Throughout their season, the moody blue devils football team has had some ups and downs, but they are still making the most of their season and are hoping to make it to the state playoffs. The team has been led by current head coach Jake Ganus and has won five straight games, but they haven’t gotten much further than the first round of the playoffs so far.
During the 44 year history of the Moody football program, three state championships and four consecutive playoff appearances are a few to be proud of. The Moody Blue Devils also helped transform the Thompson Warriors into a powerhouse in the 7A ranks.
The Blue Devils are currently on a five game winning streak, with wins over Southside, Pell City and Springville. They will travel to Ramsay in the first round of the state playoffs on November 4. They close the regular season against Etowah on Friday. They will be in the Class 5A, Region 6 in 2022. They are ranked number 5 in the Alabama high school football rankings.
In addition to a winning record, Moody has also won three Region titles, and is currently the #4 playoff seed. They have also made a good showing in the postseason, with a 17-2 record in the postseason. This is the first time they have made it all the way to the Final Four.
The first quarter was a slam dunk for Moody. Their defense held Springville to a three-and-out and they opened the scoring with a Blaine Burke run for 53 yards. The Blue Devils’ defense kept their opponents in check throughout the half, and the offense continued to put points on the scoreboard.
The Moody Blue Devils’ offense was a little overshadowed by their defense in the second half. They scored on two short drives and ran a fumble back for a touchdown. The Knights also scored a few more times, including a 61-yard interception return for a score.
Despite having one of the best seasons in school history, Springville High School lost a game to the Moody Blue Devils. The game was played Friday at 7:00pm at Bill Morris Stadium. The game was the last of the season for the Blue Devils.
The game ended with Moody winning 53-14. The Blue Devils are the third team in the state in Class 5A. They have a 17-2 record in the postseason. They are now ranked third in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll. They have also won three straight region titles.
The team started off strong by scoring with just over seven minutes left in the first quarter. Moody quarterback Cole McCarty connected with Davion Dozier for a 49 yard touchdown and then found Kol Seymour for a 20 yard touchdown. During the fourth quarter, Jamari Cash scored two touchdowns. The score increased to 52-14 with 13 seconds left in the game.
The Tigers fought back to score eight points in the fourth period. Their defense also came up with a huge play as Zane Smith intercepted a pass from Boaz Thornton, giving the Blue Devils the ball at the Springville one-yard line. This led to a five-yard touchdown run by Ed Johnson.
The Tigers pulled within six points early in the third quarter. However, the Moody defense remained unflappable. After the punt, Moody drove to the Springville one-yard line, resulting in another score.
During the annual Arabian Knights vs Moody Blue Devils football game, the home team pulled off a rousing 42-20 victory. It was the most wins in a single season by an Arab program since the team’s last trip to the playoffs. It also secured the Arabian Knights’ homefield advantage in the AHSAA Class 6A playoffs.
In the end, the Moody Blue Devils’ lackluster effort in the trenches was offset by a sluggish offense in the red zone. The Blue Devils didn’t score until just under eight minutes to go in the second half. It wasn’t until the second half’s final play that the Arab defense found itself in prime position to sack Moody quarterback Cole McCarty. The first play of the second half saw McCarty throw his best pass of the night, a 14-yard touchdown strike to Davion Dozier.
On the other side of the ball, Moody fumbled on its opening drive and was forced to punt. On its next possession, the Blue Devils found themselves in a similar position. This time, the team managed to turn the tables, thanks to a nifty kick off to the back of the end zone by the team’s defensive backs.
During their ensuing nine-play drive, the Blue Devils found themselves in their second worst position of the night. However, the next play saw Jordan Franklin burst through the line of scrimmage for his fourth touchdown of the night, a 3-yard dash.
During the last five years, the Blue Devils have had two 9-win seasons, a 11-win season and made a state championship game appearance. This will be Ganus’ first high school head coaching job, but he’s no stranger to the high school game. He served as an assistant coach at Thompson High for five seasons under Mark Freeman.
The Moody Blue Devils football program has a long history. The current staff has 17 members, including two coaches from Thompson. The Blue Devils have won a total of 42 percent of their games all time.
Ganus, who is listed at six feet, 225 pounds, started playing tackle football when he was one fourth his present size. He moved to Alabama from Alpharetta, Georgia, before his ninth grade year. His dad did not see the potential in his son’s football career until he grew up.
The Moody program has won more than 40 percent of its games all time, and has been to the playoffs in every single season. The Blue Devils will compete in Class 5A, Region 6 next season. They will join rivals Alexandria and St. Clair County in 2022.
The new staff isn’t short on the number of new fitness areas, the latest ad valorem increase will go towards school projects for years to come. The best part of Ganus’ new position? His work ethic is evident to all who know him.
Hundreds of sporting events have been postponed this weekend due to outbreaks of COVID-19. An omicron variant of coronavirus has made its way across the United States, and several pro sports leagues are dealing with the issue.
The National Football League, Major League Baseball and the NBA all postponed games this weekend. The NFL, however, has been forced to make the first postponement of the season. This game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cleveland Browns has been moved to Monday.
The NHL has rescheduled its games through December, with the exception of Sunday’s game between the Ducks and the Red Wings. The schedule will resume on December 27. The Calgary Flames have also been rescheduled, and they will miss six games because of the COVID-19 issue.
There are a number of schools looking to bring back mandatory booster programs for students. Some schools have already taken the step. Others are looking for ways to keep their players healthy.
Some schools that have been affected by the virus include the University of Louisville, Gonzaga University and Loyola Marymount University. These teams were scheduled to play each other on Saturday. The games were postponed because of health protocols.
A number of college basketball teams also have been affected by the virus, including Kentucky, Missouri and Washington State. Some top-25 matchups have been postponed as well. A few of the biggest games were postponed, including a top-10 game between UCLA and Arizona.
During the course of their first round playoff game against Jasper, the Moody Blue Devils threw up some interesting statistics. In the process, they set a new school record for points scored in a single season. In fact, the Blue Devils won 10 games for the first time in the program’s history.
In the second round of the playoffs against Arab, the Blue Devils had an up and down performance. Their offense was stymied in the first half. Their defense, however, was a force to be reckoned with. The Blue Devils sacked the Knights’ quarterback three times, including two interceptions.
The Blue Devils scored the most points of the game, but the team’s defense stymied them in the end. The lone touchdown of the night came on a 76-yard run by Blaine Burke. The Moody defense also did their part in shutting out the Blue Devils’ high-powered offense.
Moody’s kick-catch interference penalty helped them move the chains. The Blue Devils got the ball to start the second half, but a fumble on their first possession kept the score boxed up. The Blue Devils took the ball deep into Arab territory, but failed to make the most of it.
The Blue Devils also had the misfortune of committing the same interception they had committed on the previous drive. The Golden Bears were in the end zone, but it was a close call.
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