Can they do it?
The Leeds Green Wave are Tuscaloosa bound for the second time in three years to play for a state title with a 48–20 revenge win over region rival Munford last Friday Night. Leeds will take on the Fayette County Tigers tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. in Bryant Denny Stadium for the Class 4A State Championship.
In week three of the regular season Leeds traveled to Munford for their first region game of the season. Leeds led by double digits three different times in the game. Munford fought back tooth and nail to force the game into overtime, where the Lions won 49-48. It was a loss that got the Green Waves attention and they have been on a tear ever since. Leeds went on to win the region title and now a chance to win back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history.
The Leeds Green Wave came into last Friday night’s with some revenge on their minds. All they heard about was that loss to Munford earlier in the season and the first drive of the game set the tone for how the Green Wave entered this semi-final contest.
Leeds took the ball at the Lions 44-yard line to start the game. Jaylen Washington took the ball on the first play of the game for a nine-yard gain. The last 35 yards belonged to the man of the night Tre Nation who finished off the eight play 44-yard with a five-yard touchdown run. The extra point by Morgan Coston was good and Leeds led 7–0 with 8:41 left in the first quarter.
The Green Wave defense stopped the Lions offence in three plays on their first possession to set Leeds field position at the Lions 30-yard line. TaDarryl Marshall found Koi Freeman for a 12-yard pass play to put the ball at the Lions 19-yard line three plays into the drive. On the next play, Marshall handed off to Nation and he took it to the end zone from there. With the extra point Leeds led 14–0 after the first quarter.
Both teams stepped up the offense in the second quarter. Jaylen Washington picked off a Munford pass to set Leeds up at the Lions 48-yard line. Two plays later Marshall hooked up with Freeman once again, this time for a 36-yard gain to the Lions 12-yard line. Five plays later Nation scored his third touchdown of the night this time with a one-yard plunge. The extra point failed, but Leeds led 20–0 with 5:01 left if the half.
Green Wave penalties set the Lions up in Leeds territory during their next drive. Starting from their own 35-yard line three huge penalties against Leeds helped the Lions march their way to the Leeds six-yard line. Munford got on the board when receiver Quantavious Elston found his quarterback Avery Harris for a six-yard touchdown. The point after was good and the Green Wave lead was cut to 20–7.
Leeds quickly answered the Munford score with a one-play drive. Nation took the handoff and went right up the middle and out raced the Lions defense 65-yards to the end zone. The extra point was good and Leeds now led 27–7.
Munford came right back with another score to answer the Leeds score. The combo of Avery Harris to James Jenkins, that gave the Green Wave such a fit in the first meeting, struck again in this game when Harris connected with Jenkins for a 30-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked and Leeds held a 27–13 lead at halftime.
The game got tighter in the third quarter as the scrappy Lions cut the Green Wave lead to seven points when Lion quarterback Avery Harris escaped tremendous pressure from the Leeds defense to score from 13 yards out. With the extra point the Green Wave lead was cut to seven points, 27–20 with 5:47 left in the third. The rowdy Munford fans where in full affect.
Leeds answered back with a 10-play eight-yard time consuming drive that was aided by two 15-yard penalties against the Lions along the way. That drive was finished with Nations fifth touchdown of the night, this time from nine yards out. With the extra point Leeds now led 34–20 after three quarters.
The Green Wave defense controlled the game the rest of the way led by sacks from Josephus Smith and Mike Rankins. Smith’s sack on fourth down with four minutes left in the game set Leeds up at their own 48-yard line. Five plays later, Nation scored his sixth touchdown of the night to drive one nail into the Lions hopes. With 1:39 left in the game, Nation put the final nail in the victory with a nine-yard touchdown run to make the final score 48–20. Leeds is headed for its third straight title game.
Tre Nation was the man of the night with a 43 carries, 273 yards, and seven touchdowns night. That will go down as one of the many great performances by a Green Wave running back over the years.
Leeds now has their eyes on Tuscaloosa’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Green Wave has won a state title in two of the three big venues that have hosted the Super 6 now Super 7 championship games. Leeds won their first title in Legion Field in 2008. The 2010 and 2014 titles were both won in Auburns Jordan Hare Stadium. Leeds did play for the 2013 title in Bryant Denny, but Madison Academy won the 3A title that year with a 31-14 score. Leeds would like to get the win here this time, but the Fayette County Tigers will be waiting to spoil it for the Green Wave. The Tigers went on the road to Cordova to shut out the Blue Devils 32–0 to win the North region of class 4A.
The Class 4A State title game will be Friday morning at 11 a.m. in Bryant-Denny Stadium.