No. 3 Vigor Smothers 5th Ranked Benjamin Russell

ALEXANDER CITY, AL — Vigor’s defense held one of the South’s most coveted quarterback prospects in check for nearly the entire night Friday, and the Wolves rode that dominance to a 20-10 road victory over Benjamin Russell.

No. 3-ranked Class 4A Vigor (4-1) throttled the No. 5-ranked Class 5A Wildcats, holding them to just 25 rushing yards and an ugly 0-for-10 on third down. The win sent a clear message across Class 4A: The Wolves believe they can get back to the state championship game — and this time win it.

Blocked Punt Sets the Tone Early

Vigor wasted no time. Two minutes into the game, Branden Ball crashed through to block Benjamin Russell’s first punt attempt. Three plays later, quarterback Anthony Gill found Zy Wilson for a 5-yard touchdown pass, staking the Wolves to an early lead they would never surrender.

Gill managed the offense efficiently all night, finishing 12 of 15 for 131 yards. His lone interception did no damage, as the defense repeatedly bailed out any mistakes.

Wolves Slam the Door in the Red Zone

Benjamin Russell had chances to answer in the second quarter but ran into a wall each time. Vigor stuffed the Wildcats on downs on back-to-back trips inside its own territory, stopping them cold at the 15 and again at the 7. Neither red-zone possession produced a point.

The disruption up front came largely from Texas commit Jabarrius “Chicken” Garror, who piled up 2 1/2 sacks and pressured Alabama commit Kingston Preyear all evening. When Garror didn’t get home himself, he funneled the quarterback toward Auburn commit Isaac McNeil and the rest of a swarming front. Shifting coverages kept Preyear guessing and out of rhythm from the opening snap.

Preyear Stifled, Save for One Strike

Rated among the nation’s top quarterbacks in the 2028 class, Preyear never found consistency. He finished just 5 of 16 for 142 yards. His single bright spot came late — a 72-yard touchdown strike to Jamichael Greer that trimmed the deficit but arrived long after the outcome was decided.

Vigor’s defense allowed minus-6 rushing yards in the second half and refused to let the Wildcats string together drives, repeatedly answering their longest plays with losses or no gain.

Jhi Brown Puts It Away

Backup quarterback Jhi Brown provided the finishing touches. He punched in a 1-yard touchdown run with 11:55 remaining, then sealed the win with a 54-yard scoring burst on fourth-and-1 with 2:58 left, pushing the lead to 20-3.

The Wolves did it despite hurting themselves with 12 penalties for 119 yards — sloppiness that coach Renardo Jackson will want cleaned up. Even so, Vigor improved to 3-0 this season against teams from higher classifications, another sign of its championship ambitions.

Jackson, now 16-4 through his first two seasons for an .800 winning percentage, has the Wolves believing in a run at their fifth state title. A year after reaching the Class 5A final and falling 25-0 to Moody in a rain-soaked Birmingham night, Vigor looks built to make another push.

What’s Next

Vigor stays on the road next Friday for a cross-town rivalry clash at LeFlore. Benjamin Russell returns home to Alexander City to host the Wetumpka Indians as it looks to bounce back.