By TAYLOR BECK, Sports Editor
ALBERTVILLE — Albertville showed flashes of progress Friday night but couldn’t overcome turnovers and big plays as the Sparkman Senators pulled away for a 45-27 victory in a Class 7A, Region 4 matchup at Vernon Wells Stadium.
The loss dropped the Aggies to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in region play, extending their losing streak to 32 games. Sparkman improved to 1-3 and 1-1.
Albertville finished with 317 yards of offense, led by quarterback C.J. Zuniga’s 150 passing yards on 9-of-20 completions. His top target, Brandt Sweatt, turned in a breakout performance with seven catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Collin Parker carried 21 times for 68 yards and a score, Egunensley Cerant had 17 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown, and Zuniga added 24 rushing yards.
Despite the production, the Aggies were undone by four turnovers and Sparkman’s explosive plays. The Senators posted 370 yards of offense, with 188 on the ground and 182 through the air. Running back Braylon Lawson led the way for Sparkman with 179 yards on 13 carries.
“We gave up way too many big plays on defense. We can’t turn over four times and expect to have a chance to win,” Aggies head coach Adam Winegarden said postgame. “That’s really the tale of the tape. I mean, I do agree we’re playing better, but that’s hard for young people to accept that. I’ll have to go back to the tape to get an honest evaluation of effort and all of that kind of stuff, but our execution wasn’t good enough to give ourselves a chance.
“When we get a chance to make plays, we’ve got to have the confidence to go and do it. We’ll get there in time. But, I love our players. The harsh reality is we are where we are, and we’re trying to build, but it doesn’t take away the fact of how much we love them and care for them.”
Sparkman struck first with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Joshua Naylon to Kameron Reynolds less than two minutes into the game and added a 9-yard scoring run to take a 15-0 lead. Albertville answered with a 22-yard Zuniga-to-Sweatt connection, but the Senators responded with Lawson’s 1-yard run to push the margin to 22-8.
The Aggies kept pace with another Zuniga-to-Sweatt touchdown — this time from 47 yards out — before Sparkman’s 19-yard field goal and Naylon’s late first-half touchdown pass gave the visitors a 32-20 halftime advantage.
Parker’s touchdown run in the second quarter had pulled Albertville within 25-20, marking the Aggies’ closest margin of the night.
In the second half, Sparkman capitalized on short fields and turnovers. Naylon fired a 49-yard touchdown to Zayden Bodner, and after an interception return to the Aggies’ 5-yard line, Albertville’s defense stood tall and forced a missed field goal.
The Aggies answered with an 80-yard march, capped by Cerant’s 11-yard touchdown run to make it 38-27 with 9:53 left. But Sparkman sealed the outcome with Naylon’s 11-yard scoring run on the next drive, and Albertville’s final two possessions ended in interceptions.
Albertville’s defense did record two key red-zone stops, twice keeping Sparkman out of the end zone inside the 5-yard line.
The Aggies will look to break their skid again next week when they travel for another region contest against Austin (3-1, 2-0).
Aggies Egunensley Cerant (22) scores TD and jumps in celebration. Photo by TAYLOR BECK l The Leader
