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Rams end Tigers’ season in Round 1, 34-12

Michael Clements , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A windy, cold night in Irondale was the ending point of the Demopolis Tigers’ 2019 football season, at the hands of the Ramsay Rams. The Tigers scored first and held the game close in the first half, trailing 14-12 at halftime. But the Rams added 20 more in the second half and the Tigers were unable to break the goal line, leading to the 34-12 loss for the Tigers.

11-8-2019 — Irondale, Ala. — Demopolis’ Peyton Stevenson fights toward the end zone for the Tigers’ first touchdown against the Ramsay Rams.

After trading possessions, Peyton Stevenson opened the scoring with an 8-yard run with 4:55 to go in the first quarter. The PAT kick hit the right goal post and bounced away. The Tigers took a 6-0 lead over the Rams.

The Tigers got a break late in the first quarter when a Ram’s running back attempted to jump and stretch the ball over the goal line and ended up fumbling. The Tigers made the recovery in the end zone and took over at the 20. Unfortunately, the Tigers would fumble the ball right back to the Rams. At the 10:38 mark of the second quarter, the Rams got into the end zone with a 2-yard run. The PAT gave the Rams a 7-6 lead over the Tigers.

11-8-2019 — Irondale, Ala. — Demopolis’ Detron Essex (7) and Matthew Witherspoon (15) bring down a Ramsay ball carrier during the Tigers’ game against the Rams.

The Rams’ second score of the night came on a run from inside the Tigers’ 1-yard line. The successful PAT gave the Rams a 14-6 lead with 5:10 to go in the first half.

The Tigers closed the gap when Craig Nichols pushed in from 2-yards out with 1:37 to go in the half. An unsuccessful 2-point conversion left the Tigers trailing 14-12, which would be the halftime score.

The Rams got the opening kick of the second half and got their first scoring pass of the night, a 23-yarder, at the 9:00 minute mark of the third quarter. The PAT stretched the Rams’ lead to 21-12.

11-8-2019 — Irondale, Ala. — Demopolis’ Kyjuan Rhone attempts to elude a Rams’ tackler during the Tigers’ game against Ramsay.

The Rams connected on a 52-yard scoring pass with 48 seconds to go in the third quarter. The Rams missed the PAT, but held a 27-12 lead over the Tigers.

The final score of the night came for the Rams with 9:23 to go in the final quarter. A 24-yard TD run and successful PAT gave the game’s final score of 34-12, in favor of the Ramsay Rams.

The Tigers managed a total of 238 total yards of offense versus the 463 yards by the Rams. The leading ground gainers for the Tigers were Nichols (18 carries for 57 yards), Stevenson (6 carries for 39 yards) and C.J. Williams (5 carries for 21 yards). Stevenson completed 11 of 29 passes for 144 yards. Tallying receiving yardage for the Tigers were Timothy Grayson (4 catches for 88 yards), Shatarius Williams (2 catches for 23 yards), Cameron Wright (1 catch for 17 yards), Kyjan Rhone (three catches for 10 yards) and C.J. Williams (1 catch for 10 yards).

11-8-2019 — Irondale, Ala. — Demopolis’ Craig Nichols makes a cut for open field during the Tigers’ game against the Ramsay Rams.

“It wasn’t our night. It started with turnovers. Over the last three years, if we win the turnover battle or it is equal, we haven’t lost a game. And, tonight, we didn’t accomplish that,” Demopolis head coach Brian Seymore said after the season ending loss. “We gave up too many explosive plays from their offense. Credit goes to Ramsay. You hate for it to end like this.”

The Tigers end their 2019 campaign in the first round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs and a 7-4 record. The winning record gives the Tigers’ their 25th consecutive winning season, the second longest active streak in the state of Alabama. The Tigers also have 24 consecutive playoff appearances.