Mobile Christian blitzes T.R. Miller, heads to Super 7 - AL.com

T.R. Miller had the stake on the way down to Mobile Christian’s heart late in the first half, leading 14-0 and owning the line of scrimmage.

But the Leopards suddenly detonated a devastating 16 minutes to turn the tale back on the Tigers.

Mobile Christian scored on five straight possessions, including a 70-yard touchdown pass from Kason Lincke to Toler Keigley as the third quarter expired, and the Leopards went on to rout the Tigers 41-21 on Friday night at Harrison Stadium to advance to the Class 3A Super 7 state championship game at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“We didn’t panic,” Mobile Christian coach Ronnie Cottrell said. “We just had to match T.R. Miller’s intensity. The poise this team has is unbelievable. I give all the glory to God for working through this team. I would not bet against this team in Auburn.”

The Leopards (9-4) will meet No. 5 Piedmont (13-1) in the Class 3A championship game Thursday at 11 a.m. Piedmont beat Mobile Christian 22-12 in the 2016 state finals.

Lincke finished 13-of-20 for 228 yards and four touchdowns and after an interception in the second quarter completed 11 of his last 12 attempts, including nine straight. Nick Ellis added 119 yards on 15 carries.

“He just stood in there and studied the routes and just stuck some key passes,” Cottrell said of his senior quarterback. “They confused us a little in the first half but he got the ball to the playmakers.”

Since Mobile Christian’s last loss, an 18-13 defeat at defending state champion Flomaton, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound Lincke has completed 57-of-78 passes (73 percent) for 903 yards and 12 TDs and the Leopards have won six straight and averaged 43 points.

“We realized after Flomaton if we didn’t step it up, we weren’t going anywhere,” Lincke said. “I think that fear brought us together. I told the guys at halftime, ‘We’ve got to play our hearts out. This won’t be the last time we play together.’”

The Leopards freed 4-star prospect linebacker Deontae Lawson to blitz in the second half and got more defenders in the box to suffocate the Tigers’ running game. Mobile Christian’s defense forced three straight three-and-outs to start the second half, then Lawson’s interception of Blake Jernigan at Miller’s 30 and his 24-yard return set up Lincke’s 6-yard TD run to make it 34-14 early in the fourth quarter.

Until the Leopards put in their defensive backups with 4:15 remaining, they held the Tigers to 23 yards and two first downs in the second half.

Mobile Christian trailed 14-0 after the Tigers (9-5) scored twice in the second quarter on Jernigan’s 41-yard pass to Gage Mims and Jernigan’s 9-yard scoring pass to Thaddeus Betts after Lincke was hit hard and intercepted by Nolan Atkinson at the Leopards’ 47.

Lincke and Lawson, who also played Wildcat quarterback, H-back and receiver, led a 69-yard drive late in the second quarter, culminated by Lincke’s 4-yard scoring pass to Lawson to cut the lead to 14-7 with 19 seconds to go in the half. Lawson kept the drive alive with a 14-yard run on fourth-and-1.

“That two-minute drive was huge,” Cottrell said. “We said we have to score now. Then at the half we were committed to scoring 28 in the second half.”

On the first two possessions of the second half, Mobile Christian drove 69 and 70 yards for Lincke’s 35-yard TD pass to Jason Brooks and Lawson’s 5-yard run to give the Leopards a 21-14 lead.

In the final seconds of the third quarter, Lincke and Keigley caught Miller’s defense shifting and launched the 70-yard rainmaker off play-action as Keigley beat safety Darius Webb on a post pattern for a 28-14 lead to send Harrison Field into a frenzy.

“We tried to run that in the first half and that’s when they got the interception,” Lincke said. “The second time they weren’t set and coach (offensive coordinator Clint Mitchell) called it in.”

Added Keigley: “We were rushing to get in one more play. I beat the safety and we executed it.”

Stars of the game: Lincke, Keigley, Lawson and the Leopards’ defense, which held Miller to 169 yards rushing, 79 below its average, and only 1-of-7 on third down.

Play of the game: Lincke’s 70-yard TD pass to Keigley.

Key sequence: Mobile Christian’s 69-yard, 11-play scoring drive at the end of the first half and its production after starting guard Justin Eubanks was injured in the second quarter. Alan Brown moved to right guard and Luke McAleer came in at right tackle.

Stat sheet: Lincke added 54 yards on 19 carries while Jernigan had 52 yards on 12 carries … Keigley had five catches for 127 yards, including a 9-yard TD catch from Lincke to end the scoring.

By the numbers: 26, first downs for the Leopards … 438-269, the Leopards’ advantage in total offense … Plus-16, the Leopards’ turnover margin this season … 5-0, the Leopards’ record against T.R. Miller … 51-4, the Leopards’ record since 2000 when scoring 40 or more points … 11-3, Cottrell’s playoff record at Mobile Christian … 39, playoff appearances for Miller … 6, state championships for Miller … 689, all-time wins for Miller, No. 2 in state history behind Fayette County (696).

Coachspeak: “I give credit to T.R. Miller. They were ready to play. Since we lost to Flomaton, we’ve been a different team and we’ve come together. We’re just proud to be in the Super 7.” -- Cottrell

“They didn’t do anything different the second half, they just played harder than we did. We let them score late in the half but we felt good.” -- First-year T.R. Miller coach Brent Hubbert

“That’s one season. If this one hurts bad enough, we’ll do the things to get in this position again.” -- Hubbert on rebuilding Miller and regaining its status as a state power after going 19-13 the previous three years

“They were blowing us off the ball the first half. Our inside linebackers couldn’t flow to make plays. But the three-and-outs (to start the second half) were big.” -- Leopards defensive coordinator Gus Smith

They said it: “It’s an amazing feeling. I just do what I need to do to help the team. Coach Cottrell just told us to stay poised.” -- Lawson

“I think we came out slow and a little nervous. At halftime we said it was the most important game of our lives to this point. We realized the opportunity we had.” -- Leopards offensive lineman Nick McPhillips

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Mobile Christian blitzes T.R. Miller, heads to Super 7 - AL.com
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