Jim Pannell’s Tiger Tracks
AGAINST A SUPRISINGLY TOUGH ALCORN CENTRAL DEFENSE, THE TIGERS LED ONLY 7-0 WITH 0:43 SECONDS LEFT IN THE FIRST HALF. ACIE VANCE WENT IN FROM 28-YARDS ON A REVERSE, AND THE TIGERS FORCED A FUMBLE WITH 0:21 SECONDS LEFT. THEN WILL WALLIS TOSSED A FIVE-YARD T.D. TO VANCE ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE HALF, AND DAMONE McDONALD RAN THE SECOND HALF KICKOFF BACK 71-YARDS FOR A SCORE, AND THE TIGERS WERE IN CONTROL LEADING 27-0 AT THAT POINT.
FRESHMAN ACIE VANCE TOTALLED 160 YARDS OF OFFENSE AGAINST ALCORN CENTRAL, RUSHING FOR A 28-YARD T.D. ON A FLANKER REVERSE, CATCHING SIX PASSES FOR 98 YARDS AND A 5-YARD SCORE, AND RETURNING TWO PUNTS FOR 34 YARDS. VANCE NOW HAS 18 CATCHES FOR 373 YARDS AND 4 SCORES, MORE THAN TRIPLING JIM MILLER’S OLD SCHOOL FRESHMAN MARKS.
DAMONE McDONALD CONTINUED HIS STELLAR SENIOR SEASON RETURNING A KICKOFF 71-YARDS FOR A SCORE, AND MAKING 8 TACKLES AND RECOVERING A FUMBLE ON DEFENSE.
WILL WALLIS’ FOUR P.A.T. UPPED HIS CAREER KICK SCORING TOTAL TO 80 POINTS. THE OLD SCHOOL RECORD WAS 71 CAREER POINTS BY A KICKER SET BY WADE CANTY IN 1990-91. WALLIS ALSO POSTED HIS FIRST T.D. RUSHING OF THE SEASON, SCAMPERING 8 YARDS FOR THE SCORE AND THREW HIS 8TH T.D. PASS OF THE SEASON. JUNIOR TONY BLACK ALSO POSTED HIS FIRST T.D. OF THE SEASON RUNNING A YARD FOR RIPLEY’S FIRST SCORE.
SENIOR JAQUISE COOK WAS HELD OUT OF THE END ZONE FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON AS OFFICIALS NEGATED A SCORING RUN, BUT RUSHED FOR 140 YARDS ON JUST SIXTEEN CARRIES. COOK HAS 50 CAREER T.D. AND 300 POINTS SCORED IN HIS CAREER AND NOW HAS 1,309 YARDS AND 18 T.D. RUSHING ON THE SEASON.
BOTH NOSEGUARD MICHAEL McBRYDE AND END JONATHAN BRADDOCK RECOVERED THEIR FOURTH FUMBLES OF THE YEAR IN THE WIN OVER THE GOLDEN BEARS. THE SCHOOL RECORD IS SEVEN FUMBLE RECOVERIES IN A SEASON SET BY MAURY SYMS IN 2004.
SENIOR RYAN RICHARDSON POSTED 11 TACKLES TO LEAD THE TIGERS. JUNIOR CHASE CHAPMAN HAD NINE TACKLES AND McBRYDE, McDONALD, AND RASHUN ADAMS HAD EIGHT STOPS. ADAMS ALSO HAD A SACK AND SCORED THE FIRST SAFETY OF THE SEASON DROPPING A BEAR BACK IN THE END ZONE IN THE THIRD PERIOD.
