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As the Rams prepare for 2023 we look back to 22 and ahead to spring!

By Roger Scott
Special to Southern Torch

SYLVANIA, Ala. – The Sylvania Rams relied on a strong running game and defensive pressure to advance to the AHSAA 3A semifinals with a 27-7 victory over Geraldine Friday night at Rams Stadium.

With the victory, the Rams advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 1994.

Geraldine, with momentum in its corner after upset wins over No.5 Winfield and No. 1 Mars Hill Bible, was trying to advance to the next round and avenge a 41-24 loss to Sylvania earlier in the season.

Senior running back Braiden Thomas found running room behind the Rams offensive line all night on his way to four touchdowns.

“Braiden continues to do what he’s been doing. The offensive line has done a really good job of giving him some creases, and he rushed for 300 yards. He’s done a really good job of stepping up his game,” said Sylvania head coach Tyler Vann.

“He’ll be the first one to tell you that our o-line gets a lot of the credit for that.”

In a tight first half, Geraldine received the kickoff and was forced to punt on its opening drive. Sylvania advanced the ball to the Geraldine 7-yard-line before Jaxon Colvin recovered a fumble to regain possession with :58 left in the first quarter.

Geraldine methodically moved the ball down field on its possession, but failed to convert a fourth-down pass attempt. Geraldine’s defense returned the favor and forced a Sylvania punt with 4:14 left in the half.

The Bulldogs were moving the ball on a promising drive when it lost tailback Carlos Mann for the game.

Mann took a pass from Colvin and outran the Sylvania defense for a would-be touchdown, but he stopped and fell to the sideline with the non-contact injury with 2:35 left in the half.

When the game continued, Ashdon Cooley pressured Colvin and batted away a third-down pass, but Geraldine converted the fourth down attempt to keep the drive alive.

On the next play, Colvin and running back Caleb Hall muffed the exchange and Sylvania recovered the ball at its 34-yard line with 1:15 left in the half.

The Rams moved quickly behind two Thomas 15-yard gains, and Jaxon Smith found Landon Watkins for another 15-yard pickup. Smith got near the goal line on a quarterback keeper, and Thomas powered it in out of the wildcat formation for the 7-0 score after the PAT.

Sylvania’s Braiden Thomas (22) is brought down by Geraldine’s Kenneth Watson (78) Friday during the teams’ third-round matchup.  Jason Corbin / Special to Southern Torch

“I thought our defense played really well in the first half. Once our guys got settled in against some formations we hadn’t seen much, they really struggled to block us,” Vann said.

“Aspen, Ashdon, Ky, and Kittle all played well up front, and it changed the game for us defensively.”

In the second half, Sylvania’s offense relied on its run game to score three more touchdowns.

The Rams received the kickoff and Thomas burst through the line for a 72-yard score with 10:34 left in the third quarter and the 14-0 lead after Conner Andrade’s PAT.

On Geraldine’s next possession, Sylvania forced a three-and-out. The Rams offensive line began to control the game and took just a minute off the clock before Thomas again punched it in for the 21-0 lead after the PAT with 6:09 in the third quarter.

“This is three games in a row against playoff competition that we’ve been able to rush for more than 350 yards,” Vann said. “Teams have to put people in the box, and it opens up our pass game and play actions. We didn’t really have to throw it Friday night, but we will need to be able to throw it against [Piedmont],” Vann said.

On its next possession, Caleb Hall gained tough yards out of the backfield for Geraldine and moved the ball into Sylvania territory, but the Bulldogs failed to convert a fourth-and-long pass to turn the ball over on downs with 2:31 in the third quarter.

Sophomore back Aiden Parham picked up a 20-yard gain to move onto Geraldine’s side of the field, but Smith just missed Watkins on a fourth-and-long route to turn the ball over on downs.

Geraldine gained a little momentum on its possession when Colvin hit Cody Satterfield for the 52-yard strike-and-score across the middle. The PAT was good to make the score 21-7.

