Graceville Shutout

By Dan Fender

No! The Tigers were not shutout. After two heartbreaking losses to much larger schools in their first two games this season the Tigers held Franklin County scoreless. The one time the Seahawks did threaten to score the Seahawk ball carrier was stood up on the one yard line by a couple Tigers and a hard hit by senior linebacker Trey White forced a fumble through the end zone resulting in a touchback. The hit by White was indicative of the hunger of these Tigers on this night.

In their first possession the Tigers put together a clock eating drive of eight plays starting at their own 38 ending in a 23 yard touchdown run by Quarterback Jacky Miles. After a strong run by Fullback Leron Hoover for the two point conversion the Tigers were up 8-0 on a tired Seahawk team.

After a couple back and forth possessions the Tigers got the ball back again only this time resulting in another Tiger touchdown. During this drive the Tiger’s faithful were witness to some hard running by all the Tiger backs. Solomon Cody, Jeremy Watford, Hoover and Miles all carrying the ball toward the end resulted in a 2 yard touchdown run up the gut by Hoover. This capped a long 10 play drive making the score 14-0 Tigers.

After the ensuing kickoff the Seahawks proceeded to go on a long drive of their own ending with a big hit causing a fumble which rolled out of the end zone resulting in a touchback. The Tiger defense was determined to keep the Seahawks out of the end zone and none more so than Johnson who laid a lick causing the fumble. As the teams went to the locker room after a short four play drive running out the clock on this first half, it was apparent these Tigers were hungry and on this night were not going to be denied.

As the teams took the field for the second half the Tigers were more than determined to take the ball early and drive it right down the field and send the Tiger faithful home happy on this very humid night. The Tigers took the ball at the 20 yard line and after a very long 13 play drive and some hard running by Jay Parent and the rest of the Tiger backfield, the Tigers punched the ball in on a 15 yard run executed by Trey Johnson. The Tiger line was very consistent and determined as they were led by Eli Russaw and Heath Plybon playing his first game of the season after coming off of an injury. After a failed PAT the Tigers led 20-0.

Then on fourth and long for the Seahawks the Tiger defense forced another fumble and after seemingly laying on the turf forever the ball was scooped up by Sophomore Darae Laster. He returned it for what everyone thought was a touchdown only to be called back for a block in the back penalty. As the Tiger offense took the field to put this game away after two runs for first downs of 10 and 12 yards by Jeremy Watford they did so on a 5 yard touchdown run by Darae Laster on the first play of the fourth quarter. Final Score: Tigers 26 Seahawks 0.