by Austin Coats, sports editor
“A hand grenade,” as coach David Raffield refers to desperation passes to the end-zone, ended up being the deciding factor in A&M Consolidated’s 37-36 win over the Huntsville Hornets. After an 0-3 start to the season the Tigers got their first win in their first district matchup.
“I’m proud,” Raffield said, “We finished a ballgame.”
The Tiger made their intentions known quickly, with a great drive to start the game. To grab the seven points junior running back Tyri Merchant ran to his left , down the sideline, majestically leaped multiple feet in the air over a pursuing defender, and trotted into the end-zone. Huntsville replied three drives later with an 8-yard touchdown for the only other score of the quarter.
Senior Daniel Zivney began the game poorly with two dropped passes and a missed extra point, but gained his composure late in the second half. Zivney burst down the left sideline, gaining separation from his defender and catching a great pass from junior Mason Hickson. Zivney broke one tackle and sped past another threat into the end zone – a 71-yard touchdown play.
Down 21-20 with about a minute left in the half, the Tigers found themselves in scoring position again. Hickson stepped up comfortably in the pocket and delivered another great pass, this time to senior wide receiver Derrick Dick on the left side of the field for a 51-yard touchdown as the Tigers took the lead 27-21. The Tigers got the ball back with nine seconds left, but weren’t able to score despite a great run by junior running back Tyri Merchant to end the half.
After a Huntsville touchdown early in the third quarter, the Tigers were given a great opportunity to grab seven more points. A bad snap on a Huntsville punt gave the Tigers the ball at the goal-line, but Consol made mental errors and had to stick with a field goal before Huntsville got the ball back and scored another touchdown with a two-point conversion making it 36-30.
Consol looked poised to take a more commanding lead after Tyri Merchant broke three tackles on his way to the end-zone on the next drive. However, another Consol drive later, Hickson threw to a tightly covered Rodney Jernigan, resulting in his second pick of the night.
Nobody could score for the rest of the night, however, and the game came down to a final push by Huntsville. Down 37-36, Huntsville pushed down the field confidently. With six seconds left, Huntsville’s quarterback threw a “hand grenade” towards a receiver and two Consol defenders. It floated in the air for seemingly an eternity, but senior Jonquil Gin came down with the ball to end the game.
“I just went in for the moment,” Gin said. “He just threw it and I just got it.”
The Tigers continue their district schedule in their Homecoming matchup against Willis next friday at Tigerland stadium.
