Tigers git’rrrr done

BY RAY VAN COR

The Greenville Standard

 

It was Friday night lights on the road for the young Tigers of Greenville. The red and black 4A Hillcrest Jaguars of Evergreen played host to the Tigers season opener and the visitors stands were filled to capacity for this non-conference game.

This was to be a tough warm up for the 5A Tigers and proved to be way tougher than expected. Hillcrest is currently ranked #2 in 4A.

Penalties were the sore spot for both Greenville and Hillcrest, delay of game and illegal procedures primarily. Both camps were trying to work out the bugs in their systems.

The first quarter was a defensive stalemate when finally with 1:58 left on the clock defensive back, Kedarrius Arron, intercepted a Jaguar pass and bolted 80 plus yards for a touchdown.  The point attempt afterwards failed and the quarter ended 6 – 0.

In the second quarter, Greenville attempted a fake punt but the Jags shut it down quickly. Hillcrest’s passing attack was beginning to pay dividends gaining good yardage when the Tigers stripped and recovered the ball at the 17 yard line and took a little wind from them.

Greenville’s punter, Christian Hill, had a busy night punting the ball but they managed to recover one of their own at the 49 yard line. Hillcrest would finally put six points in the ledgers with 3:55 to go in the half, but they too were unable to convert the extra point attempt and the half ended six all.

Greenville received the ball to start the third quarter, but neither the Tigers nor the Jags could put any more points on the board and the game remained a defensive struggle until 2:30 left in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers managed to get the ball within four yards of the goal and Tiger Jamar Jackson crashed through the Jag’s defense for a touchdown and the Greenville Tigers hung on to win 12 – 6.

There was a considerable amount of confusion for the Tiger team and still more bugs to work out.