Josiah West lights up Merry Acres

ALBANY — The August sun was beating down on Hugh Mills Stadium, the temperature had climbed to 103 degrees and there wasn’t much relief anywhere in sight.

Unless you were looking toward Albany’s east side.

The future looked pretty bright over there.

Albany Middle quarterback Josiah West threw five touchdown passes Wednesday afternoon, including three to Christian Watson, as the Indians turned a close game into a 40-6 victory over crosstown rival Merry Acres.

And for a while, it was close.

Albany Middle led just 8-6 late in the first quarter before West and an explosive group of playmakers took over.

The Indians scored touchdowns on their next four possessions, converting the two-point attempt after each one to score 32 unanswered points.

The first big strike came when West found Jamikel Tiller on a screen pass. Tiller did the rest, racing 53 yards for a touchdown.

West then dropped an over-the-shoulder pass to Watson in the corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion, pushing Albany Middle’s lead to 16-6.

After the Indians’ defense stopped Merry Acres, West went back to work.

He connected with Tiller along the sideline for a big gain to the Braves’ 23-yard line, and Lionel Jackson Jr. burst through the line on the next play, carrying the ball to the 8.

That’s where Merry Acres’ defense dug in.

The Braves stuffed Albany Middle on three consecutive plays, setting up fourth-and-goal from the 8.

West and Watson answered.

West lofted another pass toward the corner, and Watson hauled it in for the touchdown. West ran in the two-point conversion himself, giving the Indians a 24-6 halftime lead.

The break didn’t cool them off.

Albany Middle took the second-half kickoff and drove 58 yards, mixing short passes with runs before West found Tiller across the middle for a 23-yard touchdown.

West then connected with Daniel Sams for the conversion, making it 32-6.

The final touchdown came on another big play.

West hit Tiller for a 43-yard score, their third touchdown connection of the afternoon, and Kingston Allen caught the two-point conversion for the final Albany Middle points.

Merry Acres never stopped battling.

With time running out, Lance Goodwin came in at quarterback and connected with Jaidyn Sapp on a big pass that moved the Braves to the Albany Middle 20.

The two hooked up once more on the game’s final play.

Sapp caught Goodwin’s pass and headed toward the end zone, but Albany Middle stopped him at the 1-yard line as time expired.

On an afternoon when the temperature reached 103 degrees, Albany Middle had provided more than enough fireworks of its own.

And for Eastside football, the future looked awfully bright.