Red Bay falls late to Sheffield
By Bart Moss for the FCT
In a game with playoff implications, the Red Bay Tigers and Sheffield Bulldogs put on quite a show Friday night. Sheffield came out on top of a nail-biter 36-28, diminishing the Tigers’ playoffs hopes.
Red Bay was unable to contain an explosive Sheffield team, giving up three long yardage touchdowns to the Bulldogs – 73, 71 and 56.
Red Bay never led in the game and only tied the game with just under five minutes to go, but it was a tight game throughout.
Sheffield scored the first two touchdowns on the night. Their first came on a 73-yard run to with 5:28 to go in the first quarter.
Then came a flurry of scoring: three touchdowns in 46 seconds. Sheffield scored on a one-yard run with 1:51 to go in the first quarter to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead. Red Bay answered after a big play with a two-yard touchdown run by Aaron Lewey to make the score 14-6 with 1:30 to go in the first quarter.
Sheffield answered immediately by returning the ensuing kickoff 71 yards for a score to give the Bulldogs a 21-6 lead with 1:15 to go in the first quarter.
After a lull in scoring in the second quarter, Red Bay scored just before the end of the half on another two-yard run touchdown run by Lewey to cut into Sheffield’s lead 21-12 at halftime.
Red Bay closed to within one point with 3:38 to go in the third quarter on Lewey’s third two-yard touchdown run of the night to make the score 21-20 Sheffield.
The Bulldogs scored with 8:13 to go in the game on a short run to extend their lead to 28-20.
Red Bay tied the game on Lewey’s fourth touchdown on the night – this one a 36-yard run. The Tigers converted a two-point conversion to tie the game 28-28.
Sheffield scored what would be the winning touchdown on the ensuing kickoff with a 56-yard return to give the Bulldogs a 36-28 win.
Lewey finished the game with 117 yards on 22 carries and four touchdowns.
Luke Rooker caught five passes for 66 yards.
Red Bay falls to 3-4 on the season and 1-3 in the region. The Tigers will host Hatton Friday night.
