T.R. Miller Tigers: Details from Friday’s win over Bayside
Published 12:27 pm Tuesday, October 10, 2023
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Bayside Academy’s Admirals put the T.R. Miller Tigers to the test Friday night in Daphne in a big region game. The Tigers passed the test and brought home a region win beating the Admirals by a score of 31 to 17. That win put the Tigers at 4-2 on the season and 3-1 in Region 4A play.
The Tigers begin the game kicking giving the Admirals the first chance to score for the evening.
The Tiger defense got right to work to keep the Admirals from making advance down the field. Power moves from C.J. Stanton and Terrance Battles along with other defenders kept the pressure on Bayside. A penalty brought up fourth-down and a push back in the wrong direction forcing a punt to the Tigers.
Picking up play at their own 14, QB Nathan Commander gets the ball to Takai Askew who has trouble picking up yards but would pick up good yardage on the next play. Picking up a first down, the Admirals try to get a quick start and draw a penalty giving a 5-yard gift to the Tigers. Marshall Lovelace is the target hit by Commander who connects on a pass that gets the ball into the end zone for the Tigers. A good kick puts the Tigers up 7-0.
As the Tigers kick the ball back for an Admiral possession, the defense gets back to work. Defenders keep good pace with the Admirals who make small gains on their downs. Askew would take down a runner preventing much move on a third-down play. A penalty moves the Admirals back and a failed pass slows their progress. Eli Hubbert makes a move on a would-be runner to stop progress. But, steady progress puts the Admirals in the red zone. Antoine Kiser runs step for step with a would-be receiver and the pass falls short. That brings out the field goal team for Bayside and a good 33-yard kick puts three points on the board.
As Bayside kicks the ball back to the Tigers, Christopher Williams gets the ball and makes a big gain for the possession. Commander keeps the ball for a small gain. DeMarcus Streety gets the ball and breaks one tackle before being taken down. An offside penalty on the Admirals gives another gift to the Tigers moving to near mid-field. Commander gets the ball to Askew who picks up good gain and a first-down. Askew gets the ball on the next two plays and makes big gains moving closer to the goal and another first-down. Commander keeps the ball and picks up a handful of yards to make it to the 13-yard line. Commander fakes a hand-off to Askew and keeps the ball to make a small gain. A fake to Lovelace and a hand-off to Askew sees the Tigers move closer to the goal near the first-down marker. Commander gets the ball to Williams who is open in the end zone for another Tiger TD. The two-point conversion fails but the Tigers take a 10-point lead putting 13 points on the board with Bayside still at 3.
As the Admirals get another chance at the ball, they would be met with the power of Kavarious Bell for a hard stop. Steven Lane keeps any chance of advance from happening for the Admirals. A few good plays put the Admirals across mid-field into Tiger territory. Bell hits the mark again and stops a runner. A Bayside penalty moves them in the wrong direction. Picking up a first down, the determination of Battles takes down a runner just five yards from the goal line. The Bayside QB keeps the ball and takes it into the end zone. But a pair of penalties negates the score and moves them all the way back to the 30-yard line. The QB keeps the ball and picks up 14 yards. A Tiger penalty gives the Admirals a gift to put the ball on the six-yard line. A tackle from Williams keeps a runner from getting across the goal line, but the Admirals pick up a first down on the two-yard line. The Admirals would find their way across the line to get their first TD. The kick is good putting 7 on the board for the Admirals. The Tigers still lead, 13-10.
J.J. Montgomery gets the ball on the kick from the Admirals to make a good return on the play. Commander tries to get off a pass but it falls incomplete. Taking another shot, Commander pulls the ball and looked to get the ball to Brodie Anthony, but a holding call cancels the hope for a gain. Henderson gets the ball and quickly gets taken down by an Admiral. An attempted pass is intercepted by the Admirals dashing hopes of another Tiger TD.
