Daphne quarterback Jamar Malone had three touchdown passes and added two rushing touchdowns as Daphne earned a 57-35 victory over Foley on Friday night and clinch a Class 7A playoff berth.

Daphne (5-4 overall, 4-2 in 7A, Region 1) led 36-28 at halftime and pulled away in the second half.

Nick Clark’s scored three first-half touchdowns for Daphne, and his 37-yard TD run gave Daphne a 7-0 lead on the game’s first drive. Foley responded with a 5-play, 63-yard march as Kolton Nero scored the first of his three touchdowns, a 40-yarder to tie the game 7-all.

Two plays into the second Trojans drive, Dereon Autrey picked off Malone for a 25-yard pick-six to give Foley a 14-7 lead. After the Trojans got the ball back, Clark scored on a 17-yard run to tie the game at 14-all.

After Foley quarterback Nelson Thompson was picked off by Keondre Johnson, Daphne took three plays before Malone found Kobe Donnelly from 19 yards out, making him 6-of-6 up to that point, to give the Trojans the 21-14 lead barely into the second quarter.

Daphen’s Cayden Williams then returned an interception 25 yards to make it 28-14, but the Lions responded with a five-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Thompson connected with Auburn commit Perry Thompson for a 50-yard touchdown to get to 28-21.

The Trojans defense stopped Nero on their next possession on fourth down. On the next play, play, Clark ran 42 yards for a TD, followed by John Davis throwing a shovel pass to Maddox Balius for the 2-point conversion to make it 36-21.

Foley’s Thompson answered with an 11-yard TD pass to Nero to make it 36-28 at halftime

Foley (4-5, 2-4) opened the second half with a 7-play, 75 yard drive that ended with Nero’s 2-yard score to make it 36-35.

After Daphne and Foley switched possessions, Daphne’s second drive went three-and-out, but Foley botched the punt return, and Daphne’s Nathan Hale recovered the ball to set up first-and-goal at the Foley 7. Jamar Malone scored from 1 yard out to make it 43-35 with 4:46 to go in the third quarter.

Malone added a 4-yard touchdown run and a 20-yard touchdown pass to Cherriez Gardner in the fourth quarter.

Star of the game: Clark had 14 carries for 199 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to outduel F Nero, who nearly had 200 yards.

Key sequence: After the Trojans’ second drive of the second half went three-and-out, trailing by one, Foley dropped the punt return and it was recovered by Hale. Malone had the first of two rushing touchdowns three plays later, and Foley never scored again in the game.

Stat sheet: Malone finished with 122 total yards, 8-of-11 for 82 in the air for two touchdown passes and two interceptions and added 11 carries for 40 yards and two rushing touchdowns. … Nelson went 8-of-15 passing for 141 yards, two touchdown passes and two interception. … Perry had 4 receptions for 78 yards and a 50-yard touchdown catch along with a 2-of-2, 48 passing yards night. … Nero had 32 carries for 177 yards and two rushing touchdowns to go with his 11-yard TD catch.

Did you know?: Daphne has not lost a home game to Foley since 1996.

Coachspeak: “I’m proud of our guys. They came out on Senior Night, faced adversity, continued to focus, worked the way we asked them. I’m excited for these guys.”—Daphne coach Kenny King

What’s next?: Daphne travels to Hillcrest-Evergreen next week, and Foley goes to Jackson-Olin.