Colson Griffin’s Pick-Six Lifts Helena Past Pelham 27-21 in Class 5A Region 4 Clash

HELENA, AL – Helena sophomore Colson Griffin returned an interception 22 yards for a touchdown with seven minutes remaining Friday night, breaking a 21-21 tie and pushing Helena past Pelham 27-21 in a Class 5A, Region 4 contest in north Shelby County.

The pick-six capped a game that swung back and forth through four quarters, with both offenses trading blows before Helena’s defense delivered the decisive play.

Panthers Strike First

Pelham set the early tone. Quarterback Dylan Smith punched in a 4-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, staking the Panthers to a 7-0 lead and quieting the home crowd.

Helena answered fast. Quarterback Caleb Soreano connected with J.P. Schultz on a 54-yard touchdown strike, evening the score and signaling that the Huskies planned to test Pelham’s secondary all night.

Arnold Fuels a Second-Quarter Swing

Smith found Marcus Arnold for a 24-yard touchdown in the second quarter, giving the Panthers the lead back. Helena kept pushing and drew even before the break. With nine seconds left in the first half, Soreano dropped a pass to Nathan Reid in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point failed, and Pelham carried a slim 14-13 edge into halftime.

Special Teams and a Third-Quarter Shootout

The scoring surge continued after the break. Smith hit Arnold again, this time for a 38-yard touchdown that stretched Pelham’s advantage.

Helena responded on the very next play from scrimmage — the kickoff. Griffin fielded the ball and raced 85 yards for a touchdown. Soreano then found Jay Orso for a two-point conversion, knotting the game 21-21 heading into the fourth quarter.

Griffin’s Pick-Six Decides It

With the game hanging in the balance, Griffin made his second highlight play of the night. His 22-yard interception return for a touchdown, coming with seven minutes left, gave Helena a 27-21 lead the Huskies would not surrender. The defense held from there to seal the win.

By the Numbers

Smith finished 15-of-25 passing for 169 yards and two touchdowns while adding 72 yards and a score on 20 carries. Arnold hauled in four receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns, and T.J. Spell led Pelham with eight catches for 77 yards.

For Helena, Soreano completed 14 of 19 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Schultz posted four receptions for 86 yards and a score.

Looking Ahead

Pelham (2-1, 0-1 region) returns home next week to host Homewood, aiming to bounce back after dropping its region opener. Helena (2-0, 1-0) stays unbeaten and hits the road to face Mountain Brook.