Members of the Russell Christian Academy football team hoist the Alabama Christian Education Association eight-man football state championship trophy after beating Tabernacle 39-8 in the title game last fall at Tuscaloosa Christian.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It started with a grueling summer workout routine and ended with a decisive victory and a third-straight state title.

The Russell Christian Academy football team entered this past summer off its second championship in as many years, but the loss of several key playmakers meant the Warriors would have to take what head coach Andy Braddock described as a more blue-collar approach to the 2019 season.

Not satisfied with just two in a row, the Warriors football players made the sacrifices in the summer to get stronger and more in shape. They proceeded to go 11-1 on the season, capping it off with a 39-8 win against Tabernacle in the Alabama Christian Education Association eight-man state championship Friday at Tuscaloosa Christian. 

Senior receiver Caleb Taylor had four touchdown catches and an interception to earn Most Valuable Player honors in Friday’s championship game, and his younger brother Micah Taylor had all six touchdown passes for the Warriors. 

“These guys worked so hard,” Braddock said. “Nobody but these guys know what they went through all summer with workouts, pulling tires, endless running, suicides, carrying 40-pound weights… I’m so proud of them. They deserve it.”

Caleb Taylor said Braddock was relentless during the summer, which was tough to fight through at times, but the reward was well worth it.

“It was extremely hard all summer,” Caleb Taylor recalled. “Every week, he raised the bar — more sprints, more tire pulls, more pushups — it was continuous pushing, and we knew we had to do it to get better. We hated it, but we liked getting better.”

Senior Judson Moore said the idea of winning a third-straight state championship was like a light at the end of the tunnel during summer workouts.

“It’s very hard, but we see the end result,” Moore said. “We saw it last year and the year before that, and we just know that no team is every going to work as hard as we do. This is the best thing we could accomplish this year. This was our senior year, and we wanted to come out with a bang, and it was just amazing to see us all come together and play hard together.”

Kyle Ingram had RCA’s first two touchdowns of the game off passes of 86 and 14 yards from Micah Taylor. Caleb Taylor had touchdown receptions of 46 and 48 yards to give RCA a 26-0 lead before the half.

In the second half, Caleb Taylor caught his other two touchdown passes from 26 and 46 yards out. Tabernacle’s lone touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter when the Torches’ Josiah Davis ran the ball in from 3 yards out.

Micah Taylor finished 14 of 18 passing with 337 yards and six touchdowns, while Caleb Taylor hauled in 214 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Ingram added 144 yards receiving and two touchdowns. 

Defensively, Caleb Taylor finished with 15 tackles, and Carter Phillips and John Benny Jones both had nine tackles. It was a strong defensive effort that kept the Torches’ potent running game mostly in check.

“We just brought everyone up tight,” Braddock said. “They’re a running team that likes to run behind their wing back all night, and they know how to block it. We just crashed them on the inside all night.”

Three-peating is special, Caleb Taylor said, but it’s even more special being able to share it with his teammates.

“It’s exciting knowing in my three high school years we won the state championship, and it’s cool to win with all my brothers on the field,” Caleb Taylor said. “It’s like a family.”

Moore said RCA’s consistency comes from a commitment to always be better than the year before.

“We’ve just been in better shape and better condition (each year),” Moore explained. “It’s our discipline. We started our training and conditioning really early, and we didn’t stop conditioning until (this past) Wednesday. We kept running and running and running, and we just stayed in shape.” 

POSTSEASON AWARDS

Linebacker Aaron Brinson, who was out with an injury the past several weeks for RCA, was named All-State at his position and ACEA’s defensive player of the year. Moore was named All-State at both punter and place kicker. Kenyon Darby was named All-State as an offensive lineman.

In addition to being named the championship game’s MVP, Caleb Taylor was also selected All-State at receiver and defensive back.

“I’m going to miss him,” Braddock said of Caleb Taylor. “It’s not just what he’s done on the field, being the playmaker and leader he is on the field, but also off the field, he’s just a super kid.”