Both teams have dreams of state titles as playoffs begin
By TAYLOR BECK, Sports Editor
Bragging rights stayed in Pirate Country last week as Boaz shut down rival Albertville 19-6 in a fierce flag football edition of the Backyard Brawl to close out the regular season.
The Lady Pirates (11-1) wasted little time taking control Thursday, jumping out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter. Quarterback Peyton Hall — who finished the night with 84 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries — sparked the early momentum, slicing through the defense for a 25-yard touchdown run before connecting with Addison Bowlin on a 10-yard scoring pass later in the period. Hall was 10-of-19 passing for 60 yards with one touchdown through the air.
Hall added another rushing score — this one from 9 yards out early in the second quarter — to put Boaz ahead 19-0.
Bowlin led the Lady Pirates’ receivers with seven catches for 32 yards and the first-quarter touchdown, while Boaz’s offense leaned on Hall’s playmaking despite Albertville’s secondary snagging four interceptions on the night.
The Lady Pirates’ defense smothered Albertville for much of the night, holding the Aggies to just 72 yards of total offense. Hall again led the charge defensively with nine flag pulls — including two sacks — while Arleigh Kate Mitchell added seven flag pulls, Bowlin contributed five, and Piper Hales recorded three, two of which were sacks.
But Albertville (12-5) answered with a key momentum swing midway through the second quarter.
After Boaz’s Raina Underwood intercepted a pass from Albertville quarterback Henley Kilpatrick — Underwood finished with two flag pulls to go with the pick — Aggie defender Ella Brown returned the favor with one of her team-leading seven flag pulls and an interception of her own. The takeaway set up Albertville’s lone touchdown — a 1-yard pass from Kilpatrick to Sheniah Techeirach, who had four catches on the night. Kilpatrick completed 14 of 25 passes for 60 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Shelby Godwin chipped in three catches for 15 yards.
From there, both defenses took over. The Aggies intercepted three second-half passes — one each by Bethany Strickland and Phara Dolne, plus a second pick from Strickland in the fourth quarter. Strickland finished with four flag pulls, while Dolne had two, and Journey Williams added seven pulls including two sacks as Albertville continued to apply pressure.
But every time, Boaz’s defense stood tall. Hales delivered a key sack following the first turnover, and Hall added another late in the game to halt a drive deep in Boaz territory. Albertville turned the ball over on downs three times in the second half, unable to solve the Pirates’ defensive pressure.
Boaz closed out the final minutes with a clock-draining drive to seal the win — and a strong finish to a dominant regular season.
“We finished the season 11-1 with wins over two really good teams this week at Spain Park (19-14 W) and tonight against Albertville,” Boaz head coach Will Penton said. “The reason I scheduled those was to give us a good look going into the playoffs. I’m so proud of the way our girls came out and started tonight… if we could figure out how to bottle up that first quarter and a half and play it for four quarters, we’re going to be a really dangerous team.”
Penton said the next step is sustaining that edge.
“When you get up a few scores, that’s the time where you can go really finish somebody off,” he said. “If you let them hang around… now they feel like they’re back in the game. So we just have to figure out how to not let our foot off the gas, play all four quarters with the same intensity.”
Thursday also marked Senior Night, honoring Boaz’s lone senior, Lexie Bennett — a cornerstone of the young program.
“She was the first girl that ever committed to play for our program,” Penton said. “She recruited a lot of these girls to come out and play… She’s been a leader for us, and on defense she’s just so good on the back end. She sets the tone.”
Penton praised Bennett’s resilience after missing last season due to hip surgery.
“She was at every practice, every game… a cheerleader, a coach — the whole nine yards,” he said. “This year, she finally got to step in and play. I’m going to miss her… but hopefully we’ve still got five more games left with her — that’s our plan.”
Now, the stakes rise. Boaz opens the AHSAA Class 1A–5A State Playoffs at home Tuesday, Nov. 4, against Fultondale. The Lady Pirates reached the third round last year in their inaugural season — and want more this time.
“The real season starts now,” Penton said.
Albertville heads to its own postseason test. The Lady Aggies visit undefeated Austin — currently 11-0 with eight shutouts and a 429-32 scoring margin — in the 6A–7A bracket Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Boaz defender Peyton Hall (11) pursues Shelby Godwin (6) of Albertville during the rivals’ meeting Thursday. The Pirates won 19-6 at Dr. L.F. Corley Jr. Stadium. Photo by TAYLOR BECK | THE LEADER
