L.D. BRUCE FIELD — The Pickens County Tornadoes literally traveled from one state line to another for their playoff game at Cedar Bluff. They didn't stop when they got there, either.

Trekking from goal line to goal line with the greatest of ease, the Tornados (10-2) topped Cedar Bluff 34-0 to advance to the third round of the state playoffs. The ignominious defeat was not only the Tigers' first loss of the season. It was the first time Cedar Bluff had been shutout since 2008.

The week before, Pickens County trounced Falkville 63-0 in round one.

The Tigers did hold Pickens County on their first drive. Five plays after they received the kickoff, the Tornados would punt. But t only took Cedar Bluff four plays to boot the ball back to Pickens.

That's when a whirlwind of touchdowns began to light up the scoreboard. The first score came on Pickens' next possession. Tailback Jamarcus Brown led the 12-play, 67-yard drive. Cedar Bluff ultimately had no answer for the nimble junior. Brown, who had over 1,600 yards with 24 touchdowns coming into the game, added a staggering 282 yards Friday night.

With 4:45 left in the first quarter, Pickens County took the lead 7-0. Freshman Darrian Latham pushed the ball across on a six-yard plunge. Freshman Christopher Perkins tacked on the extra point.

On the ensuing kickoff, senior D'Angelo Hardy scampered 50 yards, giving the Tigers good field position. But once again, Cedar Bluff would punt four plays later. Senior Curtis Abernathy's boot pinned Pickens at their own 7-yard line.

On the next play from scrimmage, however, Brown got loose around right end, toting the pigskin 93 yards for the score. Perkins's PAT increased the Tornado lead to 14-0 with 3:22 left in the opening quarter.

Cedar Bluff then tried to string together a drive, but couldn't. The home team was forced to punt again after six plays, mostly on the ground.

After the game, Cedar Bluff coach Jonathan McWhorter said that was his offensive strategy going in.

“We wanted to establish a running game, but we were never able to,” he said.

After one quarter, the usually explosive Cedar Bluff offense had tallied a total of minus-10 yards rushing.

Pickens County, meanwhile, was gaining ground like Patton's Third Army. Two penalties on the next possession slowed the running attack and forced the Tornadoes to give up the ball.

A costly turnover would stuff Cedar Bluff's next drive and add to Pickens' point total. The Tigers drove to the Tornado 25 before an errant Levi Mintz pass landed in the hands of junior Pickens defender Demonte Simon. Eighty-two yards later, Pickens had scored their third touchdown. Tiger senior Nick Combs blocked the extra point to keep the score at 20-0 with 9:13 remaining in the second quarter.

Both teams had two more possessions before halftime. Neither could muster a score. Cedar Bluff's best chance came off a turnover. On the last play of the half, Tiger defensive back Alex Hairston picked off a Pickens pass at the 17-yard line and rumbled up the left sideline. He was finally nudged out of bounds in Pickens territory to avert a score.

In the second half, Cedar Bluff continued its offensive struggles, accumulating only three first downs on a trio of third-quarter drives.

Meanwhile, Pickens was stymied by a fumble recovery by Combs and an interception by Hardy.

Pickens, however, would adjust, scoring on both their fourth quarter possessions. Stout senior William Stewart scored from one yard and five yards. Perkins tacked on both extra points.

Cedar Bluff did piece together a solid drive in between Stewart touchdowns. On the 11th play of the drive, after having advanced 80 yards down to the Pickens 6-yard line, the Tigers failed to convert on a 4th-and-6 with 5:51 remaining.

When the final horn sounded, Pickens had prevailed 34-0. Cedar Bluff finished the season with a record of 10-1.