A win and Alcovy would’ve clinched the No. 4 seed in Region 2-AAAAAA, but the Tigers weren’t able to overcome a struggling Rockdale team and fell to the Bulldogs 25-6. The Tigers are now in a three-way tie with Rockdale and Lakeside for the last spot in the playoffs with the tiebreaker going to Lakeside. Alcovy could still get in with an upset over Lovejoy and both Rockdale and Lakeside losing.
On a beautiful Friday afternoon at Rockdale, Alcovy started the game by squib kicking to the 32-yard line for Rockdale to receive. Rockdale’s offense was potent, but they couldn’t get into the end zone and were forced to settle for a field goal.
Still in the first quarter, Alcovy received the ball with hope to score. Alcovy failed to convert a first down after Chris Stewart picked up a first with a 13-yard run.
Rockdale followed suit. The Alcovy Tigers defense was relentless and didn’t allow the Bulldogs to convert a first down either.
The Tigers started the drive with a pass caught for 12 yards, but an offensive holding penalty and a false start pinned the Tigers back further than they needed to be. Alcovy QB Quindrelin Hammonds was sacked forcing Alcovy to punt the ball away.
The teams traded punts on the following respective possessions.
Rockdale would soon score the first touchdown. Jacari Cameron caught a 48-yard pass, to set up the Bulldogs. Then a Tyon Davis handoff went for eight yards. Bulldog QB Zuri Minnifield ran one in for the touchdown, but Rockdale missed the PAT and set the score at Rockdale‘s 9 to Alcovy’s 0.
Alcoy couldn’t answer back and was quick to punt the ball back into the Bulldogs’ hands. At the the end of the first half the score remained 9-0, Rockdale.
Alcovy started the second half with the ball. The Tigers were once again forced to punt to their opponent. Rockdale got on the board again with yet another field goal. Davis had big gains of 19 and 22 on the drive to set up the field goal as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 12-0.
The Tigers offense was hindered by penalties all night and punted yet again. After Rockdale received the ball, Cameron caught a 41-yard touchdown, putting Rockdale in the driver seat as Alcovy’s playoff hopes slowly began to fade. Rockdale missed the PAT again, but led 18-0 midway through the third quarter.
Alcovy got the ball back just to turn it over as a Hammonds pass was intercepted by Mytavious Carrigan. Rockdale was unable to score after the defensive play and punted the ball back to Alcovy.
Alcovy would finally score after Chance Phillips caught a touchdown pass for 20 yards, but Alcovy failed to complete the PAT. The Tigers had life as they trailed 18-6.
In three plays, Davis ran for 43 yards on the Alcovy defense and Minnifield got into the end zone on a QB dive and Rockdale got out of the game with the 25-6 victory.
“The defense played well tonight. Should have been a goose egg, [but we] had a couple mistakes toward the end,” Venson Elder, Rockdale head coach, said.
Alcovy will need help if it plans to get into the playoffs. The Tigers need to beat Lovejoy, plus get losses from Lakeside and Rockdale to represent the region as the No. 4 seed.
Head coach of Alcovy Football, Kirk Hoffman, said, “We gotta find a way to upset a pretty good next week, Lovejoy.”
