 27-17 loss to Parker in 2024.
Kickoff is 7 pm at Parker High School, located at 400 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Boulevard.
