Ben E Lou
12-07-2003, 08:40 AM
...but I'm gonna be prowling the sidelines at the Georgia Dome----finally!!!! Tigers earn first trip to Dome
By JAY STONE
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
Edited by SkyDog because this nimrod got the name of one our star players wrong. He called FB Jimmy Coleman "Jemond Miller." There is no one by that name on the Tucker squad. Guess they send the 2nd-team reporter out to cover Saturday games. :rolleyes: If Jimmy were a bit player, it would be more understandable, but he's a D-1 kid all the way who has gotten a decent amount of press time in the AJC this year.
LaGrange -- With a symphony playing in the auditorium next door to Callaway Stadium, Tucker's Brandyn Young and Jimmy Coleman appeared inspired by the holiday season to make a little music of their own Saturday night.
Young carried 18 times for 120 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run, and Coleman's 79-yard scoring run secured Tucker's first ticket to the Georgia Dome with a 29-0 win over Troup.
Tucker (12-1) will face Statesboro (10-2-1) on Saturday at the Georgia Dome with a chance to avenge an 8-7 overtime loss three years ago.
Troup (11-2) found offense hard to come by, managing just 164 total yards, and its chance to keep the game close faded away in Tucker's third-quarter, goal-line stand.
"The defense just stepped it up and made plays," Tucker coach Bill Ballard said. "That was a big momentum changer."
Tucker fumbled away its first opportunity at the Troup 6-yard line but got points after forcing Troup into a punt attempt. After a low snap, Troup punter Courtney Billingslea had difficulty picking the ball up and then tossed it through the end zone for a Tucker safety.
It marked the second consecutive night a safety was recorded at Callaway Stadium, but unlike LaGrange's 2-0 win over Swainsboro on Friday in the AAA quarterfinals, Tucker didn't have to make the safety stand up.
With the temperatures dipping into the 30s, Tucker stayed in the locker room until just before the opening kickoff, and its offense seemed to relish the extra couple of minutes of warmth, moving the ball consistently from start to finish and piling up 466 total yards.
D.T. McDowell's 27-yard touchdown pass to Raejon Alexander and Young's 9-yard run in the second quarter pushed the lead to 15-0 at the half, and the Tigers from DeKalb County had the game under control.
Troup had its best chance in the first half taken away when Tucker's Trey Buice intercepted Tyler Wynn's pass in the end zone with 18 seconds left.
Troup drove to the Tucker 1-yard line on its opening possession of the second half, but Tucker stopped it three consecutive plays to push back the threat.
Tucker then responded with an eight-play, 98-yard drive to put the game away. McDowell connected with Alexander on a 73-yard pass and then snuck in from the 1.
Tucker 2 13 14 0 -- 29
Troup 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Tuc -- Safety (Troup punter Courtney Billingslea threw ball through end zone)
Tuc -- Raejon Alexander 27 pass from D.T. McDowell (kick failed)
Tuc -- Brandyn Young 9 run (Blake Harr kick)
Tuc -- McDowell 1 run (Harr kick)
Tuc -- Jimmy Coleman 79 run (Harr kick)This has felt a long time coming. This was the third time in the last four seasons that Tucker was playing in the Q-Finals, one game away from being in the Dome, but the Tigers had never gotten over the hump before last night's stirring win. For more info on this magical season, check the dynasty thread (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13256) that I've posted to chronicle this season.
--Ben
By JAY STONE
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
Edited by SkyDog because this nimrod got the name of one our star players wrong. He called FB Jimmy Coleman "Jemond Miller." There is no one by that name on the Tucker squad. Guess they send the 2nd-team reporter out to cover Saturday games. :rolleyes: If Jimmy were a bit player, it would be more understandable, but he's a D-1 kid all the way who has gotten a decent amount of press time in the AJC this year.
LaGrange -- With a symphony playing in the auditorium next door to Callaway Stadium, Tucker's Brandyn Young and Jimmy Coleman appeared inspired by the holiday season to make a little music of their own Saturday night.
Young carried 18 times for 120 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run, and Coleman's 79-yard scoring run secured Tucker's first ticket to the Georgia Dome with a 29-0 win over Troup.
Tucker (12-1) will face Statesboro (10-2-1) on Saturday at the Georgia Dome with a chance to avenge an 8-7 overtime loss three years ago.
Troup (11-2) found offense hard to come by, managing just 164 total yards, and its chance to keep the game close faded away in Tucker's third-quarter, goal-line stand.
"The defense just stepped it up and made plays," Tucker coach Bill Ballard said. "That was a big momentum changer."
Tucker fumbled away its first opportunity at the Troup 6-yard line but got points after forcing Troup into a punt attempt. After a low snap, Troup punter Courtney Billingslea had difficulty picking the ball up and then tossed it through the end zone for a Tucker safety.
It marked the second consecutive night a safety was recorded at Callaway Stadium, but unlike LaGrange's 2-0 win over Swainsboro on Friday in the AAA quarterfinals, Tucker didn't have to make the safety stand up.
With the temperatures dipping into the 30s, Tucker stayed in the locker room until just before the opening kickoff, and its offense seemed to relish the extra couple of minutes of warmth, moving the ball consistently from start to finish and piling up 466 total yards.
D.T. McDowell's 27-yard touchdown pass to Raejon Alexander and Young's 9-yard run in the second quarter pushed the lead to 15-0 at the half, and the Tigers from DeKalb County had the game under control.
Troup had its best chance in the first half taken away when Tucker's Trey Buice intercepted Tyler Wynn's pass in the end zone with 18 seconds left.
Troup drove to the Tucker 1-yard line on its opening possession of the second half, but Tucker stopped it three consecutive plays to push back the threat.
Tucker then responded with an eight-play, 98-yard drive to put the game away. McDowell connected with Alexander on a 73-yard pass and then snuck in from the 1.
Tucker 2 13 14 0 -- 29
Troup 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Tuc -- Safety (Troup punter Courtney Billingslea threw ball through end zone)
Tuc -- Raejon Alexander 27 pass from D.T. McDowell (kick failed)
Tuc -- Brandyn Young 9 run (Blake Harr kick)
Tuc -- McDowell 1 run (Harr kick)
Tuc -- Jimmy Coleman 79 run (Harr kick)This has felt a long time coming. This was the third time in the last four seasons that Tucker was playing in the Q-Finals, one game away from being in the Dome, but the Tigers had never gotten over the hump before last night's stirring win. For more info on this magical season, check the dynasty thread (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13256) that I've posted to chronicle this season.
--Ben