By By BRUCE HIXON Sports Editor
The T.R. Miller Tigers may not have cashed in every opportunity that was given to them, but they cashed in more than enough to post a 32-12 victory over the host W.S. Neal Blue Eagles in a "B" team contest Monday.
It was T.R. Miller's second triumph over W.S. Neal this season. The Tigers, who improved to 5-0, posted a 33-6 win on their home turf two weeks ago.
Thanks to a strong defensive performance by the Tigers and a couple of W.S. Neal turnovers, all five of T.R. Miller's first half possessions began in Blue Eagles territory.
The Tigers converted on their first opportunity, which began at the W.S. Neal 43-yard line. Briddell Jones turned a third down and seven situation into a 12-yard touchdown run with 4:02 left in the first quarter. Reo Kirkland's point after kick made it 7-0.
T.R. Miller began possessions at the W.S. Neal 47, 30, 32 and 38-yard line on its next four series. The Tigers scored on the third of those opportunities when Nick Puryear ran one in from five yards out with 3:08 left in the first half. Although Kirkland's PAT kick failed, the Tigers still had a 13-0 advantage.
T.R. Miller started a drive in its own territory for the first time in the game on the first possession of the second half. Even that one started near midfield, the Tigers' 48-yard line.
T.R. Miller needed seven plays to cover the 52 yards. Nykeem Barton plowed through from two yards out for the score, but the key play was a 25-yard pass from Baxley Raines to Barton on a third down and two from the W.S. Neal 44. Although the extra point failed, T.R. Miller's lead stood at 19-0 with 3:56 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers' air game burned the Blue Eagles on the last play
See B GAME Page 7
of the third quarter when Raines hit Barton on a 45-yard pass. Barton broke a tackle after a short gain and then raced down the left sideline. The missed PAT kept the score 25-0.
Although the outcome of the game had long since been decided, the final minute of play featured plenty of excitement with three touchdowns.
W.S. Neal (1-2) broke up the shutout with 52 seconds to go when Mario Daniel connected with Shon Biddle on an eight-yard touchdown pass. Daniel was stopped on a run attempt for the two-point conversion.
After T.R. Miller recovered an onside kick attempt, the Tigers opted not to kneel down and run out the clock. Instead, Justin Gomez ran up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown. Kirkland's PAT kick made it 32-6.
The late offensive outburst did not end there. W.S. Neal's Jarrod McReary ran back the kickoff 75 yards for another touchdown.