Post File Photo by Chris Siers
Senior kicker Wyatt Joyce was invaluable for the Tigers on Friday, not only connecting on four extra points and a 20-yard field goal, but also by recording seven touchbacks, to essentially eliminate the Greenbrier return game.
By Chris Siers
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
GREENBRIER — Through the first month of the season, Tiger head coach Thomas Osteen was looking for a complete game effort from his team.
He got just that in Friday night’s shutout, Region 5 4-A win at Greenbrier.
The Tigers (3-1, 2-0) exerted their will against the Bobcats (1-3, 1-1 and claimed their second region victory of the season with a 37-0 win.
“It was definitely our most complete game of the year in all three phases. Our goal is to play complimentary football each game and I think we did that as well have all year against Greenbrier,” Osteen said.
Things got off to a strong start for the Tigers as Marshall County recovered a Bobcat fumble on the game’s opening drive and pushed to the Greenbrier red zone, but the drive stalled and Marshall County turned the ball over on downs.
Taking over on the Greenbrier 37-yard line, a huge chunk pass from senior quarterback Silas Teat to senior wide out Jayden Randolph put the Tigers back in the red zone.
This time, it was emerging tailback talent Kamariq Perryman who punched it into the end zone from five yards out for the first score of the night with just under four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Perryman scored his second touchdown of the night on the first play of the second quarter, again scoring from five yards out and following Wyatt Joyce’s second successful PAT, the Tigers led 14-0.
Joyce later added a 20-yard field goal and Teat hooked up with junior wide out Aja Jones on a 10-yard touchdown pass to build a 24-0 lead by halftime.
Offensively, Marshall County was able to get a push from the big men up front and allowed the Tigers to run loose for 174 yards, with Perryman being the top earner of the night with 86 yards on 11 carries to go along with his two touchdown carries.
“Offensively our O-line did a lot of good things establishing the line of scrimmage and making big holes for Perryman, who had over 100 total yards from scrimmage on the night,” Osteen said.
It wasn’t just the Marshall County ground attack that feasted on the Bobcats all night long.
Teat had another efficient night throwing the ball, completing 10-of-16 attempts for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
His second touchdown of the night came early in the third quarter when he connected with Kel Hightower on a 4-yard pass, but the kick after failed.
With a 30-0 lead in hand, the Tigers were able to liberally substitute throughout the majority of the second half and it was backup quarterback Tyler Thompson who put a capper on the shutout victory with a 2-yard run with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter.
“I believe offensively we played our most efficient game of the season. Silas distributed the ball well and we protected the ball well when we had it to which is a big goal of ours each week,” Osteen said.
Teat added 52 yards on the ground, with his longest coming on a 53-yard jaunt in the first half.
Jones caught three passes from Teat for 38 yards and a score, while Randolph added three of his own for 33 yards.
Defensively, it was Marshall County’s second shutout of the year.
“Our defense played stout the entire night. All three levels— d-line, linebackers, and secondary made greenbrier earn every yard,” Osteen said.
The Tiger kicking ga
Post File Photo by Chris Siers
Kamariq Perryman was the top earner on the ground for the Tigers, running the ball 11 times for 86 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
me also showed its value on the team as well, with Joyce connecting on three PATs and the 20-yarder in the second quarter, as well as seven touchbacks.
“Our kicking game and defense gave us a bunch of short fields for our offense to score on. Wyatt Joyce had seven touchbacks in the game making the bobcats have long fields each time out,” Osteen said.
The win marked the second-straight win for the Tigers and also marks the second Region 5 4-A win of the year.
On Friday, the Tigers will make another long trek north of Nashville to face unbeaten White House, who defeated Whites Creek last week.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Marshall Co. 7 17 6 7 — 37
Greenbrier 0 0 0 0 — 0
First Quarter
MC — Kamariq Perryman 5 run, (Wyatt Joyce kick), 3:57.
Second Quarter
MC — Perryman 5 run TD, (Joyce kick), 11:55.
MC — Joyce 20-yard field goal, 9:16.
MC — Aja Jones 10 pass from Silas Teat, (Joyce kick), 1:50.
Third Quarter
MC — Kel Hightower 4 pass from Teat, (kick failed), 10:31.
Fourth Quarter
MC — Tyler Thompson 2 run, (Joyce kick), 6:23.
