9/25/08
By: Clint Cox
The Graceville offensive machine continued to roll last Friday night as the Tigers amassed over 501 yards of rushing in a 54-18 win over Holmes County. Justin Miles was the man of the night as the senior quarterback rushed for 187 yards and 4 touchdowns. Antrell Wright followed with 131 yards and a score. Leron Hoover, the Tigers bruising fullback, was held to 67 yards but did managed to put two scores on the board.
Graceville jumped out to a quick 20-0 lead in the first quarter as Miles scored twice on a 34 yard run and 27 yard run. Hoover also scored during the opening quarter on a 1 yard plunge. Holmes County countered with a score early in the second quarter but the Tigers punched right back. Miles scored on a 7 yard run that was followed by a 2 point conversion run by Treyshaun White. With less than 30 seconds to play in the half White scored from 4 yards out to make it a 34-6 game. Holmes County did not quit and posted a 27 yard scoring strike to close the half and narrow the Tiger lead to 34-12 at the break.
The third quarter belonged to Graceville as Wright bolted 25 yards just two minutes into the second half to score. Less than 3 minutes later Miles was back at it, this time with a 67 yard scoring run. That made it 46-12 in the Tigers favor. Hoover got his second score of the night in the closing moments of the third quarter with a 27 yard run. White added the two point run to boost the Tigers lead up to 54-12. Holmes County got a late 12 yard scoring run to make the final 54-18.
Graceville will be on the road this Thursday when they travel to Tallahassee to take on Pope John Paul II Catholic. Game time at the Florida High football field is 6:30 pm.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Lady Pirates Fall to Lady Panthers
9/25/08
By: Clint Cox
The Lady Pirates volleyball team fell to the Lady Panthers of Pope John Paul II Catholic School this past Monday night. The Lady Panthers took game one of the match by a score of 25-20. In game two the Lady Panthers jumped out to a 6-3 lead before Sneads began to battle back. With Ashley Smith serving the Lady Pirates pulled to within one point, 11-10, midway through the game. Sneads finally tied the game at 13-13. The game then went back and forth, with Sneads not able to take the lead but never trailing by more than one point. The Lady Pirates finally took the lead at 19-18 with a tap over by Mattie Collins. Meagan Smith then smashed a shot back at the Lady Panthers to make it a 20-18 game. With Sneads leading 22-19 the game saw it’s best point as both squads made tremendous saves to keep a long rally going. Sneads finally won the point to take a 23-19 lead and went on to win the game 25-19.
Game three saw the Lady Panthers jump out to another quick lead but this time Sneads could not rally. John Paul went on to win the game 25-11. Game four once again saw the Lady Panthers jump out to a quick lead of 4-0. This time though the Lady Pirates battled back. With Ashley Smith serving Sneads managed to narrow the margin and then tie the game at 12-12. The Lady Panthers pulled ahead to lead 16-13 and then later led 20-15. Sneads made a run at the Lady Panthers, outscoring them 8-3 over the next 11 points. With the game tied at 23-23 Meagan Smith tapped a shot over the net to give the Lady Pirates a 24-23 lead. But John Paul then strung together 3 straight points to capture a 26-24 win.
By: Clint Cox
The Lady Pirates volleyball team fell to the Lady Panthers of Pope John Paul II Catholic School this past Monday night. The Lady Panthers took game one of the match by a score of 25-20. In game two the Lady Panthers jumped out to a 6-3 lead before Sneads began to battle back. With Ashley Smith serving the Lady Pirates pulled to within one point, 11-10, midway through the game. Sneads finally tied the game at 13-13. The game then went back and forth, with Sneads not able to take the lead but never trailing by more than one point. The Lady Pirates finally took the lead at 19-18 with a tap over by Mattie Collins. Meagan Smith then smashed a shot back at the Lady Panthers to make it a 20-18 game. With Sneads leading 22-19 the game saw it’s best point as both squads made tremendous saves to keep a long rally going. Sneads finally won the point to take a 23-19 lead and went on to win the game 25-19.
Game three saw the Lady Panthers jump out to another quick lead but this time Sneads could not rally. John Paul went on to win the game 25-11. Game four once again saw the Lady Panthers jump out to a quick lead of 4-0. This time though the Lady Pirates battled back. With Ashley Smith serving Sneads managed to narrow the margin and then tie the game at 12-12. The Lady Panthers pulled ahead to lead 16-13 and then later led 20-15. Sneads made a run at the Lady Panthers, outscoring them 8-3 over the next 11 points. With the game tied at 23-23 Meagan Smith tapped a shot over the net to give the Lady Pirates a 24-23 lead. But John Paul then strung together 3 straight points to capture a 26-24 win.
