James Clemens upsets No. 9 Sparkman 31-30 in Fourth Quarter Thriller
Madison, AL – In a thrilling Class 7A, Region 4 matchup Friday night at Madison City Schools Stadium, James Clemens (5-2, 4-0) secured a hard-fought 31-30 victory over the 9th ranked Sparkman Senators (5-1, 3-1) The game reached its nail-biting conclusion as James Clemens managed to block an extra point attempt by Sparkman with just six ticks remaining on the clock.
The game’s pivotal moment occurred after Sparkman quarterback, Josh Ward, bolted into the endzone from just inside the Jet five yard line, bringing his previously undefeated Senators tantalizingly close to forcing overtime. However, an untimely false start penalty set the visitors back 5 yards, and a fumbled snap during the subsequent extra point attempt allowed the Jets to swoop in and deny the critical point after, securing the win.
Sparkman came out of the gate strong, seizing an early 10-0 lead, thanks to a 9-yard pass from Ward to Amaree Jabbar and a 27-yard field goal by Christian Burrus.
James Clemens, determined to close the gap, executed a clever trick play. Devon Cooper received a backward pass and spotted Cameron Berry wide open, connecting for a 38-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 10-7.
The momentum shifted once more as Sparkman increased their lead to 17-7, with Ward delivering a quick pass to Jabbar, who eluded a Jets defender and raced 51 yards to the end zone.
James Clemens turned the momentum in their favor midway through the second quarter. A 28-yard field goal by Anthony Ortiz, combined with two touchdown passes from Ty Marsh to Ty Doughty from distances of 26 and 39 yards, propelled James Clemens to a 24-17 lead at halftime.
The Jets continued their strong performance by opening the second half with a 70-yard, nine play drive, punctuated by a Cameron Berry 3-yard rushing score, extending their lead to 31-17.
In the third quarter, Sparkman managed to narrow the deficit to 31-24 with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ward to Jonathon Rozier.
Click here to check out the full Alabama high school football scoreboard.
James Clemens had an opportunity to seal the game but failed to convert on a critical fourth-and-6 at the Sparkman 29-yard-line with just 3:12 left in the contest. Sparkman capitalized, mounting an impressive 69-yard drive in 12 plays, capped by a Josh Ward four yard bolt into the endzone. The drama continued as James Clemens blocked the extra point, preserving their one-point lead and securing the victory.
Berry shined in the Tennessee Valley showdown, gaining 78 yards on 19 carries and contributing a touchdown, in addition to hauling in a touchdown pass. Logan Eggart also made an impact, catching three passes for 47 yards. On the other side, Ward completing 28-of-38 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns, along with a rushing score. Jabbar proved to be a standout player, hauling in 12 passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Rozier recorded 11 receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown. Jayden Thomas contributed 59 yards on five carries.
Looking ahead, James Clemens travels to Decatur to take on the Austin Black Bears (5-2, 2-2). Sparkman will make a return trip to Madison to face the Bob Jones Patriots (3-3, 3-1).
