If you are going to have a career day, the state championship game is definitely the venue to do so. And Southern Academy&8217;s Jason Fondren had an undeniably career-high day during the Cougar&8217;s 48-0 victory against Meadowview Christian in the Alabama Independent School Association AA state championship game.

Fondren&8217;s only mistake in the game came on the opening kickoff, when he fumbled the ball and the Pirates recovered on the Cougar 31 &8212; he spent the rest of the day making up for it.

After the fumble, the Cougar defense held Meadowview to a four-and-out to finally start a Southern drive. Fondren began his redemption quest there, knocking down a Pirate third-and-10 pass that was all but six points until his intervention.

On defense, Fondren had a hand in every Meadowview turnover, of which there were four. He had three interceptions with 39 return yards tacked onto them. And 24 seconds after Southern&8217;s second touchdown of the day, Fondren scooped up a Pirate fumble and returned it 30 yards for a 21-0 Southern lead.

On offense Fondren was equally impressive. On the Cougars&8217; first drive, Fondren picked up 14 yards on a fourth-and-six situation to keep the chains moving toward the Pirate end zone. Three plays later, Southern quarterback John Kynard again found Fondren for a 25-yard touchdown pass.

Through the air Kynard had Fondren&8217;s number. All of Southern&8217;s air attack came from a throw and catch from Kynard to Fondren, with the team&8217;s five completions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Fondren&8217;s second trip to the end zone on offense came off a 68-yard pass in the third quarter to make it 35-0.

&8212; Brandon Glover