Pirates Sail Over Seahawks
9/25/08
By: Clint Cox
The Sneads Pirates jumped out to an early lead, then battled a pesky band of Seahawks from Franklin County in the third quarter before sailing on to a 40-19 win. In doing so they granted Head Coach Don Dowling his first win at the helm of the Pirate ship. "They say the first one is always the hardest to get and I believe them" said Dowling after the victory. Mark Lawson and Jeff Davis had big nights for the Pirates as Lawson racked up 100 yards of rushing and 3 touchdowns. Davis had 250 yards of total offense (125 yards of rushing, 33 yards of receiving and 92 yards on kickoff / punt returns) and 2 touchdowns. Davis also picked off three Seahawk passes on the evening.
The Pirates set sail quickly as they jumped out to a 20-0 as Lawson scored twice and Davis scored once. Lawson had a 2 yard run and 26 yard run to score and Davis scored on a 1 yard run. Franklin County scored late in the first half to make it a 20-7 game but Davis came right back on the ensuing kickoff and returned it 80 yards for a score. Taylor Edge added the point after kick and Sneads led 27-7 at the half.
Franklin County came out and scored early in the 3rd quarter to make it a 27-13 game. The Pirates then hit a stretch where they just could not seem to get going and the Seahawks appeared to be gaining momentum. Late in the third quarter though the Pirate defense came up with back to back sacks to drop Franklin County back to their own 5 yard line. As the game moved into the fourth quarter Sneads mounted a drive that included a 30 yard pass from Edge to Davis to the Seahawk one yard line. Lawson then scored his third TD of the night to make it 33-13. On the next Seahawk possession Josh Rogers picked off a pass and returned it for a Pirate score. Edge added the point after kick to increase the Pirate lead to 40-13. Late in the game the Seahawks scored on a touchdown pass to make the final 40-19.
Dowling had both praise for his squad but acknowledged they still have work to do. "Our defense got us started and then the offense made some big plays. I saw a lot of good things tonight but we also made some mistakes. We’ve got to work on those things to get ready for a very good West Gadsden team," said Dowling
By: Clint Cox
The Sneads Pirates jumped out to an early lead, then battled a pesky band of Seahawks from Franklin County in the third quarter before sailing on to a 40-19 win. In doing so they granted Head Coach Don Dowling his first win at the helm of the Pirate ship. "They say the first one is always the hardest to get and I believe them" said Dowling after the victory. Mark Lawson and Jeff Davis had big nights for the Pirates as Lawson racked up 100 yards of rushing and 3 touchdowns. Davis had 250 yards of total offense (125 yards of rushing, 33 yards of receiving and 92 yards on kickoff / punt returns) and 2 touchdowns. Davis also picked off three Seahawk passes on the evening.
The Pirates set sail quickly as they jumped out to a 20-0 as Lawson scored twice and Davis scored once. Lawson had a 2 yard run and 26 yard run to score and Davis scored on a 1 yard run. Franklin County scored late in the first half to make it a 20-7 game but Davis came right back on the ensuing kickoff and returned it 80 yards for a score. Taylor Edge added the point after kick and Sneads led 27-7 at the half.
Franklin County came out and scored early in the 3rd quarter to make it a 27-13 game. The Pirates then hit a stretch where they just could not seem to get going and the Seahawks appeared to be gaining momentum. Late in the third quarter though the Pirate defense came up with back to back sacks to drop Franklin County back to their own 5 yard line. As the game moved into the fourth quarter Sneads mounted a drive that included a 30 yard pass from Edge to Davis to the Seahawk one yard line. Lawson then scored his third TD of the night to make it 33-13. On the next Seahawk possession Josh Rogers picked off a pass and returned it for a Pirate score. Edge added the point after kick to increase the Pirate lead to 40-13. Late in the game the Seahawks scored on a touchdown pass to make the final 40-19.
Dowling had both praise for his squad but acknowledged they still have work to do. "Our defense got us started and then the offense made some big plays. I saw a lot of good things tonight but we also made some mistakes. We’ve got to work on those things to get ready for a very good West Gadsden team," said Dowling
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Indians Down Tigers
9/18/08
By Clint Cox
SNEADS – The Grand Ridge Indians middle school football team cashed in on four Rouhlac (Chipley) turnovers and picked up their first win of the season with a 34-0 win. Delontre Keys had a big night for the Indians as he rushed for 151 yards and two scores. Joseph Boyd added 89 yards of rushing and two touchdowns. Rontavious Brown rounded out the dynamic trio by rushing for 96 yards and a score. The Indians racked up 310 yards on the ground.