Geraldine forced a Sylvania punt to regain possession with 8:33 in the fourth quarter and moved the ball through the air with a flip pass to Satterfield and a pass to Hall to get to the Sylvania 12-yard line. On a key play in the game, Jonah Gurley broke up a pass to Elijah Schlageter and Thomas pulled in the interception to end the threat with 5:12 left in the game.

“We tackled better on the back end better than we had the previous two games, and that was huge for us,” Vann said.

Two plays later, Thomas put the game away with a 78-yard scamper for the score with 4:10 left. The Rams failed to convert on the 2-point attempt to leave the final score at 27-7.

Storylines CPF is beginning to simplify 

Clemson hopes to be back alive after last week 

SC path win out TCU lose or Ohio State/Michigan Lose  do they need Tennessee to Lose Y OR N 

LSU wins out need Tennessee to Lose Y/N 

Tennessee Win Out LSU loses Y/N 

TCU wins out
Michigan/OSU winner wins out 
Another path for losers? 

UGA In 
Other stories 
Utah up to #10 after 0-1 
UNC #12 but little hope Maye’s future 
Ole Miss #14 no way Lane stays 
ND #18 rising from dead 
UCF #20 does Auburn regret? 
Tulane #21 great year
Oregon State #23

These are 60-second Topics 

Titans 4-5-1 still time to save season Veable as coach 

Minnesota and Buffalo GOY

From Al.com 

Key sequence: Joshua Scott’s interception in the waning seconds of regulation forced overtime after Madison Academy had driven from its 27 to the Sylvania 24. It was only the fourth time this season Creehan had been picked off.

Stat sheet: Sylvania – The Rams had 381 yards on the ground and added 187 through the air. Parham finished with 134 yards on 19 rushes. Scott had seven receptions for 128 yards, including the game-tying touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter. Madison Academy – Creehan completed 11-of-14 passes for 156 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Jack Doyle had a game-high 12 tackles. Ken Cherry gained 182 yards on 17 carries; Joshua Williams ran for 77 yards and three touchdowns.

By the numbers: 0, Madison Academy first downs in the third quarter. The Mustangs were held to 4 total yards in the quarter after rolling up 293 yards in the first half. … 2,583, passing yards for Creehan this season, with 25 touchdowns. … 5, years since Sylvania advanced to the state quarterfinals. The Rams fell to Randolph County in the third round in 2017.

Week of 11/7/2022
Vols, Bama, and Clemson lose
Pack 12Update 
Astros win WS

Sylvania picked up its first playoff win since 2017 with a dominating 35-6 victory over Fayette County.

Tennessee vs Georgia How To Watch
Date: Saturday, November 5
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA
How To Watch: CBS
Record: Tennessee (8-0), Georgia (8-0)

The SEC on CBS Game of the Week takes on the ultimate shine as No. 3 Georgia hosts No. 1 Tennessee in a battle of two SEC East foes looking to stay undefeated on the season. Not only does this massive showdown carry divisional implications within the toughest conference in the country, but there are apparent College Football Playoff implications based on the first release of the rankings earlier this week. 

The Bulldogs held off rival Florida last weekend 42-20, which included a fourth-quarter surge after the Gators stormed back in the third quarter. Tight end Brock Bowers continued his stellar season, catching five passes for 154 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, the Volunteers dispatched Kentucky 44-6 last Saturday on Rocky Top in a game that was never in doubt. Quarterback Hendon Hooker, one of the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy, threw for 245 yards, passed for three touchdowns, and scored one on the ground. 

So what will happen on Saturday in Athens, Georgia, as these two SEC titans clash? Let's break down the game and make a pick.

CLASS 3A

Southside-Selma at Dadeville

Straughn at Thomasville

Wellborn at St. James

W.S. Neal at Opp

Mobile Christian at Houston Academy

Saks at Trinity Presbyterian

Pike County at Excel

Alabama Christian at Randolph

Danville at Mars Hill Bible

Geraldine at Winfield

Phil Campbell at Madison Academy

Fayette County at Sylvania

Oakman at Piedmont

Colbert County at Pennington

Ohatchee at Gordo

Vinemont at Lauderdale County