Red Bay defeats 3A Colbert Heights 20-13

By Staff
Keith Ledbetter
For the FCT
COLBERT HEIGHTS – Defending Class 2A, Region 8 champion Red Bay capped its spring season with a 20-13 jamboree win over Class 3A, Region 8 runners-up Colbert Heights Friday night at Amos Mitchell Field.
"Some of the things we were trying to work on, we just didn't do very well with the (first team)," Red Bay coach Dale Jeffreys said. "We just haven't worked long enough on everything, but we did have a great throw from (Cody) Palmer to (Cody) Tucker. We happened to catch Colbert Heights in single coverage."
After Red Bay failed to score on its first drive, Colbert Heights took a 6-0 lead on a touchdown reception by Josh Balta.
In the second quarter, Tucker and Jesse Venable each came up with interceptions, while the Wildcats' Josh Lindsey halted a Red Bay drive with a pick.
On the Tigers' next possession, Palmer kept the drive alive with a quarterback keeper and Cody Armstrong busted up the middle for a 48-yard touchdown to tie the score at 6-6.
In the third quarter, Colbert Heights drove to the Red Bay 2-yard line but Andre Newell made an interception on fourth-and-goal. The Tigers then drove 80 yards in seven plays as Palmer fired a 29-yard scoring pass to Tucker to go ahead 12-6.
The Wildcats responded with time ticking down in the third as Jason Handler rushed for a score and Bryson Smith converted the extra point to put Colbert Heights ahead 13-12.
With both schools substituting in their second-string squads in the fourth quarter, Matt Montgomery scored for Red Bay and Hunter Childers found Kevin Hastings for the two-point conversion and the 20-13 victory.
"Our young guys came out and did well," Jeffreys said. "It was fun watching them, and I though they came and ran the plays a little better than the varsity did.
"We've got our work cut out for us but this is a hard-working group. I don't know how talented we are yet, but we're working really hard."