Last time Russell Christian faced Victory Christian, the Eagles couldn’t score any points.

It was no different the second time, as RCA rolled to a 38-0 victory Friday night in the first round of the Alabama Christian Education Association eight-man football playoffs against the Eagles. The win earned the Warriors (9-0) a berth in the ACEA eight-man championship next week at Tuscaloosa Christian.

Caleb Taylor scored three touchdowns, two off runs of 45 and 33 yards and one off an interception, and kicker Judson Moore had a field goal late in the third quarter and also threw a two-point pass after Taylor’s first touchdown to help lead the Warriors to their second state title berth in as many seasons.

“I think our defense played as good a game as we played all year,” RCA head coach Andy Braddock said. “Actually, I think the team as a whole played its best game all year. We were looking for a tough game. We knew they were big and strong, and we got after it and stopped them.”

Vincent Reynolds scored the Warriors’ first touchdown on a 17-yard run, but the PAT failed to give RCA an early 6-0 lead. Later in the first quarter, Taylor scored on a 45-yard carry, and it looked like RCA was lining up for a kick before the Warriors snapped it directly to Moore, who found Jared McMullen in the end zone for the two-point conversion.

“We haven’t done it before this season,” Moore said. “We just threw it together a couple of weeks ago, and it’s kind of worked every game, really.”

The Warriors added 14 more points in the second quarter off a 52-yard interception return by Taylor and a 33-yard run by Taylor to take a 28-0 lead into the half. RCA scored one more touchdown in the third quarter off a 55-yard pass from Taylor to Austin Gibson to make it 35-0 RCA. With 2:01 remaining in the third, Moore kicked a 35-yard field goal to extend RCA’s lead to 38-0.

“It’s just a normal field goal,” Moore said. “I hit them all the time in practice. I just have to step up, take a normal breath and hit it.”

Taylor finished with 91 yards on nine carries and was 5 of 11 for 99 yards and a touchdown through the air. He also threw a pick and had one interception and one tackle on defense. Vincent Reynolds led the Warriors defensively with 13 tackles, and Aaron Brinson added 12 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

 

BACK TO THE ’SHIP

 

After winning the ACEA eight-man state championship last fall, the Warriors are back in the title game. The offseason was filled with some uncertainty surrounding the status of former head coach Chad Eaves, who led the Warriors to their state title last fall. He ultimately stepped down from the position for undisclosed reasons, with Braddock taking over after serving as defensive coordinator under Eaves.

Despite the coaching change, the Warriors didn’t miss a beat this fall, as they have gone unbeaten leading up to next week’s championship game.

“It’s great, but it starts with a great bunch of guys,” Braddock said. “These kids came out here in the beginning of the season with the coaching change and didn’t bat an eye. They had a goal, they set the goal, and we’ve gotten to it now. We just have to get ready to come back to work Monday and get it done.”

Moore said the best way to approach the game, however, is not to get caught up in the hype of it being a championship contest.

“It’s just a regular game,” Moore said. “We just have to come out and finish and hit them every time.”

 

TABERNACLE CHRISTIAN

 

The only game RCA played this season that was a close contest was against Tabernacle out of Gardendale, Alabama, on Sept. 28. The Warriors won that contest 37-34, and the two teams will square off again next Friday in Tuscaloosa, as Tabernacle (6-3) defeated East Memorial Friday in its first-round playoff game.

“They’re big, strong, and they run the ball really hard,” Braddock said. “We stopped them on the pass, but we had a problem with them running the ball. They know where to run, they know how to run and they block well. They’re just a good team, and they’re going to be our best matchup. We’re going to have the fight of our life next weekend.”

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. next Friday at Tuscaloosa Christian.