Moody Defeats Arch Rival Leeds 25-22 in Thrilling “Battle of the Bridge”

MOODY, AL — The Class 5A No. 3 ranked Moody Blue Devils secured their third consecutive victory in the annual “Battle of the Bridge” rivalry, holding off the Leeds Green Wave for a hard-fought 25-22 win on Friday night at a packed Bill Morris Stadium. The victory extends Moody’s recent dominance in the heated series.

With the win, Moody improves to 6-2 on the season, 4-0 in region play.  Leeds slips to 5-3 (2-3)

head coach Jake Ganus’ Blue Devils established an early lead and never trailed. Quarterback Jake Lowery connected with star receiver Jo Dozier for two first-quarter touchdowns, building a 14-0 advantage. Lowery finished the game 13-of-21 passing, with all three of his touchdown throws going to Dozier.

Dozier, a University of South Florida commit, delivered a standout performance with five receptions for 116 yards and three touchdowns. His first score came on a 39-yard pass from Lowery with 9:24 left in the opening quarter, followed by a 23-yard touchdown reception just four minutes later.

The visiting Green Wave answered back in the second quarter. Gavin Howard punched in a 1-yard run to cut the deficit to 14-7. Moody’s Ryan McPherson later added a 37-yard field goal, but a subsequent 8-yard touchdown run by Howard brought the score to 17-14 at halftime.

The defenses tightened in the third quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. With 6:34 remaining in the game, Lowery found Dozier for a final 28-yard touchdown pass. A successful two-point conversion extended Moody’s lead to 25-14.

The Green Wave refused to quit. Leeds quarterback Sam Lollar led a late drive, connecting with Jordan Smith for a 16-yard touchdown. A two-point conversion by Howard narrowed the final margin to 25-22. Lollar had a productive night, completing 25 of 33 passes for 256 yards.

Looking ahead, the Blue Devils will host the Springville Tigers next week. Leeds will travel to face Center Point. While Leeds still leads the all-time series 14-5, the eastern metro area rivalry has shifted in Moody’s favor over the last three seasons.