From Staff Reports

Thorsby rolled to 5-0, its best start ever, with a 42-6 win at Shades Mountain Christian on Sept. 24.

The hosts recovered an onside kick to begin the game, but Thorsby (3-0 Class 2A, Region 4) forced a punt and then drove 85 yards—only to lose a fumble on the 1-yard line.

But Shades Mountain (0-5, 0-3 Class 1A, Region 4) fumbled the ball back on then next play, and Thorsby’s Erick Camarillo picked up the loose ball and ran it in for a touchdown.

Lalo Rico kicked the extra point; he was 6-for-6 on point-after tries for the day.

Senior Marcus Bray ran 49 yards on a reverse for the next THS TD, and minutes later Bray caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Andrew Farris.

Farris scored on a 33-yard run right before the end of the first half to make it 28-0.

On the last series the Thorsby starters would play, Farris began the second half by leading the Rebels down the field and then scoring on a run.

Shades Mountain then scored to make it 35-6.

Thorsby’s Bo Hoffman scored the last points of the night with a 5-yard run.

Farris rushed 11 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns, and he passed for another score.

Bray rushed three times for 71 yards and a touchdown, caught three passes for 68 yards and a score and intercepted a pass on defense.

Thorsby this week will host region foe American Christian in a game that will begin at 7 p.m. at Susan Bentley Field.

By Justin Averette

BILLINGSLEY – Thorsby edged Billingsley, 42-40, in a game that featured 12 touchdowns, four lead changes, too many turnovers and hundreds of rushing yards that are likely still being tabulated.

In the process, Thorsby improves to 4-0 and beats rival Billingsley for the first time in their last 10 tries, the most recent game being played in 2001.

After trading several punts, the offensive fireworks started.

Billingsley took an early lead with a 10-yard run by A.J. Tyus. A successful 2-point conversion put the Bears up 8-0.

Thorsby answered quickly, though. A 49-yard run by Kalup Nunn set up a 3-yard touchdown dash by quarterback Andrew Farris. The Rebels made their conversion to tie the game 8-8 with 1:02 to go in the first.

The game would go back and forth again, with Billingsley scoring off a 34-yard run by Jimmie Lanier. Nunn struck back quickly with a 4-yard run to give Thorsby its second touchdown of the night.

Billingsley missed its 2-point conversion, so a successful PAT kick gave Thorsby its first lead of the night, 15-14.

The Bears responded with a 9-yard touchdown run by Lanier and went up 22-15 with a successful 2-point conversion.

Thorsby scored the next three touchdowns, making a comeback seem less likely.

Farris scored on a 2-yard keeper and then a 1-yard run late in the second quarter.

Farris kept the train going with a 72-yard touchdown run to open the third quarter, giving Thorsby its largest lead of the night, 36-22.

The Bears battled back, though, scoring off a 14-yard pass and then a 1-yard run by Reggie Browder to tighten the score at 36-34.

Thorsby scored again with a pass from Farris to Marcus Bray for 11 yards. A missed PAT kick kept the score to 8 points and the Bears in the game.

Late in the game, Billingsley drove down the field to score off a 13-yard pass from Garrett Price to Keyjuan Goodson with 1:12 to go in the game. The Bears couldn’t convert the 2-point conversion to tie the game, giving Thorsby the 2-point victory.

The Bears missed two prime opportunities, fumbling twice in the second half, one right at the goal line on what would have been a touchdown.

Billingsley (1-3, 1-2 region) next travels to Maplesville, while Thorsby (3-0 region) hopes to improve to 5-0 against Shades Mountain Christian.

By Stephen Dawkins

When Kalup Nunn first hurt his knee last season, in Week 9 against Hale County, he was bummed about missing the remaining game on the schedule.

But then came the prognosis: torn ACL, torn MCL, torn PCL, cracked tibia… and probably the end of Nunn’s football career with one year left at Thorsby.

That Nunn will be a crucial component of Thorsby’s offense, defense and special teams when Class 2A, Region 4 opponent Francis Marion visits Susan Bentley Field at 7 p.m. Friday is a testament to Nunn’s hard work—and is one of the reasons the Rebels are expecting to have their best season in years.

“The doctor said he’s never seen any kid come back from that injury,” Thorsby coach Billy Jackson said. “It’s been just remarkable how he’s recovered.”

Nunn said the three months of daily rehab were not enjoyable, but he kept in mind how much he wanted to play his senior season with his teammates.

Nunn’s recovery turned out to be a team building exercise, with several fellow seniors working out with Nunn and rejoicing when he passed a physical and was cleared to play.

The senior ran for 56 yards on six carries—and recorded a sack on defense–in a 33-6 season opening win over Verbena, and he says he’s faster than he was before the injury.

“It was a rough road, but I just kept at it,” Nunn said. “I couldn’t let my teammates down, so I just stayed at it and worked out as hard as I could.”