As the Admirals get a late half possession, C.J. Stanton takes care of business by taking the QB down in the backfield for an Admiral loss. With some pressure from Lane for the Tigers, Askew is able to reach up and intercept the ball to give the Tigers possession. Askew picks up eight on the next carry for a good move. But the buzzer ending the first half would sound before the Tigers find the end zone.
The Tigers keep the lead at halftime, 13-10
A downpour of rain delays the beginning of the second half of play and a wet field changes the method of play for both teams.
J.J. Montgomery gets the ball on the kick to the Tigers to start the second half with a good gain on the return. Askew picks up a pair of yards with a yard gain by Commander on the next play. Commander’s pass would be knocked down forcing a punt back to the Admirals.
Putting the ball back under the command of the Admirals, a quick first-down play gives them hope. That hope gets dashed by Eli Hubbert, Terrance Battles and a determined Tiger defense. Those defensive plays would be key in holding the Admirals back. Langley Folsom bats down a pass before it reaches its intended target. Without much hope of finding the end zone, the Admirals try for a field goal but come up short and no score.
With another Tiger possession, Commander works the field to find open receivers. Askew picks up a trio of yards on one play with Commander making a small gain. On a third-down play, Commander finds Bell who takes the ball to mid-field picking up a big first down. A dropped ball is recovered by Commander with no gain. On a third-down play again, Commander aims for a receiver but it gets knocked down by an Admiral. That brings the Tigers to a punting situation back to the Admirals.
As the Admirals get the ball, the receiver spins out of the hands of a couple of Tigers picking up minimal yards. Bell takes down a runner to minimize any gain. A Bayside runner gets the ball and is able to get to the first-down marker. Taking all their opportunities, the Admirals are able to pick up another first down. On a third and 11 play, the Admirals find a hole and make their way into the end zone. A good PAT puts Bayside in the lead for the first time in the game, 17-13.
Williams would catch the kick back to the Tigers and get the ball out to the 30 to start the Tiger possession. Commander gets the ball into Askew’s hands who picks up the first down and another seven on the next play. Askew then picks up a first down and into Admiral territory. An incomplete pass brings up a third-down situation and Commander makes the best of it but falls short of the first down marker. The punt team kicks the ball back to the Admirals who see the ball downed at the five for a 95-yard journey at hand.
As the Tiger defense gets ready to work, the work would pay off by keeping the Admirals at bay with little gain on their possession. A big stop by Stanton keeps Bayside from advancing and forced a loss on the play. Unable to pick up a first down, the Admirals are forced to punt back to the Tigers.
The Tigers get the ball on the punt with Hubbert calling a fair catch near mid-field. With a good opportunity late in the fourth quarter, Askew gets the ball but can’t make much of a move on a pair of plays. Williams gets the ball and picks up some important yards to get within one yard of the first-down marker. Commander keeps the ball and finds that marker. Lane, C.J. Gibson and Ashton Madden are among the Tigers making the magic of the first-down. With a 37-yard journey, Askew gets the ball and makes a run to pick up six on the play. Commander keeps the ball and gets inside the 30-yard mark. Askew picks up another first down to keep the Tigers moving. That move would be key in helping the Tigers find the end zone with a carry by Hubbert on a Commander pass. The PAT is no good, but the Tigers regain the lead, 19-17.
The Tigers send the ball back to Bayside who are hopeful but a fumble is picked up by Kevarious Bell who runs the ball straight into the end zone. The PAT is good and the Tigers stretch the lead 25-17.
As the kick gives the ball back to the Admirals, the Tigers get to work. Lamarious Bell, Battles, Lane and others are ready to stop any movement. That work and pressure from the Tigers would cause the Admirals to stumble on the field and drop the ball. Bayside picks up a first down in the confusion and sees an interception from Williams to run it all the way back for another Tiger TD on a pick-six play. As the buzzer sounds, the extra point kick isn’t needed with the Tigers taking the W by a score of 31 to 17.
The Tigers will travel to Atmore Friday to take on the Escambia County High School Blue Devils. Kick off is at 7 p.m.