Boyd got the Indians off to a good start as the bolted 36 yards for a score with just under three minutes to play in the first quarter. The two point conversion attempt failed to give Grand Ridge a 6-0 lead heading into the second quarter. Early in that quarter Delontre Keys took a handoff and went 56 yards for a score. Rontravious Brown added the two point conversion run to give the Indians a 14-0 lead.
Late in the first half the Indians came up with another turnover after a muffed punt return by Chipley resulted in a fumble and recovery by Grand Ridge. With under three minutes to play in the half Boyd came up with his second TD of the night with a 53 yard run. The two point conversion attempt failed but the Indians lead swelled to 20-0.
The Indians picked right up where they left off in the first half as Keys raced 49 yards on the first play of the second half for a touchdown. The two point run failed but the Indians lead increased to 26-0. The final score of the night came on a 10 yard run by Brown in the third quarter. After a two point conversion run the Indians took a 34-0 lead.
The win improved the Indians to a record of 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. They will next be in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Vernon to take on the Baby Yellow Jackets in another conference matchup. Game time is scheduled for 6 pm.
By Clint Cox
SNEADS – The Grand Ridge Indians middle school football team cashed in on four Rouhlac (Chipley) turnovers and picked up their first win of the season with a 34-0 win. Delontre Keys had a big night for the Indians as he rushed for 151 yards and two scores. Joseph Boyd added 89 yards of rushing and two touchdowns. Rontavious Brown rounded out the dynamic trio by rushing for 96 yards and a score. The Indians racked up 310 yards on the ground.
Boyd got the Indians off to a good start as the bolted 36 yards for a score with just under three minutes to play in the first quarter. The two point conversion attempt failed to give Grand Ridge a 6-0 lead heading into the second quarter. Early in that quarter Delontre Keys took a handoff and went 56 yards for a score. Rontravious Brown added the two point conversion run to give the Indians a 14-0 lead.
Late in the first half the Indians came up with another turnover after a muffed punt return by Chipley resulted in a fumble and recovery by Grand Ridge. With under three minutes to play in the half Boyd came up with his second TD of the night with a 53 yard run. The two point conversion attempt failed but the Indians lead swelled to 20-0.
The Indians picked right up where they left off in the first half as Keys raced 49 yards on the first play of the second half for a touchdown. The two point run failed but the Indians lead increased to 26-0. The final score of the night came on a 10 yard run by Brown in the third quarter. After a two point conversion run the Indians took a 34-0 lead.
The win improved the Indians to a record of 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. They will next be in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Vernon to take on the Baby Yellow Jackets in another conference matchup. Game time is scheduled for 6 pm.
Bullpups Keep On Winning
9/18/08
By Clint Cox
MARIANNA – The Marianna Middle School Bullpups remained unbeaten for the 2008 season with a 16-0 win over the visiting Tigers from Jefferson County on Tuesday night. Shaundre McAroy got the ‘Pups on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a 55 yard scoring run. A two point conversion made it an 8-0 game. As the game moved into the second quarter Micha Reed fielded a punt for the Bullpups and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. Reed added the two point conversion run to make it a 16-0 game. The Bullpup defense, led by Dontavious Pittman, held the Tigers in check for the remainder of the half to allow Marianna to keep a 16-0 lead at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter the Bullpups got a big 39 yard run from Quayshaan Johnson to advance to the Tiger’s 11 yard line. But the drive stalled and the Bullpups were unable to add any more points to the scoreboard.
Bullpup Head Coach Hunter Nolan said he was glad to get the win but his squad wasn’t as sharp as they needed to be. "I thought Jefferson County came out ready to play more than us. We’ve got to do a better job of getting our guys ready to play. But we got the win so I won’t complain about that. I wish we could have punched that last drive in for a score so that I could get some of the backups into the game," said Nolan. After going 7-0 in 2006 and 6-0 in 2007, Nolan knew it would be tough to repeat given the youth and inexperience of 2008 Bullpups. He only had four players return from last year’s team but had a tremendous turnover for fall practice. " I think our success this season is due to our program going in the right direction. We had 90 kids come out and I had to cut 30. We have about 50 kids out right now and everyone has bought into what we are trying to accomplish," Nolan commented.
The Bullpups are now 3-0 and will travel to Cottondale on Tuesday for a contest against the Hornets.
