Second half surge propels RHS to 14-7 jamboree win
The Golden Tigers face off against the Indians for a pre-season jamboree.
By Josh Prewitt for the FCT
The Russellville Golden Tigers opened the season hosting the Colbert County Indians at home in Friday night’s jamboree game, where RHS gutted out a good consistent second half performance to hold on and beat the Indians 14-7.
Colbert County got the ball first and drove down the field with big help from RB/SS Kearvae Qualls. The Indians drove just inside the 20 yard line, but Russellville’s defense stood tall and forced the Indians to go for it on fourth down, where they failed to get it and turned it over on downs around the 7:20 mark in the first quarter.
Russellville wasn’t able to capitalize, going three and out on the following drive.
Early in the second quarter, Golden Tigers went on a run where QB Peyton Nichols hit RB/WR Deyon Hill for a huge 32-yard pass connection, then Nichols followed up the next play with a big 12-yard quarterback keeper. Russellville wasn’t able to turn the drive that almost got into the redzone, going three and out.
In the next drive for Colbert County, the Indians missed a huge pass that was wide open but was overthrown by QB/SS Tyler Jeffreys. The Indians capitalized on the next drive that started at the 5:53 mark. Colbert County drove down the field with big runs from Qualls and a pass interference call on the Golden Tigers that got the ball to the 25 yard line. With the Indians driving down inside the redzone, Russellville’s FB/LB Cam DeArman pulled in a huge interception thrown by Indians Jeffreys at the 1:10 mark in second quarter, but the Golden Tigers, after driving, threw an interception of their own by QB Nichols with 34 seconds remaining. As the quarter ran out, the Indians got inside the 20 yard line again but couldn’t convert as they missed a field goal going into halftime to keep the game tied 0-0.
Russellville Head Coach Mark Heaton said his guys played hard. “We’re learning a lot about our team in this jamboree game. We’re playing hard and doing some things I’m happy with, but we of course have things we have to work on and improve in preparation for the regular season opener against Deshler,” Heaton said.
“Our defense stepped up with two big stops in the first half, the turnover on downs and the interception. I was really happy to see my guys not give up and step up when we really needed it,” Heaton said.
In the second half, the Golden Tigers got the ball first and had an impressive drive, marching down the field with big plays from QB Peyton Nichols with a 17-yard run, RB/CB Logan Jones following up with a 14-yard run and WR Avery Sears with another first down to add with the scoring drive being capped off by a dazzling slice and dice 28-yard run by QB Nichols to take a 7-0 lead over the Indians with 4:12 remaining in the third quarter.
“The second half started off great. Both teams had some back-ups in, but it was great for the young players and to see Nichols come out the way he did,” Heaton said.
The Golden Tigers defense stayed aggressive in the third quarter after two first half redzone stops, but Russellville had some help from the Indians as they committed three straight penalties that proved to be costly as the Colbert County went backwards to fourth and 23, a drive that stalled and went three and out.
Russellville went into fourth quarter with the ball leading 7-0 over Colbert County. With 7:09 left in regulation, as the Golden Tigers drove down the field, a bizarre play occurred. Russellville went three and out, and as they decided to go for a field goal, the snap went over the head of back-up QB Lucas McNutt, who was the holder for the kicker. He used his instincts to pick up the ball and found wide open WR Nate Franklin, who broke loose from coverage to catch the touchdown pass that put the Golden Tigers up 14-0 over Colbert County.
Assistant/Wide Receivers Coach Shane Reid had this to say about the controversial but wild play that built their lead to 14-0 in the fourth quarter. “It was a bizarre play because everyone was wondering and curious about if it was a live ball or not because of the rules in a jamboree game. But after it was said and done, the referees called it a live ball, and that resulted in a big scoring play for us. We teach our players different types of situations in practice and to use their instincts because you never know what can happen. Playing smart can do big things,” Reid said. “Our players did what they were coached to do.”
The Indians didn’t back down, and they showed sparks of offensive talent in next drive that ended with a huge 61-yard pass play from Jeffreys to WR/CB Kolby McCoy, resulting in a touchdown to cut Russellville’s lead to 14-7 with 3:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.
On the next and final drive, Russellville proved to be the team on top and too much for the Indians as they moved down the field with big runs by QB Lucas McNutt. Time expired and the game ended with Russellville winning 14-7 to get their second straight jamboree win over the Colbert County Indians.
“I didn’t know to much about Colbert County coming into this game; I knew they would run the ball a lot. They’re a good team and will make a deep run this year,” Heaton said. “I’m proud of my team; this is a big step in learning from everything that happened in this game. Offense was good and will get better as the year goes on, but I was very pleased with our defense. Our young guys played good, and I’m proud of everyone.”
The Golden Tigers open regular season play next Friday at 7 p.m., where they will battle it out in Tuscumbia against the Deshler Tigers.
