Marengo’s Bouler ties record set by Demopolis alum Tommy Wilson
By Alan Mitchell
For AHSAA.com
Marengo High School senior linebacker Dajaquon Bouler found himself out of position on a key fourth-quarter defensive stand last week versus J.U. Blacksher. Bouler, however, found a way to make the most of the situation, said his head coach Eberne Myrthil.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior playing his first season on the varsity, missed an assignment a play earlier and his coach took him out of the lineup to explain his mistake. However, Blacksher lined up in the red zone with a chance to score and Myrthil frantically rushed his player back onto the field.
“He got out there before the play got underway and found himself lined up at cornerback instead of his linebacker position,” Myrthil said.
A pass was fired in the corner of the end zone where Bouler was positioned. The ball bounced off another player into the senior’s hands two yards from the back line. “He just took off running,” Myrthil said. “And nobody caught him. It was a 108-yard return for a touchdown. It was the biggest play of the game.”
The touchdown sealed a 52-36 Class 1A, Region 1 win that keeps Marengo’s playoff hopes alive for another week. It also landed Bouler in the AHSAA Prep Spotlight for Week 9 of the prep football season.
“The difference,” Myrthil said, “is Dajaquon’s athletic ability. He is a first-year player with tremendous talent. I’d like to tell you it was great coaching strategy, but it was just our good fortune. He made us as coaches look pretty smart I guess.”
The interception return ties the state record set by Demopolis defensive back Tommy Wilsonversus American Christian in 2012 for the longest interception return. Demiean Archibald of Sipsey Valley and Jack Peavey of Madison County each had 105-yard interception returns in 2013.
Opelika’s Malcolm Buggs had a 102-yard interception return in the Class 6A state playoffs versus Carver-Montgomery in 2012, John Coger of Oakman had a 100-yard return in 2013 versus Berry, and Greg Mcclin of Tanner had a 100-yarder versus Phil Campbell in 2012.
Bouler’s return was the finishing touch of his big defensive night versus the Pirates. His performance edged out two other special defensive efforts from Juray Smith of Pinson Valley andDarian Jones of Brantley for the AHSAA’s top spotlight.
Smith, a senior cornerback who suffered a debilitating knee injury last March, had three interceptions from his DB position in a 31-0 Pinson win over Center Point. He returned one of the picks for a 30-yard touchdown and now has five picks on the season.
Jones returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown and also caught two TD passes covering 74 and 12 yards as Brantley (8-0) posted a 49-6 win over McKenzie (7-1) in a key Class 1A, Region 2 battle of unbeatens. For Jones, it was his fourth kick return for a touchdown in the last four games. For Brantley, the win clinched the Region 2 title for the fourth straight year and for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons.
McKenzie snapped the Bulldogs’ 62-region game winning streak to win the region title in 2010. Over the last 13 seasons, Brantley has compiled an 87-1 record against region opponents.