Guntersville holds No. 2 spot in Region 8 after victory over the Pirates
From STAFF REPORTS
GUNTERSVILLE — No. 9 Guntersville left little doubt about its postseason positioning Friday night, rolling past county rival Boaz 34-17 at Chorba-Lee Stadium to lock up the No. 2 seed in Class 5A, Region 8.
The Wildcats (7-1, 4-1) rebounded from last week’s loss at Scottsboro by leaning on a powerful ground game that produced 251 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Guntersville quarterback Street Smith accounted for all four scores, rushing for 103 yards on 18 carries, while Garrett Christie added 132 yards on 19 attempts.
Guntersville led 3-0 after a 27-yard field goal by Brandon Manganaris, then broke the game open in the second quarter. Smith punched in three touchdowns on runs of 1, 7, and 13 yards, helping the Wildcats build a 24-3 halftime lead. Street also finished 7-of-12 passing for 65 yards.
Boaz (6-2, 3-2) fought back in the third quarter, piecing together an 80-yard drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown run from Presley Fant to cut the Wildcat lead to 27-10. He finished with 89 yards on 25 carries.
After Manganaris hit a 43-yard field goal for Guntersville, the Pirates answered quickly as Beau Bennett found Dayton Porter for a 43-yard touchdown strike to trim the deficit to 27-17 heading into the fourth.
But the Wildcats sealed it with another sustained drive, capped by Smith’s fourth touchdown — a 6-yard run midway through the final quarter.
For Boaz, Bennett finished 14-of-23 passing for 158 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Porter led Boaz receivers with 57 yards and a score, while Jay Patterson added 54 yards on four catches and Sage Bennett caught five passes for 36 yards. Kicker Acson Aristhene drilled a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Guntersville’s defense came up with key stops, including an interception by Kalun Cobb and strong tackling from its front seven, holding Boaz to just 102 rushing yards on 32 carries.
Friday night’s matchup was the 83rd meeting between the schools. Guntersville now leads the series 56-25-2, according to AHSFHS.
The win gives Guntersville sole possession of second place in Region 8, clinching a home playoff berth and keeping the Wildcats within reach of a 10-win season.
After suffering their first loss since Week Two, Boaz will look to rebound next week as it returns home to close out region play against Arab (4-4, 3-2). Guntersville hits the road to face Douglas (5-3, 2-3) for its region finale.
Boaz’s Jay Patterson (15) totaled 54 yards on four catches on Friday night against Guntersville. Photo by Bentley Gray Photography
