County cat fight goes Tiger’s way
Photo by Bart Moss
The Bobcats try to hold the Red Bay Tigers, who ultimately pulled the win against their in-county rival.
By Jonathan Grimes for the FCT
Friday Red Bay traveled to Phil Campbell to play the Bobcats in a rival region game. The Bobcats, who had many close calls throughout the season, were looking to upset the Tigers and end region play with a big win. But in the final analysis Red Bay pulled out a 30-13 win to close region play.
To start the night, the Red Bay Tigers won the toss and chose to receive the ball. After the kick off, the Tigers set up from their own 32 yard line, and after nearly six minutes they scored on a run by Red Bay’s No. 6 Max Bullen. The extra point by No. 15 Abdul Muzayad was good, bringing the score to 7-0 with Tigers on top.
On the ensuing kick-off, the Bobcats fumbled the ball on the return, setting up the Tigers with a short field on the Bobcats 31, but the Bobcats would hold Red Bay to a field goal attempt by Muzayad, and the Tiger lead grew to 10-0 with 4:46 left in the 1st quarter.
The Bobcats started their first drive of the night on their own 30, but after a few penalties backed them up after a first down, the drive stalled on their own 39. Red Bay took their next possession into the second quarter, but the drive stalled out on the Bobcat 29 yard line.
The next Bobcat drive stalled and ended in a punt, but the same happened for Red Bay.
The ensuing punt resulted in a fumble during the return to set the Tigers up with a short field, and once again Red Bay made the Bobcats pay for it by taking the ensuing drive 23 yards to score on a 2-yard run by Kolby Bragwell to bring the score to 17-0.
After a Bobcat three-and-out and punt, Red Bay had time for another drive, but on the first play after the PC punt, the Tigers fumbled, setting the Bobcats up in Red Bay territory with time on the clock to score. This PC drive ended on a 24-yard TD pass from Peyton Thomas to Colby Baker and, after the Smith extra point, the Bobcats brought the score to 17-7 for the half.
At the very end of an uneventful third quarter, Red Bay was driving down the field, to start the fourth quarter at the Phil Campbell 4 yard line. A few plays later, the Tigers scored on a 1-yard run by Bragwell. The extra point failed, bringing the score to 23-7 just a minute into the fourth quarter.
The ensuing Bobcat drive was a three-and-out, setting the Tigers up on their own 44 yard line. The Tigers took this drive down and scored on a 2-yard run by No. 20 Andrew Ray, and after the good extra point, the score was 30-7 with 5:53 remaining.
The last drive for the Bobcats started at the Bobcat 44 and went down the field ending in a score by 37-yard TD pass from Thomas to Nick Swinney. The Bobcats tried a 2-point conversion but did not convert, making the score 30-13 with 3:24 left in the game. T
his set up an onside kick attempt from the Bobcats, but it failed, and Red Bay was poised to run the ball and run out the clock, ending the game with a Red Bay win 30-13.
Next week the Bobcats travel to Hackleburg to play the Panthers in their last game of the season. The game will be Thursday. The Tigers will also play Thursday, traveling to Cherokee.