—

Who will win?

After an impressive, season opening, 33-6 win over Verbena, Thorsby has as confident a football team as it has had in years. Francis Marion won’t be able to slow down theh Rebels this week. Pick: Thorsby Picks record: 3-2

By Stephen Dawkins

The Thorsby Rebels on Friday showed just how far they’ve from year one to year two of coach Billy Jackson’s tenure with a 33-6 win over Verbena.

Last season, Thorsby’s meeting with its county rival in Week 1 resulted in a hard fought 14-6 loss. This season’s opening game was the Rebels’ coming out party.

“We’re not there yet by any means,” coach Billy Jackson cautioned, but he did note his team’s improvement and credited that improvement to his coaching staff, especially strength coach Keith Williams. “They’ve got confidence in themselves because of the time they spend in the weight room.”

Thorsby is now halfway to its 2009 win total with nine games left to play.

Verbena, meanwhile, heads into region play next week against Wadley still with many questions to answer.

The Red Devils moved the football well on occasion behind the running of junior quarterback Bay Lucas (who led the team with 58 rushing yards, unofficially) and backs Dustin Short and Kelly Dorsett, but mistakes cost the visitors.

Verbena finally scored with 1:13 left on a three-yard run by Dorsett, a senior, but the game had been decided much earlier.

Thorsby senior Marcus Bray intercepted a pass on Verbena’s first possession and ran it back for a touchdown, and Eduardo Rico added the extra point.

Neither team could take control until Thorsby senior quarterback Andrew Farris led his team on a 91-yard drive that cumulated with Farris faking a handoff and running it up the middle three yards for a score with 16 seconds remaining in the first half.

The hosts ended any suspense on their first possession of the second half when, on third down with 13 yards to go for a first, Farris found Bray across the middle and then watched the receiver break several tackles and race down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown.

Thorsby scored later on a beautifully executed reverse pass from Farris to a wide open junior Stephen Mims and on a fumble recovery in the end zone by senior Dylan Crocker.

By Justin Averette

Thorsby beat Class 4A West Blocton in two scrimmages Friday night.

The second-string teams played 24 minutes first, with the Rebels winning, 13-6. After the break, the varsity starters squared off for another 24 minutes, which saw Thorsby come back to win, 8-7.

During the second scrimmage, both teams turned the ball over. Thorsby gave up two interceptions, including one in the end zone, but Dylan Crocker recovered a Tiger fumble that led to the Rebels’ game-winning touchdown.

West Blocton scored earlier in the second scrimmage off a short run by Justin Clements with 19:12 to go in the half.

Thorsby wouldn’t answer until 2:15 to go in the game with a 23-yard pass from quarterback Andrew Farris to Stephen Mims.

Despite the interceptions, the Rebels had several big offensive plays. A reverse to Marcus Bray gained 54 yards on Thorsby’s first drive. Kalup Nunn and Farris had several nice runs.

During the first half, backup quarterback Nathan Oldroyd completed his first seven passes, many of them to receiver C.J. Melendy.

Oldroyd had an 8-yard touchdown run. Bo Hoffman also ran in from 3 yards out to account for the team’s second touchdown of the first scrimmage.

B.B. Evans had a 49-yard reception in the game, while Hoffman had a 37-yard run.

By Scott Mims

A new athletic training facility was once just wishful thinking among coaches at Thorsby School.
But it is soon to be a dream come true.
Thanks to the efforts of the school’s booster club, parents, students and other generous individuals, plans are underway for a structure that will provide breathing room for the school’s athletic programs.
Once complete, the building will house multiple weight stations, practice equipment and more.
“It’s going to make it possible for us to get all our kids from every sport into one facility to be able to work them out, and that’s huge,” said Billy Jackson, Thorsby’s athletic director and football coach.
The building will measure 75- by 85-feet. One side will house approximately 14 weight training stations—doubling the capacity of the existing field house. On the other side will be batting cages, practice pitching mounds and other types of equipment. The building will also contain restrooms and a coach’s office.
Currently, there is not enough room for the school’s 200-plus athletes to train under one roof simultaneously. In order for everyone to get time in the weight room, varsity and junior varsity must alternate training days.
“Weightlifting is the backbone of any program,” Jackson said. “If your kids are not working out and getting stronger, everyone else is. It’s tough to compete with the bigger schools.”
An indoor training area will also come in handy on rainy days, especially for the school’s baseball team. It will end the inconvenience of splitting the students into groups between the field house and gymnasium.
The old field house, which was built in the early 1990s, will likely be turned into a full locker room.
“I think it will be very beneficial to all sports here at Thorsby,” said baseball coach Ab Argent. “It’s something we desperately need. We need a bigger area to accommodate our kids—male and female athletes.”
School Principal Russ Bryan thanked Sen. Hank Erwin for a $10,000 gift toward the facility. He also thanked the athletic booster club for helping the school reach out and locate resources to fund the project.
An architect is working on plans to present to the Board of Education and the State Building Committee in June.

