By SCOTT NICKERSON
Sports writer
There are only two teams left standing in the AHSAA Class 6A football playoffs, and they are both Indians. The Pinson Valley Indians are the only team standing between the Wetumpka Indians and their first state championship in school history.
Pinson Valley enters the contest with a perfect record of 14-0, and Wetumpka coach Tim Perry knows his team faces another tall task in the final game of the season.
“Pinson Valley is an extremely talented football team to go through a 6A schedule undefeated,” Perry said. “They are extremely well-coached and very disciplined in every phase of the game.”
Like Wetumpka, Pinson Valley will be playing in its first state championship game. Prior to this season, Pinson Valley never passed the second round of the playoffs. The teams don’t have any common opponents and have never met before.
Former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix is in his first year as head coach at Pinson Valley, and Nix’s son, Bo, leads the Pinson Valley offense at quarterback.
The younger Nix is one of the most highly touted junior quarterbacks in the nation, and his scholarship offers and statistics prove why. During the summer prior to his junior season, Nix won the MVP award of the Atlanta Opening Regional. He started at quarterback for Scottsboro halfway through his eighth-grade season, and continuing that role for his freshman and sophomore seasons prior to transferring to Pinson Valley this year.
During his last two seasons, Nix has a 26-1 record and he has offers from the likes of Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma and more. This year, Nix has thrown for 35 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
“Nix has great skills; he is able to reach coverages very well and he gets the ball out,” Perry said. “He’s a very talented quarterback. Their receivers catch the ball very well and are able to make big plays after the catch. The running back (Khymel Chaverst) is a very hard-nosed runner and plays with a lot of effort, and the offensive line blocks extremely well in both pass and run blocking.”
Pinson Valley averages more than 41 points per game, while allowing just over 15 ppg. Much like Wetumpka, Pinson Valley’s offense gets most of the attention, but both teams have reliable defenses that have made plays in the biggest games of the year.
“Pinson Valley’s defense is very sound in what they do,” Perry said. “Like the offense, they are sound at every position. The defensive line plays with great technique, the linebackers run to the ball very well and the secondary is extremely fast and makes plays when the ball is in the area.”
During the first four rounds, Pinson Valley defeated Florence behind a 381-yard, five-touchdown performance by Nix; defending Class 6A champion Ramsay with three touchdowns from Li’Allen Dailey; Austin during a one-point overtime contest; and Clay-Chalkville during which Pinson Valley held the Cougars to just 29 rushing yards.
Nix has thrown for 22 touchdowns and more than 1,300 yards during the playoffs, but he’ll be facing a Wetumpka secondary that has nine interceptions in the last three weeks.
Wetumpka’s offense has also been explosive, rushing for more than 400 yards in each of its last two games.
The football team will depart on Thursday and travel up to Tuscaloosa in preparation for the Friday night game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“We want our players to get to enjoy the experience of playing in a state championship game, but we also want them to approach the game like they have every other this year,” Perry said.
