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Sports August 31, 2006
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Gators take bite out of Saints of Patrician
By Ross Wood Special to The South Alabamian

Clarke Prep got their 2006 season off to a very good start by defeating Patrician Academy 24-7. PA is a very familiar team for Clarke Prep as that is who they defeated in the 2005 state championship to earn the Class AA crown. The Gators have now moved up to Class AAA with tougher competition such as Faith Academy, Cottage Hill, Pickens Academy and Bessemer Academy. Clarke Prep will travel to Mobile Friday night to face-off against the Rams of Faith Academy. Faith was in the hunt for the Class AAA crown last season.
Outlined against a black and blue August sky, the Clarke Prep Gator offense rode roughshod over the Patrician Saints 24-7 last Friday night in Grove Hill.

With the lightning and rain threatening skies forcing postponement of other games all over the area, the game stayed on track.

On the opening kick off the Saints' Barry Meeks provided some lightning of his own as he took the kick and the split the Gator defense for a 95yard touchdown return. The added PAT gave Patrician a 70 with 11:30 left to play in the opening stanza.

That proved to be the only time the Saints would hit pay dirt in the contest.

The Gators responded on the ensuing drive with a patented Wing-T push that covered 72 yards in eight plays with J.D. Powell capping it on a 5-yard plunge. Quarterback Chad Dickinson called his own number on the two-point conversion and Clarke Prep led 8-7.

Wesley Morgan was the work horse in the scoring drive as he carried the ball four times for 34 yards.

The Saints were able to move as close as the Gator 16yard line on the next possession but a pair of QB sacks from Adam Jordan pushed them out of scoring range.

The score remained that throughout the remainder of the half as the heavens finally opened and a steady rain fell.

In the second half the Gators took the opening possession and marched through Patrician on 10 plays and 67 yards to find the end zone.

Powell capped the sevenminute drive with a 6-yard dive. He also ran in the twopoint conversion, making the score 16-7 with 5:37 left in the third.

Early in the fourth quarter Clarke Prep continued their unrelenting ground game as Powell scored his third touchdown of the game, this one coming on a 4-yard run. Dickinson converted the try for two and CPS led 24-7.

The Gators were able to regain possession later and run out the clock, preserving the 24-7 win over the Saints in a rematch of last year's AISA Class AA title game.

Morgan led all rushers 126 yards on 16 carries. Powell added 75 yards on 15 carries and three scores. Dickinson had 69 yards on 15 carries with two two-point conversion.

Defensively Jordan had eight stops with three sacks. Taylor Becton and Tanner Tucker each added five stops.

Barry Meeks paced the Saints' ground game with 35 yards on 14 carries. Lance Gibson added 19 yards on four carries.

Quarterback John Graham completed 3-of-5 passing for 43 yards.

The Gators (1-0) take the big step this week when they travel to Mobile to take on Faith Academy. The Rams (01) lost 12-0 to Bessemer Academy last week. It will be the first region game for both schools.

Kickoff at Ram Field is 7:30 p.m.
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