By Scott Mims

Several Thorsby Rebels have spent long hours in the weight room during the off season, and this was evident Monday during the Rebels’ spring scrimmage.
Eric Camarillo, Marcus Bray and Andrew Farris all have bulked up, as have others, but coach Billy Jackson reminded them that they must train consistently to be in shape for the upcoming season.
“We’re much further along this spring than we were last spring,” Jackson said, “but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Forty-eight players suited up Monday, and Jackson said he wants to see all of them on the field this fall. In the meantime, they must work to build endurance and know where to line up defensively and offensively.
The players seemed to be pretty evenly matched Monday, as the White Rebels tied the Maroon Rebels 18-18. Bray was a standout on the field, scoring all of the touchdowns for the White team.
But it wasn’t just the veteran players who drew attention Monday.
“We saw some kids that kind of surprised us,” Jackson said.
Perhaps the least experienced part of the team is the offensive line. With only two out of five offensive linemen returning from last year, the Rebels certainly must rely on players to step up to leadership roles.
“I’m proud of our team,” Jackson said. “We’ve got 48 kids, and I think our program will be making strides if we can keep them all out.”

By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby senior Kevin Brasher on Tuesday signed to play football for Faulkner University in the fall.
Brasher’s ceremony in front of some family and friends in the school library is proof that hard work can go a long way.
“His work ethic is second to none,” Thorsby coach Billy Jackson said. “You couldn’t ask for a better kid.”
Brasher said he visited Faulkner a couple of weeks ago and liked “the coaches—just all the people down there,” he said.
Faulkner coach Duane McWhorter said Brasher’s grades are more evidence of his willingness to work.
“The first conversation I had with his coach, he talked about his work ethic and he talked about that he’s a good person,” McWhorter said. “Secondly, he’s a good football player.”
McWhorter said he envisions Brasher playing the slot receiver position in the Eagles’ offense.
Brasher was a starting strong safety and backup fullback for Thorsby.
Jackson said he thinks the role will suit Brasher.
“I think he’ll do well for them,” Jackson said.

By Stephen Dawkins

Of the 46 players named to The Clanton Advertiser’s 2009 All-Area Football Team, 14 are from North Chilton County schools Jemison and Thorsby.
First-team selections, pictured to the left, were:
• Patrick Sims, tight end, Jemison, Sr.
• Hunter Cowart, offensive line, Jemison, Jr.
• Justin Nemec, defensive line, Jemison, Sr.
• Isa Bentley, linebacker, Jemison, Jr.
• Erick Camarillo, linebacker, Thorsby, Jr.
• Dustin Wilson, linebacker, Thorsby, Jr.
• Javae Swindle, defensive back, Jemison, So.
Second-team selections were:
• Kalup Nunn, running back, Thorsby, Jr.
• Marcus Bray, wide receiver, Thorsby, Jr.
• Cody Greer, wide receiver, Jemison, Sr.
• Dillian Simmons, tight end, Thorsby, Sr.
• Cole Langley, offensive line, Thorsby, Sr.
• Darius Smith, defensive line, Jemison, Sr.
• Jacob Chapman, defensive back, Jemison, Sr.
Selections were made based on coaches’ nominations, statistics and team success.
An effort was made to present the 24 best players on the first team—and the next 22 best on the second team—so positions were adjusted accordingly.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Advertiser’s annual football honors, not surprisingly, feature a North Chilton flavor.
Our player of the year is Jemison running back Javae Swindle.
Though many close to the program were probably already aware of his ability, Swindle burst onto the county football scene as a sophomore, leading the area in rushing yards and receptions. Swindle also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and intercepted three passes on defense.
Swindle was often focused on by opposing defenses, and he found a way to get his yards anyway. More than a little bit of that had to do with his supporting cast.
If Swindle was contained early in a game, several other Panthers could be turned to, and the offensive line contintued trying to open up holes.
Swindle, the fresh face, provides an interesting contrast to our coach of the year, Maplesville’s Brent Hubbert, who has been around Chilton County football for most of his life.
Hubbert, and Swindle, are deserving of the honors, but another development in county football that deserves special recognition is the progress made by Thorsby under first-year coach Billy Jackson.
Sure, the Rebels only won two games, but that’s two more than they won in 2008.
The significance of the season is best measured in attitude instead of wins and losses, though. Jackson convinced his players that if they gave it their all, success would follow.
The Rebels continued to play hard even as their losing streak grew to 17 games, and it paid off in the end.
The success was limited, but it was there. And with a core group of juniors that should be stronger and more experiened next season, Thorsby should be able to build on that success.

– Dawkins is the sports editor for The North Chilton Advertiser.