CONYERS, Ga — With all hopes of a playoff berth gone, the Alcovy Tigers traveled to Reid Stadium in Conyers Friday night to take on the Rockdale County Bulldogs in the season finale for the 2022 season in hopes of finishing strong.
The Tigers did just that, defeating the Bulldogs, 41-28.
As it’s been for the past two seasons, Alcovy was led by senior quarterback Ashton Evans who had a total of three touchdowns in the game (one passing and two rushing).
Alcovy got started early in the game as it scored on the opening drive with a Tyler Solomon eight-yard touchdown run.
But the Bulldogs responded quickly with a touchdown of their own as Jeffrey Chandler Jr. found the end zone from a yard out. The PAT was no good, which kept the Tigers leading by one.
Alcovy didn’t slow down as Evans found junior wide receiver Bernard Johnson for 24-yard touchdown pass, but Rockdale answered fast once again when sophomore quarterback Malik Brightwell found junior wide receiver Najiib Anderson for a touchdown pass. Rockdale scored the two-point conversion which tied the game 14-14.
Both offenses turned the ball over on their next possessions, but it was the Tigers’ offense capitalizing off the Bulldogs’ miscue. Evans found the end zone, thanks to a five-yard quarterback keeper on a zone read play.
Alcovy’s defense stoned Rockdale on the Bulldogs’ first possession out of halftime. The Tigers then turned their opening drive of the half into points with Evans finding the endzone again on a 17-yard touchdown run. The Tigers extended the lead to 28-14 late in the third quarter.
Junior running back Nasir Watson extended the Tigers’ lead 35-14 early in the fourth quarter. Both teams would add garbage time points to the scoreboard, with Alcovy making enough plays on defense to ward off any hopes of a Rockdale comeback.
The Tigers finished the season on a three-game winning streak capping off its season with a 4-6 record overall and 3-4 mark in Region 3-AAAAAA which will place them fifth in the final region standings. The Bulldogs will finish the season 1-9 and 0-7 in the region, putting them last.