By Suzannah Solomon Wilson/Michael Butler

The Reeltown Rebels are state champs again. The Rebels won their fourth state football championship and first since 2009 with a resounding 49-13 victory over Tuscaloosa Academy on Dec. 6 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.

Reeltown surprised the crowd on their first play, which was supposed to be a run, when the football hit quarterback Ja’Markius Smith in the leg. He picked it up and tossed it to senior Finn Henderson, who galloped 83 yards down the field almost unescorted for the first points of the game. 

“That was our RPO,” RHS head coach Matt Johnson quipped regarding the first-play magic. “That was just two really good players making a play.”

Smith was named the game’s MVP. 

“Ja’Markius threw for 2,200 yards this year which has never been done at Reeltown,”Johnson added. “He had 36 touchdowns which is remarkable.”

Reeltown’s second TD was a 43-yard Alijah Woods run with 5:21 left in the first quarter. Gaines Tapley’s PAT made it 14-0.

Senior Rebel Tae Martin, Smith’s brother, intercepted a Knights’ pass on 3rd and 23. He made it to inside the 5 but a block in the back foul took them to the 32. Seconds later, after a six-yard run by Zarrell Lockhart, the Rebels were up 21-0. 

Reeltown’s defense kept the state’s all-time leading passer in check for most of the game. 

Preston Lancaster was 10-of-27 with three interceptions, two by Martin, who was named the defensive MVP. The Rebels “D” also sacked Lancaster three times. 

A 21-7 halftime lead turned into a rout in the second half.

Smith passed for two more touchdowns, one to Demetrius Brown for 47 yards and another to Martin for 39 yards. Martin added another scoring run of 40 yards and Woods cashed in a 45-yard pick six.

Smith was 4-of-9 passing for 179 yards and three touchdowns. Martin rushed for 107 yards and two TDs on 9 carries. Traylen Roberts earned 98 yards on 25 carries.

The Rebels defense limited the Knights to – 7 yards on 20 carries, led by Baylor Clayton with 4 1/2 tackles, including 3 1/2 for a loss. Harrison Renfroe had 1 1/2 sacks.

Reeltown graduates 12 seniors, who went 37-4 over the past three years and set the record for points scored in a season with 589. 

“This senior class has been playing a lot of ball since they were sophomores,” said Johnson. “When they were in junior high, Covid hit, so we brought them up to varsity. They’ve been getting after it with the big guys for a long time.

“It’s a tight-knit group. It’s going be tough seeing them leave. My son (Cruise) is in there as well. It’s like a big family. The torch will be easy to pass. They set the benchmark for this group coming up.”