By Clint Cox
MARIANNA – The Marianna Middle School Bullpups remained unbeaten for the 2008 season with a 16-0 win over the visiting Tigers from Jefferson County on Tuesday night. Shaundre McAroy got the ‘Pups on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a 55 yard scoring run. A two point conversion made it an 8-0 game. As the game moved into the second quarter Micha Reed fielded a punt for the Bullpups and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. Reed added the two point conversion run to make it a 16-0 game. The Bullpup defense, led by Dontavious Pittman, held the Tigers in check for the remainder of the half to allow Marianna to keep a 16-0 lead at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter the Bullpups got a big 39 yard run from Quayshaan Johnson to advance to the Tiger’s 11 yard line. But the drive stalled and the Bullpups were unable to add any more points to the scoreboard.
Bullpup Head Coach Hunter Nolan said he was glad to get the win but his squad wasn’t as sharp as they needed to be. "I thought Jefferson County came out ready to play more than us. We’ve got to do a better job of getting our guys ready to play. But we got the win so I won’t complain about that. I wish we could have punched that last drive in for a score so that I could get some of the backups into the game," said Nolan. After going 7-0 in 2006 and 6-0 in 2007, Nolan knew it would be tough to repeat given the youth and inexperience of 2008 Bullpups. He only had four players return from last year’s team but had a tremendous turnover for fall practice. " I think our success this season is due to our program going in the right direction. We had 90 kids come out and I had to cut 30. We have about 50 kids out right now and everyone has bought into what we are trying to accomplish," Nolan commented.
The Bullpups are now 3-0 and will travel to Cottondale on Tuesday for a contest against the Hornets.
Marianna Junior Varsity Loses Again
9/18/08
By Sid Riley
Florida High defeats struggling Marianna Junior Varsity Team 28-18
On Thursday the Marianna Junior Varsity squad traveled to Florida High in Tallahassee hoping to atone for their first loss to Chipley the preceding week. It was not to happen.
The team, which is coached by Adam Gray, showed some improvement over the preceding contest, but lack of basic execution development for the offensive unit made the difference in the game. There were moments where the raw athletic abilities of running backs Elliot Batson and Emanuel Batson enabled them to break loose for long runs to score Marianna’s three TD’s, but the team was never able to put together a sustained offensive drive to the goal line. As in the previous game, every possession was halted by a penalty, fumble, or other execution failure.
Once again, the defensive unit performed well. During the third quarter it appeared that Marianna was establishing some momentum as they scored their third touch down and moved to within four points of Florida High. However, they again repeated the basic error that caused the loss to Chipley, by allowing the ensuing kick off to be returned 65 yards for a hope killing touchdown by Florida High.
The truth of the tale is in the statistics. The offensive squad accumulated 442 yards, with 401 of those being from the line of scrimmage. That should be enough to win most games. However, at the same time they endured an astounding 18 penalties with 125 penalty yards. They also had five turnovers. Off Sides, procedure penalties, motion penalties, and delay of the game penalties stopped almost every drive.
Again, the number of plays in the team playbook seemed to be very limited, as the same plays were run repeatedly. The offense still looked unpracticed. However, Emanuel Batson had a great game with two touchdowns, and Elliot Batson had one touchdown. Edward Perry also made several powerful runs. All three extra point attempts failed.
Florida High had only 175 offensive yards from scrimmage, and 260 total yards. They had 6 penalties for 45 yards, and three turnovers.
The final score was …Florida High 28, Marianna 18
By Sid Riley
Florida High defeats struggling Marianna Junior Varsity Team 28-18
On Thursday the Marianna Junior Varsity squad traveled to Florida High in Tallahassee hoping to atone for their first loss to Chipley the preceding week. It was not to happen.
The team, which is coached by Adam Gray, showed some improvement over the preceding contest, but lack of basic execution development for the offensive unit made the difference in the game. There were moments where the raw athletic abilities of running backs Elliot Batson and Emanuel Batson enabled them to break loose for long runs to score Marianna’s three TD’s, but the team was never able to put together a sustained offensive drive to the goal line. As in the previous game, every possession was halted by a penalty, fumble, or other execution failure.
Once again, the defensive unit performed well. During the third quarter it appeared that Marianna was establishing some momentum as they scored their third touch down and moved to within four points of Florida High. However, they again repeated the basic error that caused the loss to Chipley, by allowing the ensuing kick off to be returned 65 yards for a hope killing touchdown by Florida High.
The truth of the tale is in the statistics. The offensive squad accumulated 442 yards, with 401 of those being from the line of scrimmage. That should be enough to win most games. However, at the same time they endured an astounding 18 penalties with 125 penalty yards. They also had five turnovers. Off Sides, procedure penalties, motion penalties, and delay of the game penalties stopped almost every drive.
Again, the number of plays in the team playbook seemed to be very limited, as the same plays were run repeatedly. The offense still looked unpracticed. However, Emanuel Batson had a great game with two touchdowns, and Elliot Batson had one touchdown. Edward Perry also made several powerful runs. All three extra point attempts failed.
