Parker wins 6A Championship 28-17 over Saraland

I'm posting about Parker recruits while neglecting to make mention of the school's first-ever championship. 

The text below is from an al.com, I believe, but obtained from msn.com. The photography is from Vasha Hunt and there's plenty more of it here. 

Parker’s Na’eem Offord, Timothy Merritt and Jourdin Crawford will all be playing big-time college football on Saturdays next fall.

As it turns out, they had one more big-time Friday night left in them as well.

Offord and Merritt, future defensive backs on the next level, scored two touchdowns each and Jourdin Crawford and the Parker (defense) limited Saraland’s high-scoring offense to just 17 points as the Thundering Herd won the school’s first Class 6A state football title at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium.

Parker finished 14-1 and was undefeated against in-state teams. The Herd’s only loss came against Carrollton, Ga.

...6-foot-1, 330-pound...Auburn signee (Crawford) finished with six tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Keshaun Johnson added six tackles and two sacks, and the Thundering Herd held Saraland to just 26 yards rushing on 26 carries.

Parker scored on its first two possessions of the game on runs by Merritt out of the Wildcat formation. He capped a 65-yard drive with a 14-yard run and a 62-yard drive with a 6-yard run, giving the Herd a 14-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The two teams exchanged touchdowns early in the second quarter. (Saraland quarterback KJ) Lacey hit Deshawn Spencer with a 39-yard TD pass, while Offord scored his first TD on a 15-yard run. However, the Spartans took momentum into the half when Lacey and Spencer connected again on a 37-yard TD that Spencer caught between a pair of Parker defenders.

Parker put the game away with a 12-play, 43-yard drive that took 5:59 off the clock in the final quarter. Merritt converted a fourth-and-9 with a 15-yard run before Offord scored from the 2 with 1:37 left to clinch the win.

Offord finished with 98 yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries. Merritt had 78 yards and 2 TDs on 19 carries. He also had 4 tackles. Dylan Reese was 6-of-11 through the air for 74 yards.