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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

ABBEVILLE – The Coosa Valley Rebels may have had to wait eight weeks into the 2023 season for it, but they can once again celebrate a hard-fought win.

The Rebels defeated the Abbeville Christian Generals, 56-22, on the road on Friday, Oct. 13 to secure their first win of the 2023 season.

Coosa Valley secured the victory through a complete performance on both ends of the field. The Rebels’ offense generated a lead that the Generals could not recover from, especially when Coosa Valley’s defense came up with big plays and turnovers.

Quarterback Konnor Steele had 478 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns in a standout performance. Steele threw for 262 yards, three touchdowns and an interception off 7-for-14 passing, and he earned 216 yards and two touchdowns off 15 carries on the ground.

In addition, Steele put together a strong night as a punter, sending three kicks for 127 yards and an average of 42.3 yards per punt. Elsewhere on special teams, Hunter Willis returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown.

Steele’s top receiver was Coby Moore, who had four catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Willis secured two catches for 62 yards, and Jake McArthur’s lone reception was for a 32-yard touchdown.

Steele led the Rebels in rushing yards, but other players contributed to the run game as well. Kaeden Smalls had seven rushes for 15 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Willis had five carries for eight yards, and Joseph Tyson took one carry for nine yards.

The defense was highlighted by interceptions from Willis and Broxton Lightner, while multiple Rebels racked up tackles against the Abbeville Christian offense. Kaeden Smalls led the team with 10 tackles, Willis had seven and Rhett Johnson and Lightner each secured six.

The win over the Generals came in non-region play, but Coosa Valley is still mathematically alive for the AISA playoffs. If the Rebels beat Southern Academy on Oct. 19, they would clinch the four seed out of Region 1 by way of a tiebreaker and advance to the first round of the playoffs.