Florida High had only 175 offensive yards from scrimmage, and 260 total yards. They had 6 penalties for 45 yards, and three turnovers.
The final score was …Florida High 28, Marianna 18
The Graceville – Marianna Connection
9/18/08
By: Clint Cox
As Graceville and Marianna squared off on the football field last Friday night, Yesteryear takes a look back at some of the Graceville – Marianna connections that have occurred over the years. The most recent and obvious connection would be that of current Marianna Head Coach Rob Armstrong. Coach Armstrong played his high school football at Graceville, graduating in 1988. He then returned to Graceville in 1992 as an assistant coach and remained an assistant coach until 1996. He was an assistant coach on the 1993 Tigers team that captured a State Championship. In 1997 Armstrong stepped up to assume the Head Coaching job for the Tigers. After leaving Graceville and coaching in other locations for several years Armstrong returned to Jackson County in 2007 to take the Head Coaching job at Marianna. His 2007 Bulldogs finished 7-4 and made the FHSAA playoffs.
There are several other current coaches and administrators at both schools that have the Graceville – Marianna connections. Current Bulldog assistant coach Steve DeWitt played football at Marianna and later served as an assistant coach at Graceville. Current Bulldog assistant coach Bryan Collins played football with Armstrong at Graceville and was also an assistant coach on the 1993 State Championship team. Current Bulldog assistant coaches Alex Broxton and Cornelius Wesley played on that 1993 State Championship team for Armstrong and Collins. Current Bulldog assistant coach Randy McKinnie played football at Graceville for Armstrong during the 1997 season.
Other connections include current Marianna High School Principal Randy Ward, who previously taught and coached at Graceville. Clarence Bellamy, current assistant principal at Marianna, served as Principal at Graceville in the late 1990’s. One of the assistant coaches on the Tiger’s 1993 team was Al Hayes, a 1977 graduate of Marianna. Hayes is now teaching and coaching in Dothan. Current Graceville Tiger Head Coach Todd Wertenberger coached at Marianna for two seasons prior to accepting the job at Graceville. Current Graceville High alumni and Principal Chris Franklin taught at Marianna prior to going to Graceville High.
And any mention of the Graceville – Marianna connection would not be complete without the mention of Harry Howell. He played football at Graceville and graduated in the mid 1940’s. After playing football and graduating from Troy Teacher’s College (Troy University) he returned to Jackson County in 1950 to serve as an assistant coach at Marianna under Grey Wilson. In 1951 he assumed the Head Coaching duties and remained Head Coach for the next 8 seasons. During his tenure he amassed a record of 54-19-4, which included a record of 34-5-1 during a four year span (1954-57). The Graceville native later served as Principal at Marianna High from 1960 – 1965.
By: Clint Cox
As Graceville and Marianna squared off on the football field last Friday night, Yesteryear takes a look back at some of the Graceville – Marianna connections that have occurred over the years. The most recent and obvious connection would be that of current Marianna Head Coach Rob Armstrong. Coach Armstrong played his high school football at Graceville, graduating in 1988. He then returned to Graceville in 1992 as an assistant coach and remained an assistant coach until 1996. He was an assistant coach on the 1993 Tigers team that captured a State Championship. In 1997 Armstrong stepped up to assume the Head Coaching job for the Tigers. After leaving Graceville and coaching in other locations for several years Armstrong returned to Jackson County in 2007 to take the Head Coaching job at Marianna. His 2007 Bulldogs finished 7-4 and made the FHSAA playoffs.
There are several other current coaches and administrators at both schools that have the Graceville – Marianna connections. Current Bulldog assistant coach Steve DeWitt played football at Marianna and later served as an assistant coach at Graceville. Current Bulldog assistant coach Bryan Collins played football with Armstrong at Graceville and was also an assistant coach on the 1993 State Championship team. Current Bulldog assistant coaches Alex Broxton and Cornelius Wesley played on that 1993 State Championship team for Armstrong and Collins. Current Bulldog assistant coach Randy McKinnie played football at Graceville for Armstrong during the 1997 season.
Other connections include current Marianna High School Principal Randy Ward, who previously taught and coached at Graceville. Clarence Bellamy, current assistant principal at Marianna, served as Principal at Graceville in the late 1990’s. One of the assistant coaches on the Tiger’s 1993 team was Al Hayes, a 1977 graduate of Marianna. Hayes is now teaching and coaching in Dothan. Current Graceville Tiger Head Coach Todd Wertenberger coached at Marianna for two seasons prior to accepting the job at Graceville. Current Graceville High alumni and Principal Chris Franklin taught at Marianna prior to going to Graceville High.
