Tigers Upend Pirates

9/4/08
By: Clint Cox

The Graceville Tigers play host to the Sneads Pirates in a preseason kickoff classic and posted a 42-14 win over the visitors. Both squads came out battling and played to a scoreless first quarter. But beginning early in the second quarter the Tigers got cranked up while the Pirates got tired, a point noted by new Sneads Head Coach Don Dowling. "I thought we ran out of gas toward the end of the first quarter and give credit to Graceville they took advantage of that," said Dowling. The heat and humidity had taken a toll on the Pirates. "We’ve got to get into better shape. "It was breathing through a mop out there," Dowling added when asked about the humid August night.
Graceville’s Antrell Wright scored early in the second quarter on a 12 yard run. Treyshaun White ran the two point conversion in to make it a 8-0 game. After a Sneads fumble on the next possession, the Tigers got a 2 yard scoring run from White. Justin Miles hit Darrell Olds for the two point conversion pass to make it 16-0. The Pirates showed some fight on the ensuing kickoff as Mark Lawson return the kick 78 yards for a score. Taylor Edge booted the extra point to pull the Pirates to 16-7. But Graceville seized the momentum right back as Wright bolted 43 yards for a scoring run. Jamie Simmons added the two point play to give Graceville a 24-7 lead. The Pirates looked to be moving the ball and made it into Tiger territory. But Florian Litim picked off a Pirate pass inside the Tiger’s 20 yard line to kill the Pirate’s drive. With less than a minute to play in the half Wright scampered 18 yards for another score to make it 30-7 at the half.
In the second half the Tigers took the opening possession drive right down the field with a textbook drive. After a long drive Miles scored on a 4 yard run to make it a 36-7 game. Miles added the final score for Graceville and gave the Tigers a 42-7 lead. The Pirates managed a late score on a run by Lawson.
Graceville was led by Wright with 156 yards on 10 carries with 3 touchdowns. Miles and Leron Hoover each added 89 yards. Lawson was the lone offense spark for the Pirates as he rushed for 99 yards and scored two touchdowns.