[Poli]

We win the toss and defer.

Hunter kicks the ball off short, Ray nearly recovers the ball on their 40 yard line. Ray continues this great effort, making the tackle on the first play from scrimmage, strips the ball, and recovers it.

We line up in Trojan, our overshifted shotgun formation where the backs line up behind Ray, Nick C, and Ashanti (who is the overshifted player from the left side. Carlos takes the snap and goes 40 yards, untouched, for the score. Jacob misses the kick, badly. 6-0 Vols.

Hunter gets off a better kick and the Steeler player falls on it. Steelers on their 30. An incorrectly called incomplete pass later (the ball went backwards, it was CLEARLY a lateral), and they try their reverse. JD and Nathaniel make the tackle before they actually get the ball to their receiver, and Carlos makes the recovery after chasing the reverse action. First down on the 30.

Noah is in the game at this point at receiver and holds # 47, the outside linebacker as we try to run outside with Bryce. He doesn't do a great job of either blocking or holding, though # 47 THROWS NOAH TO THE GROUND, but that wasn't called. Steelers actually decline the holding call as Bryce lost a yard on the play. Bryce makes them pay for that one as we run off tackle with him the next play. Bryce cuts back against the grain and scores from 31 yards out. Jacob tries to kick it again, misses again, and we won't try to kick another one all year. 12-0 good guys.

Hunter squibs this kick despite my pleads to kick it deep. Ray nearly recovers it near midfield. Ray strips another football out on the Steelers first play and Hunter recovers the ball. I'm then warned by the head referee that if my assistant coach continues to yell "BALL! BALL!" from the sidelines on every play, that he will call us for a personal foul. ARE YOU SERIOUS?

JD carries off left tackle for 7 and we try to throw a pass to Nick, his brother. Nathaniel's pass is intercepted at the Steeler 41.

The Steelers come out and try to run their trips right formation, though one boy was lost and ran over to the trips side late. They flag him for illegal procedure, a correct call. Carlos intercepts the quick hitch, which we were expecting, and returns it for a score. However, we're flagged for a block in the back. I would say that was incorrect as well, but I'll give the ref the benefit of the doubt at this point. The illegal procedure took place at their 41 yard line and the block in the back at the 23. I'm not a master of referees, but that tells me that we should decline the illegal procedure, they take the penalty and we're backed up to their 33. Instead, they have us take over INCORRECTLY at the 45. This wouldn't GET ON MY NERVES so much if 1. the head referee wasn't a flag happy buffoon or 2. IF HE WASN'T A REFEREE FOR HIGH SCHOOL GAMES.

Bryce comes out and scores on a sweep, though they flag Carlos for holding. I can deal with that. What I can't DEAL WITH IS THAT # 47, as Bryce is near the endzone, TACKLES CARLOS FROM BEHIND AT the 38, and I can clearly see it on the tape. They do see that, flag # 47 for it, however, they call it offsetting. That might actually be the right call, but for as flagrant as a hit as that was, as malicious as it was, I think he should have been ejected. He was trying to hurt Carlos and as he was sent off the field (personal fouls mandate 1 play off, 2 PFs and you're ejected), he yelled back to his team, that "I don't care, he deserved it", which was in earshot of me and the head referee.

Carlos, who hurt his ribcage on the play, wouldn't return for the rest of the half and was gunshy again the rest of the game.

We wedge with JD next and gain 4. Bryce tries to run off tackle right, but is stuffed for no gain, just as the whistle is blown a Steeler dives in to the pile, leading with his helmet, a personal foul that sends the Vols up 15 more yards. #47 got his hands up around Noah's neck when Noah tried to block him, and Noah was crying when we huddled up. Out goes our 2nd receiver thanks to #47 in about 4 plays, and in comes Nick T.

We wedge, despite having Nick T taking his first snap ever at wing, and gain 4. Bryce carries off right tackle for 1, and we call for JD off right tackle. It clogs up quickly and JD turns upfield after bouncing off a blocker and scores from 20 yards out.

At this point, the referee comes to me and tells me to get 28 points as quickly as I can so they can run the clock. JD wedges up the middle for the extra point. 19-0, good guys.

Hunter kicks the kickoff right to one of their players who surprise us all by heading straight upfield. He returns it to our 46.

With Carlos out, we're now down our corner that's on their lone receiver. With some of our subs in on defense, I have to run someone out there and fast. My subs went in for the defensive line and David at linebacker. David is probably the lightest and most athletic of the bunch so I send him back out as the corner.

That turned out to be a good call. Two plays later, David picks off a pass and returns it to the 50 yard line as the first quarter expires.