And any mention of the Graceville – Marianna connection would not be complete without the mention of Harry Howell. He played football at Graceville and graduated in the mid 1940’s. After playing football and graduating from Troy Teacher’s College (Troy University) he returned to Jackson County in 1950 to serve as an assistant coach at Marianna under Grey Wilson. In 1951 he assumed the Head Coaching duties and remained Head Coach for the next 8 seasons. During his tenure he amassed a record of 54-19-4, which included a record of 34-5-1 during a four year span (1954-57). The Graceville native later served as Principal at Marianna High from 1960 – 1965.
‘Dogs Nip Tigers
9/18/08
By: Clint Cox
On a night of many strange twist and turns, the Marianna Bulldogs jumped out to a big lead early and then held on for a 36-28 over county rival Graceville. Marianna cashed in on several early turnovers by Graceville and jumped out to a 21-0 lead. It all started as Tre Long bolted 48 yards for a quick score on Marianna’s first possession. Graceville was moving the ball downfield on the ensuing possession but coughed up the ball and Laramie Dryden recovered for the Bulldogs. Battles took the first handoff and raced 68 yards for another Bulldog score. Again Graceville moved the ball and again they fumbled, this time it was recovered by Fidel Montgomery. Both teams traded punts and with less than two minutes to play in the first quarter Dustin Larkin hit Long on a 53 yard scoring pass.
Up 21-0 going into the second quarter Marianna realized that the Tigers were not going to quit. Graceville went on a 10 play drive behind the running of Leron Hoover and passing of Justin Miles. Early in the second quarter Graceville scored on a 4 yard run by Antrell Wright to cap a 10 play drive that covered 71 yards. The two point conversion run by Miles was good to make it a 21-8 lead for Marianna. In the waning moments of the first half Marianna defensive end Tommy Stephens picked off a Tiger pass and rambled 63 yards for another Bulldog score. Marianna led 29-8 at the half.
Once again the Tigers proved they would not roll over as they took the opening possession of the second half and drove 53 yards and scored on a one yard plunge by Hoover. The two point conversion failed and Graceville trailed 29-14. Marianna responded by putting together a scoring drive of their own when Battles scored his second TD of the night on a 1 yard run. Troy Clemmons point after kick made it 36-14 in the Bulldogs favor. Graceville fired right back after a big kick off return by Hoover to the Bulldog 32 yard line. Miles scored 5 plays later on a 14 yard run and Treyshaun White added a two point conversion run to narrow the gap to 36-22 with just under three minutes to play in the third quarter.
As the game moved into the fourth quarter Marianna appeared to be salting the game away with a long drive that ate up almost five minutes off the clock. But Battles had the ball stripped away from him by Chris Works of Graceville. Works then raced 80 yards down the field untouched for a Tiger score. After a failed two point play the Tigers trailed 36-28 with six minutes to play. The Bulldogs once again put together a long drive and with less than two minutes to play appeared to have a long touchdown run from R.J. Bowers to all but secure the win. But Bowers quickly set the ball down when he thought he had crossed the goal line. But he actually put the ball down before he entered the end zone and Graceville fell on the ball. The Tigers had no timeouts and 99 yards to go to try to tie the game up. But the Bulldog defense held and Marianna hung on for the 36-28 victory.
Battles led the Bulldogs with 126 yards and 2 scores. Tre Long followed with 101 yards of total offense and 2 TDs. Graceville was led by Hoover with 151 yards on 30 carries. White followed with 116 yards of rushing as well. Marianna improved to 2-0 on the season and will be off this week. They will next be in action on September 26th when they travel to Jacksonville to take on Episcopal. Graceville fell to 1-1 on the year and will play host to Holmes County on Friday at 7 pm.
By: Clint Cox
On a night of many strange twist and turns, the Marianna Bulldogs jumped out to a big lead early and then held on for a 36-28 over county rival Graceville. Marianna cashed in on several early turnovers by Graceville and jumped out to a 21-0 lead. It all started as Tre Long bolted 48 yards for a quick score on Marianna’s first possession. Graceville was moving the ball downfield on the ensuing possession but coughed up the ball and Laramie Dryden recovered for the Bulldogs. Battles took the first handoff and raced 68 yards for another Bulldog score. Again Graceville moved the ball and again they fumbled, this time it was recovered by Fidel Montgomery. Both teams traded punts and with less than two minutes to play in the first quarter Dustin Larkin hit Long on a 53 yard scoring pass.
