MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- After trailing 28-6 in the second quarter, the #9 Carver-Montgomery Wolverines outscored #2 Opelika 38-7 to get a Class 7A, Region 2 win at the Cramton Bowl on Thursday night. Enterprise holds the #4 spot in the region and needs a win against winless Smiths Station (0-9) on Friday night to lock in a playoff spot and keep the Wolverines out of the 2024 playoffs. Carver-Montgomery lost to Enterprise 17-14 earlier in the season and had two shots at the 1-yard line to get the winning score but was denied late in the game, and the Wildcats held onto the win.
Carver-Montgomery (6-3, 4-3) snapped a three-game losing streak and rebounded to get this win in their last game of the season. "When I got here in March, I had a bunch of boys," said Wolverines head coach Bobby Carr. "I reminded them at halftime. I watched them grow into men; it was time to finish this game. We were knocked down but got back up, which is life sometimes. These kids have done this all year long. The seniors have bought in all season, and I could not be more proud of them."
The Carver defense scored first in the game when defensive back Camare Jackson pitched off a Bulldogs pass and raced 40 yards for a Wolverines touchdown. Carver took an early 6-0 lead. The two-point conversion failed.
Opelika (8-2, 5-2) scored on their next possession. Jordan Waits scored on a 23-yard touchdown run, and Reese Beasley kicked the extra point, and the Bulldogs took a 7-6 lead. With the Bulldogs defense getting a stop on downs, Opelika scored with 1:58 left in the first quarter when Blake Johnson scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. With the score, Opelika led 14-6.
With 10:53 left in the second quarter, Johnson scored on a 2-yard touchdown run, and the Bulldogs took a 21-6 lead and kept dominating the first half. With 9:04 left in the second quarter, Opelika scored on a Tommie Johnson 1-yard run, and Opelika led 28-6, scoring 28 straight points, and looked to walk away with this game, but Carver had other plans.
On the Wolverine's next possession, a Terrell Russell to Tristan Norman long pass set up the Carver offense and flipped the much-needed field position. A few plays later, Russell hits Tre Berry on a 15-yard touchdown pass play, and Carver cut into the Opelika lead at 28-14. Norman scored on the 2-point conversion from Russell.
The Carver defense made a big play on their next possession as Jacobi Freeman picked off a pass at midfield, but the Wolverines offense could not turn it into points. After a punt, a key play in the game put the ball at the Carver 2-yard line. Anthony Rogers took a pitch, raced 70 yards to the Opelika side of the field, and gave the Wolverines a chance to score right before halftime. A few plays later, Carver scored on a 35-yard touchdown pass by Russell to Channing Cargill for a score. On the two-point conversions, Russell hit Zion Crumpton on the play, and Carver only trailed 28-22 going into halftime.
Opelika scored midway through the third quarter as Blake Johnson raced 35 yards for a Bulldogs touchdown. With the score, Opelika led 35-22 with 6:14 left in the third quarter. Carver was driving on their next possession and moved the ball into Opelika territory with a key pass play from Russell to Norman. On the next play though, the Bulldogs Kevian King picked off a Wolverines pass and ended a scoring opportunity for Carver.
In the fourth quarter, it was all Carver. Berry had a big run to take the ball down to the 2-yard line, and on their next play, Berry scored. The two-point conversion was good again, and Carver only trailed 35-30 with 11:54 left in the fourth quarter. Lightning struck for Carver, as Russell found Norman on a 74-yard touchdown pass play, and Carver took their second lead of the game at 36-35 early in the fourth quarter. Anthony Rogers caught the two-point conversion, and Carver led 38-35. "We just didn't give up," said Wolverines WR Norman. "It was a hitch and go, and I was pretty sure the ball was coming my way. We have a lot of heart, and we know what type of team that we have, so we were not going to give up."
The Carver defense made big play after big play on their next possession and turned an Opelika punt into their last scoring drive of the game. Carver took off a big chunk of time down the stretch and put the game away when Berry scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with only five seconds left in the game. With the score, Carver led 44-35. On the kickoff, Opelika returned it to their own 20-yard line as time expired, and Carver came away with the upset win on Senior Night. "Even when we were down, everyone kept their head up," said Wolverines QB Russell. "It showed that we just had to put it all together. I am thankful for my teammates and coaches. Hats off to Opelika; I hope they have a long run in the playoffs."
Russell had a big game as he completed 13-of-25 passes for 282 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions with four two-point conversion passes. Norman had four receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown with a 2-point conversion. Berry had 90 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns, with 23 yards on two receptions and a touchdown. Rogers had 90 yards on 16 carries, two receptions for 17 yards, and a two-point conversion.
For the Carver defense, which played a key role in the second half, Jackson had three tackles and the interception for the touchdown. Jacob Freeman had four tackles, a tackle for loss, and an interception. Jamares Harris had four tackles and a tackle for loss.
