Reeltown Captures 2A State Title with 49-13 Victory Over Tuscaloosa Academy

December 6, 2024

Ja’markius Smith Leads Rebels to First Championship Since 2009

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Reeltown High School began their AHSAA 2A State Championship with a bang on Friday at Protective Stadium as sophomore quarterback Ja’markius Smith turned an opening misstep into an 83-yard touchdown play.

After mishandling the game’s opening snap, Smith recovered the ball and launched a pass to Finley Henderson, who leapt for the catch, broke a tackle, and sprinted to the end zone.

“We had a run play called, and I looked up on the jumbotron and saw Ja’markius fumbled,” Henderson explained. “I slipped out the back, made the first guy miss, and went from there.”

The explosive start set the tone for Reeltown’s decisive 49-13 win over Tuscaloosa Academy, securing their first state championship in 14 years.

A Dominant Performance

Reeltown (14-1) commanded the game, extending their 21-7 halftime lead with a barrage of touchdowns early in the third quarter. Smith threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Brown before connecting with Tae Martin for a 39-yard score just one play after a Tuscaloosa Academy fumble.

At that point, Smith had completed three passes, all for touchdowns, totaling 169 yards. Shortly afterward, Alijah Woods delivered a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown, securing a commanding 42-7 lead with 7:48 left in the third quarter.

Smith finished the game with MVP honors, completing 4-of-9 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns.

Overcoming Past Heartbreak

The victory marked an emotional conclusion for Reeltown, which had suffered recent championship losses in 2010, 2019, and 2022.

“To get here two years in a row and to be able to finish, I’m just tickled,” said Reeltown coach Matt Johnson.

Reeltown capitalized on Tuscaloosa Academy’s struggles, including multiple turnovers. Rebels defensive star Woods also played a pivotal role, scoring a 43-yard rushing touchdown and delivering the game-defining pick-six.

The Rebels’ ground game displayed dominance, amassing 280 rushing yards. Martin gained 107 yards on nine carries, while Traylen Roberts contributed 98 yards on 25 carries.

Defensively, the Rebels limited Tuscaloosa Academy to -7 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Baylor Clayton led the Reeltown defense with 4.5 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, while Harrison Renfroe added 1.5 sacks.

Tuscaloosa Academy’s Record-Setting Quarterback

Tuscaloosa Academy (12-3) entered the game seeking its first state title since joining the AHSAA in 2021. Senior quarterback Preston Lancaster, who set an AHSAA single-season record with 4,259 passing yards this year, struggled against Reeltown’s ferocious defense.

Lancaster completed just one of his first eight passing attempts and threw two first-half interceptions. He later added a pick-six, lost a fumble, and endured three sacks.

“They capitalized off of our mistakes, and good teams do that,” said Tuscaloosa Academy coach Josh Wright. “We made them punt and then fumbled the punt. We threw a back-shoulder pass, and their guy ripped it out of our receiver’s hands and ran it in for a touchdown. It was just trying to get out of the quicksand.”

Although the game didn’t go as planned, Lancaster finished strong with an 89-yard touchdown pass to Hookena Rego late in the third quarter. On the night, he was 10-of-27 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite the loss, Lancaster ended his high school career as one of Alabama’s most prolific quarterbacks, amassing 11,359 career passing yards and 124 touchdowns across 52 games.