SWEET WATER, Ala. — The Lamar County High School football team’s magical run came to an end in the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs.
Sweet Water rushed for 445 yards and cruised to a 55-20 victory in the third round of the playoffs.
“Sweet Water’s got a great team,” Lamar County coach Ken Adams told The Tuscaloosa News. “(The playoff run) was great for us. We deserved to be here. That’s what I told our guys at halftime, play like you deserve to be here.”
Junior Jakoby Aldridge rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs sprinted to a 48-7 halftime advantage. Sweet Water (11-2) ran for 445 yards on 45 carries, slightly less than 10 yards per carry.
“We couldn’t sit back and wait,” Adams said. “When you’ve got a team like Sweet Water that’s so well-coached, fundamentally sound, and physical, you have to go after them. In the first half, we didn’t answer the bell.”
For Lamar County (10-3), Dallas Cockerham hit Alex Wheeler on an 8-yard touchdown pass. Alex Wheeler and Cullen Carter also added two-yard scoring runs for the Bulldogs.
Prior to the game, Sweet Water honored the memory of late Lamar County offensive and defensive line coach Don Thornton. The family of Thornton, who passed away last Saturday shortly after Lamar County’s second-round victory, received a game ball from Sweet Water. Lamar County players and coaches also wore “Coach DT” decals.
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