COVINGTON, Ga. – A back and forth battle ended in dramatic fashion when Trey Bryant found Ayden Goddard for a game winning touchdown and a final score of 27-21.
Last week the Tigers traveled to Habersham and suffered a 40-14 loss. But despite the score, that game was easily one of their best so far this season.
The Tigers decided they would build on that performance by setting the tone just about as early as a team possibly can. Kaeden Booker received the opening kickoff and ran it 95 yards back for an opening play touchdown and lead. It was 7-0 with 11:50 still in the first quarter.
After the game last week Head Coach Spencer Fortson emphasized the importance of building off of momentum and stringing together consecutive good drives on both sides of the ball.
“We got it done,” Fortson said with a big grin. “We came out and got it started and the defense came out and held the momentum forcing the fumble and getting the ball back.”
That said, the Tigers kicked off and forced a fumble, which they recovered on Apalachee’s first drive of the game.
Alcovy promptly took advantage of the short field, starting in the red zone, scoring in just a few plays. Bryant was the ball ambassador for that score.
The Tigers bit on a play action call on the next drive and the Wildcats quarterback made them pay. Apalachee set up for the point after but caught a Tigers defender offside and moved the ball up a yard. The Wildcats used that opportunity to try for two instead and converted, trailing 13-8.
After that both teams traded punts for a few possessions and what looked to be a shootout slowed down.
That was until the Alcovy long snapper overshot the punter and the Wildcats recovered the ball in the endzone. That mistake cost the Tigers the lead, and for the first time they trailed 15-13, midway through the second quarter.
“We still made some mistakes, some really costly mistakes,” Fortson said. “But for the most part we recovered well and we stayed locked in and kept our spark.”
The shootout came alive again when Bryant found Carlos Sing on a wheel route for another lead-changing touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt that followed was no good as Bryant scrambled but couldn't get a pass off. Once again, Alcovy was in the lead, this time 19-15.
It seemed as though that score might hold heading into the locker room, but an Apalachee receiver mossed a Tigers defender with just 19 seconds remaining in the half.
The Tigers, despite their efforts and their best half of football all season, still trailed 21-19 at halftime.
The entire third quarter was one of the most forgettable of the season, but for good reason. Coming out of the half, neither team scored and Alcovy recovered a second fumble early in the fourth to set the tone as crunch time began.
“We made some mistakes, especially with the holding calls putting us behind the sticks,” Fortson said.
The ensuing drive was one of the most up-and-down of the season. The Tigers had a fourth-and-one just outside their own 20 yard line and Bryant escaped to the outside for a 71-yard touchdown, called back due to a penalty. Just plays later, Bryant found Booker for what would've been a 73-yard touchdown, but it was called back due to an ineligible receiver down field penalty.
The Wildcats were stumped on the following possession despite the field position they received and missed a 35-yard field goal attempt off left.
Then came the Alcovy moment of truth. Could the Tigers complete the two-minute drill to win the game?
Through the help of penalties and some of Bryant’s best quarterback play all season, it culminated in a touchdown pass. Bryant found Goddard wide open in the corner of the endzone and Alcovy regained its lead. The score was 27-21 with just 28 seconds left to go.
Next up for Alcovy is their last home matchup, which will be against Clarke Central. Clarke Central will enter the contest at 3-5 on the season coming off of a bye week.
