The T.R. Miller Tigers used offense and defense Friday night at home to key a 55-14 region win over Cottage Hill to improve to 4-0 overall and to 2-0 in region play.
On offense Friday for the Tigers, it was quarterback Jones Manning and running back Ahmaud Taylor.
Manning went 9-for-9 passing for 191 yards and threw for two touchdowns of 43 yards and 18 ­– all in the first half. Manning also had 26 yards on six carries and had a score of 17 yards.
“It was a really good win,” Manning said. “We played well as a team. The offensive line blocked really well and it gave us the ability to throw and run the ball really well tonight.
“The receivers did well,” he said. “I can just get the ball to them and they can make the plays. That’s what they do. They do their jobs.”
Taylor had 76 yards rushing on five carries and scored three touchdowns on runs of 4, 30 and 32 for the Tigers. Taylor’s two catches totaled 117 yards and ended in touchdowns of 74 and 43. At one point, Taylor accounted for four straight TRM scores with three rushing and one receiving.
Riggs credited Taylor’s diversity with the numbers on the scoreboard.
“With our folks being a little bit bummed up right, (Taylor) is doing a lot of good things for us, and I am really proud of him,” he said.
But, Taylor gave credit to the offensive line.
“The offensive lineman just opened up the seams so I could run in them and get in the end zone,” he said. “It feels great to get the win. We just have to keep working and prepare for the game next week.”
On the defensive side, the Tigers had four interceptions – Cottage Hill threw 37 passes in the game – in the win and had a goal line stop late in the game to come up with a fumble recover with Cottage Hill at the TRM 1-yard line.
Tiger defensive coordinator Chris Baxter said that goal-line fumble was a big moment in the game.
“The kids just kept believing they could stop them,” Baxter said. “It doesn’t matter where they are on the field, they just keep playing.”
TRM led 21-7 after one quarter and 42-7 at the half after a 21-0 scoring advantage in the second quarter.
In the third, TRM held a 6-0 scoring advantage to grab a 48-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth, both teams scored seven points each, but TRM held on for the 41-point win.
Miller’s Hunter Brittain added a 1-yard score in the second quarter, and Michael Campbell scored on a 22-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Before the game on Friday, and also Saturday at a special luncheon, T.R. Miller recognized the 1994 state championship team that went 15-0.
Riggs said he thought they had nice crowd Friday night at the game and he really appreciated all the guys that came back.
“I think it is really important to remember our past a little bit and how we got to where we are today,” he said.