Trojans upset Fort Payne

FORT PAYNE - Muscle Shoals brought plenty of excitement, plenty of swagger, and more importantly, plenty of game to Fort Payne on Friday night.

The Trojans pounded out 348 yards rushing and used three fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away en route to a 38-20 upset of Fort Payne in the opening round of the Class 5A high school football playoffs.

With the win, Muscle Shoals (9-2) advanced to face Russellville in the second round next week. Russellville defeated Southside-Gadsden 28-6.

Fort Payne (8-3) entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed from Region 7, while Muscle Shoals was the No. 4 seed from Region 8, but the Trojans, whose fans filled up the visiting bleachers, looked like the higher-seeded squad.

"I can't say enough about our community and how they support us," said Muscle Shoals coach Scott Basden, who led the Trojans to their first playoff win since 1990. "It's very humbling."

Muscle Shoals had a size advantage, and it showed. The Trojans nearly had three players pass the 100-yard rushing mark.

Daylan Pellum carried nine times for 122 yards. Jeffery Jones added 10 for 121, while Rodney Hardin had 17 for 95.

Fort Payne cut its deficit to 17-14 on a 5-yard scoring pass from Kyle Crabtree to Lynus Ryan with 10:09 to play. Crabtree finished 16-of-25 passing for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

Jones raced 66 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing possession. The extra point was no good, but Muscle Shoals led 23-14 with 8:02 to play.

Fort Payne failed to convert on fourth-and-15 from its own 35-yard line, and the Trojans scored four plays later on a 4-yard Hardin run. Pellum ran for 2 points and a 31-14 advantage.

Any thoughts of a Fort Payne comeback ended on the second snap of the next possession, when Trojans defensive back Brett Guzay intercepted a Wildcats pass and returned it 27 yards for a score. Guzay finished with three interceptions.

Fort Payne's Akeem Appleton closed out the scoring with a 92-yard kickoff return with 3:18 to go.

"I thought the kids played well in the second half," Basden said. "In the first half ... I felt we left 21 points in the table. We can't do that if we expect to advance in the playoffs."

Muscle Shoals took a 7-0 lead when Pellum raced 76 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play. Fort Payne answered with a 2-yard scoring pass from Crabtree to Brett Roberts.

The Trojans went ahead for good on a 5-yard Pellum run on the first play of the second quarter. A 22-yard Zachary Linley field goal made it 17-7 with 3:27 left in the third.