A little something new this year for our Game of the Week, drive log with commentary from yours truly.
The Adairsville Tigers and the Trion Bulldogs finished off the preseason with a very well-played game on Friday night. No live kicking except for extra points and the varsity only played 2 Quarters.
Final Varsity Score: Trion 23 Adairsville 20
Note: There were 0 penalties or turnovers in the 1st half, rare for a preseason game.
Drive Chart
1st Q (12:00) at own 30yd line.
Trion Bulldogs (6 plays 6 yds: Punt)
The Bulldogs were able to pick up a 1st down on a couple of nice runs from #25 Toby Maddux but after a 5 yard loss on a little swing pass, defended well by Adairsville’s #30 Hayden Blalock who had 4 TT and a pass deflection on the 1st Bulldog drive, Trion was forced to punt.
1st Q (9:14) at own 35
Adairsville Tigers (6 play 65 yard: TD missed XP)
The Tigers were able to move the ball into Bulldog territory in 5 plays. An 8yd run by Ethan Blome coupled with a couple completions from SR QB Jonathan Gough to JR WR Tre Winters gave the Tigers good field position at the Bulldog 40. Junior WR Jamarian Pullum took the pitch on the end around 40 yards for the TD. The extra point was missed giving the Tiger a 6-0 lead early.
1st Q (7:09) at own 30
Trion Bulldogs (6 play 70 yards: TD)
Just when you thought Adairsville might blow the doors off, Trion responded quickly. The big play coming on a 37 yard pass from Jr QB Kade Smith to Maddux, setting up the Bulldogs at the Tiger 19 yard line. After a stop for no gain, Jr RB Zach Camp took the handoff up the middle for a 19 yard TD to give Trion a 7-6 lead.
1st Q (4:27) at own 30
Adairsville Tigers (3 plays 4 yards: Punt)
Trion came up with a defensive stop of their own on the Tigers 2nd possession. Added by a couple of pass breakups from Garrett Mahan and DT Connor Harris, the Tigers were forced to punt.
1st Q (3:05) at own 35
Trion Bulldogs (8 play 65 yard: TD)
Toby Maddux went to work on this drive with 6 carries for 44 yards including a 4 yard TD run on the 1st play of the 2nd quarter. The extra point would give the Bulldogs a 14-6 to start the 2nd Quarter.
2nd Q (11:30) at own 30
Adairsville Tigers (9 play 70 yard: TD missed XP)
Ethan Blome had 3 carries for 25 yards early in the drive to put the Tiger in Bulldog territory. Facing a 2nd and 10 at the Trion 28, Bulldog DE Logan Stokes sniffed out the end around and tackled the Tiger for a 3 yard loss setting up a long 3rd and 13. Gough was able to find Blome open down the right seam on the next play for a 31 yard TD. They tried for 2 to tie the game but were stopped short. Trion 14 Adairsville 12.
2nd Q (9:09) at own 30
Trion Bulldogs (7 play 70 yards: TD missed XP)
After a couple incompletions it looked like the Dogs might go 3 and out but Kade Smith was able to find Ethan Willingham for a 14 yard gain on 3rd and 10. Two plays later Maddux would bust the ball up the middle for the longest gain of the night, 51 yards down to the Tiger 5 yard line. Two plays later he bowled his way into the endzone for his 2nd TD of the night. The Bulldogs missed the XP and took a 20-12 lead with 7:00 to go in the 2nd quarter.
2nd Q (7:00) at own 30
Adairsville Tigers (2 play 70 yards: TD + 2pt coversion)
The Tigers struck quick. After a 9 yard Blome run, Gough found a wide open Jaydon Hovarth down the left side for a 61 yard touchdown. Gough was able to connect with Jr WR Xavious Nalls for the 2 point conversion tying the game at 20 a piece.
2nd Q (6:21) at own 30
Trion Bulldogs (3 play 4 yards: Punt)
For the 1st time on the evening the Bulldogs were held to a 3 and out. Sr Tiger DL Andrew Foster batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage on a 3rd and 6 to force the punt.
2nd Q (4:55) own 35
Adairsville Tiger (10 play 37 yards: TO on downs)
The Tigers looked like they might put together a quarter ending drive to win the varsity portion of the scrimmage. Blome had 4 carries for 23 yards on the drive but after a couple of incompletions at the Trion 28 yard line the Tigers turned it over on downs with a little over 1:00 left.
2nd Q (1:07) own 28
Trion Bulldogs (6 play 54 yards: FG)
On the 1st play of the drive Kade Smith connected with Garrett Mahan for a 36 yard gain putting the Bulldogs deep in Tiger territory. After a couple of incompletions and a sack by Tiger’s #52 Andrew Foster, the Bulldogs faced a 4th and 15 at the Tiger 40yd line. Smith was able to find #44 Logan Stokes down the right sideline for a 21 yard gain putting the ball at the Tiger 19 with just seconds to play. All Region kicker Andy Ramirez connected on a 36 yard field goal with just 9 seconds left in the quarter to close out the scoring at 23-20.