By By Adam Robinson
sports editor
T.R. Miller coach Jamie Riggs knew his defense would be seeing a lot of passes from Straughn quarterback Ryne Taylor. He also knew the play and containment of Taylor would play a big role in the game.
Playing those hunches brought the Tigers a rousing victory as Miller defeated Straughn, 30-13.
One thing Riggs thought would be a factor in the game was special teams. It was indeed the special teams that played a big factor in the game as T.R. Miller used 16 points on special teams including two blocked punts and a field goal and got two touchdowns from Matt Lane to rally and defeat Straughn Friday at Brewton Municipal Stadium in a non-region game.
With the win T.R. Miller improved to 3-2 on the season and Straughn dropped to 2-3 overall.
The first punt block came with 3:19 left in the second quarter when Brandon Andrews returned the blocked punt 22 yards to cut an early 13-7 Straughn to 13-13.
A second came with 5:32 left in the game as Straughn was punting deep in their own end zone.
Cortez Banks rushed through the line and blocked the punt and caught it in the air landing just inside the back of the end zone to put the game away for the Tigers at 30-13.
Struggling was the right word in the first half for the Tigers of Brewton as on their first possession of the game, an incomplete pass from John Mathieu to Seth Holland was behind the line of scrimmage and an alert Bilyon Jones for Straughn picked up the ball for the Tigers and raced 71 yards for an early touchdown to put Straughn up 7-0 with just 9:22 left in the first quarter.
After alternating punts on their next three offensive series, it was Jones again for Straughn who scored on a 5-yard run to put Straughn up 13-0 after a missed point-after-touchdown by Jakim Felton.
The Tigers were able to come right back on the next play after quarterback Wil Riggs connected on a 40-yard pass to Matt Lane to make it a 13-7 game after a Chris Griffin extra point with 4:43 left in the half.
On Straughn’s next possession, T.R. Miller used their first punt block of the night as Brandon Andrews raced 22 yards to tie the game at 13-13 after a failed extra point with 3:19 left in the half.
That would be all the scoring that would take place in the first half and all the scoring that the Straughn Tigers would get as the T.R. Miller defense pitched a shutout in the second half and held Straughn to under 100 total yards in the second half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Miller was able to connect on a 22-yard field goal by Chris Griffin to take their first lead at 16-13 with 11:22 left in the fourth quarter.
After holding Straughn to a punt on their next series, T.R. Miller used six-plays to take a 23-13 lead as Matt Lane scored from 41-yards out with 7:13 left in the game. T.R. Miller then added their last score of the night on the Banks blocked punt in the end zone to take a 30-13 lead with 5:32 in the game and took the game by the same score.
Matt Lane was the leading rusher for the Tigers as he had 60 yards nine carries and two touchdowns on the night. Wil Riggs was 7-for-10 on the night with 124 yards and one touchdown.
T.R. Miller will be back in region play next week at home as they face a highly ranked opponent in Thomasville. Game time is at 7 p.m. at Brewton Municipal Stadium.
Advance tickets will be on sale at the usual ticket outlets. Tickets are also available at the T.R. Miller High School office. Advance tickets are $5 and will be $6 at the gate.