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Perfect 10-0!!
"To be honest coaching was only the smallest part of this win," Coach Allan Floyd said. "It was the players and it was the crowd. The '12th' man was huge for us each time we touched the field. "When we came on the field at around 6 p.m. our stands were about 80 percent full and they really let the players know how much they appreciated their hard work," he added. "My hat is off to them." The largest crowd ever to see a high school football game in Clarke County, estimated between 5,300 and 5,800, saw the Tigers get on the scoreboard first when Bulldog QB Tyler Walker was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone. The penalty on the play was a safety and with 11:00 left in the first quarter Thomasville led 2-0.
The two teams traded punts with the Bulldogs settling in at the their own 39-yard line. A pair of short runs as well as a Tiger penalty put the ball at midfield. From there Walker fired a 50- yard bomb to Dwayne Owens for the Clarke County touchdown. Mark Lambert kicked the PAT and with 5:41 left in the first period the Bulldogs were on top of their arch-rival 7-2. Midway through the fourth quarter Thomasville, after forcing CCHS to punt from their own 3-yard line, set up shop at the Bulldog 31-yard line. The Tigers moved to the 3-yard line when Owens intercepted Bufford's pass in the end zone, snuffing out a potential scoring threat. The first half came to an end with the Bulldogs leading 7-2. In the third quarter the Bulldog defense stepped up on all three Thomasville possessions of the period and forced a turnover each time. On the first Kenneth Kimbrough blocked a punt. Zeke Lewis recovered a fumble at the CCHS 30-yard line. Owens snuffed out another potential scoring drive with an interception at the Tiger 6-yard line. As the game progressed into the fourth frame Thomasville again put together a lengthy drive, but was forced to punt and the ball rolled into the end zone. Three plays later Barnett found a seam on a trap play and raced 73-yards for the back-breaking touchdown. A celebration penalty backed the attempt up to the 18-yard line and the kick was blocked, leaving the score at 13-2 with 3:35 left in the game. The CCHS defense forced the Tigers to turn the ball over on downs and the offense was able to run out the clock, preserving the 13-2 win. "So many players stepped up when they needed to for us," Floyd said. "On both offense and defense…they came to play is all I can say." The win erased five years of bad memories as 2002 was the last time the Bulldogs had beaten the Tigers. Barnett led all rushers with 135 yards on 17 carries and a score. Kimbrough added 45 yards on 16 carries. Leevon Davis led defense with 12 tackles. Kenneth Hannon added eight tackles. Kimbrough had seven tackles and a blocked punt. Owens had six stops and two interceptions. Ottis Jackson had five stops. Barnett added four tackles and caused a fumble. Bufford led the Thomasville offense with 49 yards on nine carries. Campbell added 45 yards on nine carries. Delvonte Harris had 40 yards on 10 carries. James White had 35 yards on six carries. The Bulldogs were flagged 14 times for 171 yards of penalties. The Tigers had nine penalties for 60 yards. The Bulldogs (10-0, 7-0) will host the Bobcats of Beulah (6-4, 4-3) in the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs this Friday night. Thomasville (8-2, 7-0) will be hosting Beauregard (6-4, 4-3) at D.F. Anderson Stadium in the 4A playoffs.
Both games kick off at 7 p.m.
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