CORDOVA – With a chance to take the lead – and the win – in overtime, Cordova’s Cody Headrick fumbled the ball on the Blue Devils’ two-point conversion attempt, falling to region foe Corner, 27-26, at home Thursday night.
It was one of only a handful of low points for Headrick, who played a stellar game against the Yellow Jackets. Cordova head coach Shane Smothers said Headrick proved he is one of the better quarterbacks in north Alabama with his performance on Thursday.
“He took over tonight,” Smothers said. “(Cody) knew going into the game that he was going to have to run the ball, because we don’t do that. He did plenty good enough for us to win this ball game. It just came down to one play.”
Headrick rushed for 121 yards, including a two-yard touchdown run, and threw for three scores.
“I wouldn’t take anybody over Cody,” Smothers said. “He’s such a leader. That’s what I’m most proud about. He’s our team leader. He leads by action and he’s a vocal leader, too.”
Both teams traded touchdowns to start the game and go into halftime tied 7-7.
Corner’s Landon Peterson connected with Jaxson Dumlap for a seven-yard touchdown pass to put the Yellow Jackets up 14-7 less than three minutes into the second half. Cordova answered late in the quarter as Headrick ran in a two-yard touchdown to tie the game again.
The Devils attempted an onside kick, but Corner recovered the ball at their own 46-yard line. Gavin Brown ran the next play 54 yards for a Yellow Jacket touchdown. Corner, however, missed the extra point, going up only 20-14.
A 28-yard leaping catch by Nicholas Dyer gave Corner the ball in Cordova territory in the fourth quarter. With the Jackets threatening to go up two scores, Cordova’s Caden Owens sacked C10 for a seven-yard loss on 2nd down and then broke up a first down catch on third down to force the Jackets to punt.
“We bent a lot but we didn’t break and that’s what I’m most proud about,” Smothers said. “There’s no quit in those guys. They stepped up when they needed to and played well enough to win the ball game. So did the offense. It breaks my heart for the kids.”
Hearick took the game over on Cordova’s next drive, running the ball nine times.
A false start and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put the Devils back at the 50-yard line facing a 3rd and 30. Jalen Amistad made a leaping 33-yard grab on the sideline to give Cordova life. Three plays later, Headrick threw a 14-yard touchdown to tie the game once again.
With a chance to take a one-point lead, the Blue Devils missed the extra point.
Corner threatened to retake the lead as the clock wound down, but Amistad intercepted Peterson’s pass at the 16-yard line to send the game into overtime.
The Yellow Jackets scored first with a nine-yard run to go up 27-20 in overtime.
After running the ball twice, Headrick answered with a six-yard touchdown pass to Amistad. The Blue Devils opted to go for a two-point conversion and the win, but pressure got to Headrick as he fumbled the ball. The Jackets fell on it for the victory.
“I hate it for them because we had a good week of practice,” Smothers said. “Corner has a good football. We have a good football team. Hopefully these are two of the better teams in the region playing tonight.”
Cordova, who is now 1-3 overall and 0-2 in Class 4A, Region 5, travels to Hamilton Hamilton next week in another region match up.
“This community just loves football here,” Smothers said. “That’s why it hurts so much. We have kids with a lot of tears in their eyes right now because it doesn’t just mean something on this field, it means something when they go home. It’s different here. We’re going to go back to work, get better and go to Hamilton to play a better game.”
