Drake sparks Tigers for 14-12 opening night win
After a little over three scoreless quarters, the Demopolis Tigers finally got everything working together and put 14 points on the board in the fourth quarter to overcome a 12-0 deficit and defeat the visiting Class 6A Calera Eagles 14-12. Tyler Drake came off the bench to lead two touchdown drives that resulted in the win for the Tigers’ opening game of the 2020 football season.
As is generally expected, both teams needed a few possessions to get everything flowing. The Tigers actually threatened to get on the board in the first quarter, but a pass from Hayes Atkins to Peyton Stevenson was ruled out of bounds even though Stevenson gained possession and looked to just get a toe in before sliding out of bounds.
In the second quarter, the Tigers threatened again and made it to the Eagles’ 5-yard line before an Eagle defender picked off a Tiger pass in the end zone and returned it the length of the field for a touchdown. The Eagles’ kick was no good and the Eagles gained a 6-0 lead over the Tigers with 1:42 to go in the first half.
The Tigers were unable to move the ball on their following possession and were forced to punt with 57 seconds to go in the half. The clock ran out on the Eagles’ ensuing possession, leaving the Tigers down 6-0 at the half.
The Eagles received the opening second half kick and promptly added six more points on a 61-yard touchdown pass with 11:01 to go in the third quarter. The 2-point conversion failed and the Eagles took 12-0 lead. The third quarter ended with the Eagles holding that 12-point advantage.
After a Jim Lawler punt return put the Tigers in Eagles territory at the 41-yard line, Tyler Drake hit a wide open Cameron Wright who was pulled down at the 2-yard line. The Tigers lost a yard on the ensuing play, but Craig Nichols notched his and the Tigers first touchdown of the 2020 season on the next play as Nichols walked in from 3-yards out. Cole Wilson tacked on the PAT and the Tigers closed the gap to 12-7 with 8:15 to go in the fourth quarter.
The Tiger defense held the Eagles on their ensuing possession and Lawler returned the Eagle punt to midfield. After a Nichols’ run inside the 20-yard line, Drake hit Stevenson for a 12-yard touchdown. Wilson again knocked the PAT through and the Tigers claimed a 14-12 lead with 4:56 to go.
On the Eagles next possession, Lawler picked off an Eagle pass. The Tiger offense stalled and was forced to punt. The Eagles last possession came to an end when Jay Jones sealed the Eagles’ fate got his first interception of the 2020 season.
“I don’t understand why we can’t come out with the same kind of passion, same kind of drive, same kind of energy that we did at the end,” said Head Coach Brian Seymore. “I know our guys are comfortable and we’ve just got to relax and be able to execute in crunch time.”
“We showed a lot of resolve at the end and I’m proud of our guys. We got two big turnovers and were able to run the clock out. We have a lot of work ahead of us – too many turnovers, too many false starts. That’s something we’ll brush up and clean up next week.”
The Tigers (1-0) will travel to McCalla to take on the 6A McAdory Yellow Jackets next week. The Yellow Jackets dropped their first game of the season while visiting Saint Paul’s Episcopal (Mobile) by a score of 31-7.