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The Rebels hunt for back-to-back state championships got that much closer on Thursday night as Chambers County hammered Monroe Academy 52-6 to cruise into the state championship game for a second consecutive season.

Monroe Academy actually got off to a good start to the game, running two plays on the opening possession of the game: a 58-yard rush and then a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Volunteers an early 6-0 lead.

The Rebels were completely unfazed, scoring 52 consecutive points, including 30 of those points in just the first quarter to put the game to rest early. Chambers Academy responded almost instantly to the early adversity. Luke Tarver, who had a monster night, took a carry 85 yards to the house on the opening offensive possession for the Rebels, tying the game. Just minutes later Tarver would give the Rebels their first lead of the game, 14-6, after a successful two-point conversion.

After letting up a big opening drive to the Volunteers, the Chambers Academy defense buckled down. Hunter Andrews and Aiden Anglin both came up with interceptions in the first quarter to completely flip momentum into the Rebels direction.

Starting quarterback Landon Hand had his fingerprints all over the game as well as Tarver. Hand got a rushing touchdown to put the Rebels up by two scores and then proceeded to throw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Gooden later in the first quarter to put the home team up 30-6.

The Rebels onslaught was not done there. Drew Sheppard got in on the fun with a rushing touchdown just seconds into the second quarter. Tarver completed his hat trick of touchdowns with a 36-yard run with 7:25 left to go in the first half. Jack Helms pushed the Rebels over the 50-point mark in the first half when his short rushing touchdown gave Chambers Academy a 52-6 lead. 

Chambers Academy spread the offense around, using seven different running backs in the first half. 

The game stalled out in the second half as the Rebels emptied their bench and got some of the team’s reserves some playoff action. 

The Rebels will face either Bessemer Academy or Fort Dale in the AISA AAA State Championship game next Thursday. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The Rebels are hunting for their fourth state championship in the last seven seasons.