Tot Gardner of the Tigers races down the sideline on a 46-yard play after catching a pass from Tyler Thompson. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
LEWISBURG —Tot Gardner scored four second-half touchdowns and the Marshall County Tigers made the big plays on both sides of the ball as the Tigers opened the TSSAA 4A football playoffs Friday night with a 48-21 victory over the Liberty Creek Wolves.
Despite a turnover that narrowed the Tiger lead to seven in the third quarter, Marshall County (8-3) pulled away with the help of Gardner’s heroics.
After taking the opening kickoff, the Wolves started at their own 20 and advanced down the field on a 15-play drive that took 7:57 off the clock.
But after a first-and-goal at the 9, it was the Tiger defense which came to
Quarterback Tyler Thompson of the Tigers fend offs a Liberty Creek defender to gain yardage in the opening quarter. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
the forefront as Marshall County kept the Wolves out of the end zone.
Liberty Creek settled for a 26-yard field goal by Lucas Yap to take a 3-0 lead with 4:03 remaining in the first quarter.
The Tigers responded on their first possession with a 10-play drive that extended into the second quarter.
A 15-yard pass play from quarterback Tyler Thompson to Gardner and a rush of 12 yards by Thompson preceded a 9-yard pass from Thompson to Kel Hightower for a touchdown. Rodner Rogel added the extra point as Marshall County took a 7-3 lead with 11:17 remaining in the quarter.
Once again the Wolves were effective on offense and reached the red zone on their next possession, but the Tiger defense came through to stop the Liberty Creek drive.
Yap kicked his second field goal, this one from 37 yards as the Tiger lead was cut to 7-6 with 6:46 left.
“Happy we didn’t let them in on those first couple of possessions,” Coach Thomas Osteen of the Tigers said.
“Proud of our guys for overcoming that adversity and figuring out a way to pull away.”
The Tigers increased their advantage on their next possession as Thompson connected with Hightower again for eight yards and the touchdown as Marshall County increased its advantage to 14-6 with 2:31 left.
After a Wolve three-and-out, the Tigers started their next possession at their own 45 with 59 seconds remaining.
Marshall County needed just 23 seconds to score as a pass from Thompson to Gardner accounted for 46 yards and gave the Tigers a first-and-goal at the 9. Thompson followed with a 9-yard run for the score as the Tigers went into the intermission with a 21-6 lead.
The Tigers seemed ready to add to their lead, but a turnover on the opening possession of the third quarter gave the Wolves new life at the Marshall County 35.
Liberty Creek took advantage as Barrett O’Brien found J.T. Porter for 19 yards and a touchdown.
The Wolves used some trickery on the 2-point conversion as Seth Taylor took the toss and passed the ball back to O’Brien for the score as the Tigers lead was slimmed to 21-14 with 8:26 left in the quarter.
With the momentum swinging on the side of the Wolves, Gardner took over the ground game for the Tigers.
On the first play from scrimmage after starting at the Tiger 24, Gardner exploded through the middle and outraced the Wolves’ defense for 76 yards and the touchdown as the Tigers increased their lead to 28-14 with 8:01 remaining.
After the Tiger defense came up big and stopped the Wolves on fourth down at the Marshall County 30, the Tigers were poised to add to their lead with the excellent field position.
Gardner responded with a 14-yard run to the house as the Tigers led 34-14 with 3:41 left.
The Wolves were not ready to throw in the towel as O’Brien connected with Porter for a 26-yard touchdown as Liberty Creek cut the Tiger lead to 34-21 with 1:11 left.
A Tiger fumble to start the fourth quarter gave the Wolves a chance to make the contest a one-possession game.
Liberty Creek reached the Tiger 24, but a fourth-down conversion attempt was unsuccessful as Marshall County took over on offense after thwarting the Wolve drive.
“Money downs, we were able to get off the field,” Osteen said.
“We’ve got to get back this week and clean up some things, but we’re happy to be playing and happy to have the opportunity to play another week.”
The Tigers added to their lead as Gardner ran 27 yards for a touchdown as Marshall County led 41-21 with 4:47 remaining.
A Tiger interception by Tayshawn Jones and a Liberty Creek penalty gave Marshall County possession at the Wolve 7-yard line.
Gardner scored his fourth touchdown from two yards out with 2:32 left as the Tigers upped their lead to 48-21.
It was a three-and-out for the Wolves on their next possession as the Tigers took the knee and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
“Tot, so proud of him and our offensive line had a good push all night,” Osteen said. “Just a sophomore, so hopefully there’s a bunch of those over the next two years.”
“If you’re going to win in November, you’ve got to be able to run the ball and I feel like we did that at a high level tonight,” Osteen added.
The Tigers will host Dyer County next Friday night at 7 p.m. in the second round of the 4A playoffs.
Dyer County, the Region 7-4A runner-up, defeated Lakeland Prep 52-14 in its opening playoff game.
Liberty Creek 3 3 15 0 — 21
Marshall Co. 0 21 13 14 — 48
First Quarter
LC – Lucas Yap 26-yard FG 4:03.
Second Quarter
MC – Kel Hightower 9 pass from Tyler Thompson (Rodner Rogel kick) 11:17.
LC – Yap 37-yard FG 6:46.
MC – Hightower 8 pass from Thompson (Rogel kick) 2:31.
MC – Thompson 9 run (Rogel kick) 0:36.
Third Quarter
LC – J. T. Porter 19 pass from Barrett O’Brien (O’Brien pass from Seth Taylor) 8:26.
MC – Tot Gardner 76 run (Rogel kick) 8:01.
MC – Gardner 14 run (run failed) 3:41.
LC – Porter 26 pass from O’Brien (Yap kick) 1:11.
Fourth Quarter
MC – Gardner 27 run (Rogel kick) 4:47.
MC – Gardner 2 run (Rogel kick) 2:32.