Up 21-0 going into the second quarter Marianna realized that the Tigers were not going to quit. Graceville went on a 10 play drive behind the running of Leron Hoover and passing of Justin Miles. Early in the second quarter Graceville scored on a 4 yard run by Antrell Wright to cap a 10 play drive that covered 71 yards. The two point conversion run by Miles was good to make it a 21-8 lead for Marianna. In the waning moments of the first half Marianna defensive end Tommy Stephens picked off a Tiger pass and rambled 63 yards for another Bulldog score. Marianna led 29-8 at the half.
Once again the Tigers proved they would not roll over as they took the opening possession of the second half and drove 53 yards and scored on a one yard plunge by Hoover. The two point conversion failed and Graceville trailed 29-14. Marianna responded by putting together a scoring drive of their own when Battles scored his second TD of the night on a 1 yard run. Troy Clemmons point after kick made it 36-14 in the Bulldogs favor. Graceville fired right back after a big kick off return by Hoover to the Bulldog 32 yard line. Miles scored 5 plays later on a 14 yard run and Treyshaun White added a two point conversion run to narrow the gap to 36-22 with just under three minutes to play in the third quarter.
As the game moved into the fourth quarter Marianna appeared to be salting the game away with a long drive that ate up almost five minutes off the clock. But Battles had the ball stripped away from him by Chris Works of Graceville. Works then raced 80 yards down the field untouched for a Tiger score. After a failed two point play the Tigers trailed 36-28 with six minutes to play. The Bulldogs once again put together a long drive and with less than two minutes to play appeared to have a long touchdown run from R.J. Bowers to all but secure the win. But Bowers quickly set the ball down when he thought he had crossed the goal line. But he actually put the ball down before he entered the end zone and Graceville fell on the ball. The Tigers had no timeouts and 99 yards to go to try to tie the game up. But the Bulldog defense held and Marianna hung on for the 36-28 victory.
Battles led the Bulldogs with 126 yards and 2 scores. Tre Long followed with 101 yards of total offense and 2 TDs. Graceville was led by Hoover with 151 yards on 30 carries. White followed with 116 yards of rushing as well. Marianna improved to 2-0 on the season and will be off this week. They will next be in action on September 26th when they travel to Jacksonville to take on Episcopal. Graceville fell to 1-1 on the year and will play host to Holmes County on Friday at 7 pm.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tigers Rush Past Liberty County
9/11/08
By Clint Cox
After a preseason kickoff classic in which they racked up 42 points, the Graceville Tigers opened up the 2008 regular season with a 36-16 win over the visiting Liberty County Bulldogs. The Tigers once again used a brutal rushing attack to churn out 360 yards on the ground.
The Tigers got off to a good start as they capitalized on a Bulldog turnover early in the first quarter. Treyshaun White then put the Tigers on the scoreboard with a 22 yard run. But Liberty County countered with a touchdown and 2 point conversion on the ensuing drive to take a 8-6 lead into the second quarter. Graceville then mounted a textbook drive, ripping off an 11 play effort. Leron Hoover bulled his way into the end zone and then Justin Miles converted the two point play to make it a 14-8 Graceville lead at the half.
In the third quarter the Tigers began to break open the game as Hoover once again scored, this time on a 3 yard run. Hoover added to the two point conversion run to make it a 22-8 lead. The Tiger defense got into the action when White picked off a Bulldog pass. Miles then rambled 53 yards for a score, which was followed by a two point pass play from Miles to White. The Tigers took a commanding 30-8 lead into the final quarter. After Liberty County posted a score White scored the final touchdown of the night on a 35 yard run.
The Tigers were led on offense by the rushing of Hoover with 124 yards and White with 123 yards. That same pair led the defense as Hoover recorded 14 tackles and White had 11 tackles along with his interception. Chris Works followed on defense with 8 tackles.
Graceville plays at Marianna on Friday (See Friday Night Preview).
By Clint Cox
After a preseason kickoff classic in which they racked up 42 points, the Graceville Tigers opened up the 2008 regular season with a 36-16 win over the visiting Liberty County Bulldogs. The Tigers once again used a brutal rushing attack to churn out 360 yards on the ground.
The Tigers got off to a good start as they capitalized on a Bulldog turnover early in the first quarter. Treyshaun White then put the Tigers on the scoreboard with a 22 yard run. But Liberty County countered with a touchdown and 2 point conversion on the ensuing drive to take a 8-6 lead into the second quarter. Graceville then mounted a textbook drive, ripping off an 11 play effort. Leron Hoover bulled his way into the end zone and then Justin Miles converted the two point play to make it a 14-8 Graceville lead at the half.
