Birmingham Clinches Second Place, 35-24

Senior Emmanuel Evans rushed for 337 yards and four touchdowns in 26 carries, and Birmingham High clinched second place in the Northwest Valley Conference with a 35-24 victory over Kennedy on Friday night at Birmingham High.

Birmingham (8-2, 5-2 in conference play) likely will play host in a first-round game next week in the 4-A Division playoffs.

Evans, the leading City Section rusher from the region, finished the regular season with 1,847 yards.

The Braves jumped to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, as Evans rushed for 131 yards and scored on runs of 32 and five yards.

After a 25-yard field goal by Kennedy’s Ramiro Esqueda, Birmingham stretched the lead to 28-3 on a 53-yard run by Evans and a four yard scoring pass from Scott Doherty to Jerome Riley.

Kennedy (6-4, 4-3) pulled to within 28-16 on a two-yard touchdown run by Jason Jones (116 yards in 31 carries) and a one-yard run by Mike Goode. However, Evans scored on a 60-yard run on Birmingham’s next possession.