Aaron Frye and Joshua Woods Power Clay-Chalkville Past Homewood 35-17 in Class 6A Quarterfinals

CLAY, AL — Quarterback Aaron Frye found the end zone three times on the ground, and running back Joshua Woods added two rushing scores to lead the undefeated Clay-Chalkville Cougars to a 35-17 victory over Homewood Friday night. The win secures Clay-Chalkville’s spot in the AHSAA Class 6A state semifinals.

Clay-Chalkville (13-0) overcame an early deficit to dominate the ground game and stifle a high-powered Homewood offense. The victory sets up a highly anticipated rematch next week against Muscle Shoals.

Turning Point in the Trenches

The visiting Patriots (11-2) struck first, taking a 3-0 lead on their opening drive. Homewood threatened to extend that lead on their second possession, driving inside the Clay-Chalkville 10-yard line. However, the Cougars’ special teams unit delivered a critical field goal block that shifted the game’s momentum entirely.

Capitalizing on the turnover, Frye capped a subsequent drive with a rushing touchdown to give the Cougars a lead they would not relinquish.

Cougar Defense Clamps Down

While the offense handled the scoring, the Clay-Chalkville defense contained a Patriots unit that entered the contest averaging 38 points per game. Colton McIntyre disrupted the Homewood backfield throughout the night, finishing with two sacks. Isaiah Brown added an interception to halt another Patriot drive.

Homewood quarterback Kaleb Carson managed two touchdown passes in the second half, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Patriots.

Up Next: Semifinal Showdown

Clay-Chalkville now turns its attention to the Class 6A semifinals, where they will travel to face the undefeated Muscle Shoals Trojans (12-0). The matchup carries significant weight for the Cougars, who look to avenge a 31-21 postseason loss to the Trojans in 2024. A win next week would send Clay-Chalkville to the Class 6A state title game at Protective Stadium.