In the third quarter the Tigers began to break open the game as Hoover once again scored, this time on a 3 yard run. Hoover added to the two point conversion run to make it a 22-8 lead. The Tiger defense got into the action when White picked off a Bulldog pass. Miles then rambled 53 yards for a score, which was followed by a two point pass play from Miles to White. The Tigers took a commanding 30-8 lead into the final quarter. After Liberty County posted a score White scored the final touchdown of the night on a 35 yard run.
The Tigers were led on offense by the rushing of Hoover with 124 yards and White with 123 yards. That same pair led the defense as Hoover recorded 14 tackles and White had 11 tackles along with his interception. Chris Works followed on defense with 8 tackles.
Graceville plays at Marianna on Friday (See Friday Night Preview).
‘Dogs Pound The Tigers
9/11/08
By Clint Cox
MARIANNA – The Bulldogs racked up over 350 yards of rushing en route to a 34-7 win over Blountstown last Friday night. Bradley Battles led the way with 179 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Head Coach Rob Armstrong was pleased to get the season opener win. "Playing these early season games with as many young players that we have is always a challenge. We had a lot of kids seeing varsity action for the first time. I thought they played real well tonight," said Armstrong.
Marianna jumped out to lead late in the first quarter when Battles scored on a 5 yard run. Troy Clemmons added the point after kick to make it 7-0. Midway through the second quarter Tre’ Long rambled 31 yards for a score and the Clemmons point after kick made it 14-0 at the half. Blountstown narrowed the margin with four minutes to play in the third quarter when Malcolm Ivory scored from 3 yards out. On the ensuing kickoff the Tigers pinned the Bulldogs down on the four yard line. The Tigers appeared to have seized the momentum of the game and were poised to get great field position if they could force a punt. But Marianna put together a 10 play drive that covered 96 yards. It culminated with an 11 yard run for a score by Fidel Montgomery early in the fourth quarter. The kick after by Clemmons made it a 21-7 game and gave the momentum back to the Bulldogs. "When it got to 14-7 I was a little be scared but I’m proud of how we came right back and reclaimed that momentum," Armstrong commented.
Marianna added two more score in the final quarter as Battles raced 38 yards for a score and Quan Boykin scrambled 21 yards to find the end zone. With a 34-7 win and 356 yards of rushing offense Armstrong was proud of his team, especially his young offensive line. "We’ve got to be able to move the ball to be successful. Those guys on the line did a great job tonight," said Armstrong. Long finished with 91 yards rushing while Boykin added 71 yards. Clemmons led the defense with 9 tackles and a sack while Laramie Dryden recorded 7 tackles for the game. Battles recorded an interception as well.
Marianna prepares for the upcoming match with Graceville this Friday at Bulldog Stadium at 7 pm. (See Friday Night Preview)
By Clint Cox
MARIANNA – The Bulldogs racked up over 350 yards of rushing en route to a 34-7 win over Blountstown last Friday night. Bradley Battles led the way with 179 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Head Coach Rob Armstrong was pleased to get the season opener win. "Playing these early season games with as many young players that we have is always a challenge. We had a lot of kids seeing varsity action for the first time. I thought they played real well tonight," said Armstrong.
Marianna jumped out to lead late in the first quarter when Battles scored on a 5 yard run. Troy Clemmons added the point after kick to make it 7-0. Midway through the second quarter Tre’ Long rambled 31 yards for a score and the Clemmons point after kick made it 14-0 at the half. Blountstown narrowed the margin with four minutes to play in the third quarter when Malcolm Ivory scored from 3 yards out. On the ensuing kickoff the Tigers pinned the Bulldogs down on the four yard line. The Tigers appeared to have seized the momentum of the game and were poised to get great field position if they could force a punt. But Marianna put together a 10 play drive that covered 96 yards. It culminated with an 11 yard run for a score by Fidel Montgomery early in the fourth quarter. The kick after by Clemmons made it a 21-7 game and gave the momentum back to the Bulldogs. "When it got to 14-7 I was a little be scared but I’m proud of how we came right back and reclaimed that momentum," Armstrong commented.
Marianna added two more score in the final quarter as Battles raced 38 yards for a score and Quan Boykin scrambled 21 yards to find the end zone. With a 34-7 win and 356 yards of rushing offense Armstrong was proud of his team, especially his young offensive line. "We’ve got to be able to move the ball to be successful. Those guys on the line did a great job tonight," said Armstrong. Long finished with 91 yards rushing while Boykin added 71 yards. Clemmons led the defense with 9 tackles and a sack while Laramie Dryden recorded 7 tackles for the game. Battles recorded an interception as well.
Marianna prepares for the upcoming match with Graceville this Friday at Bulldog Stadium at 7 pm. (See Friday Night Preview)
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