The Tigers (11-0) took five plays on its opening drive to score the game's opening points and it looked like the rout was on, but Sprayberry (5-6) forced two consecutive three-and-outs and tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter after its previous 17-play drive ended with a blocked field goal.
"We had our opportunities," Sprayberry head coach Billy Shackelford said. "The score got out of hand there late, but we moved the ball and our defense played some really good football. But against really good football teams you can bend, but you can't break. They hit us on a couple of third and longs and converted some big plays."
Tucker found its groove and scored the next 36 points in the game to force the officials to start a running clock in the fourth quarter. Before a six-play, 70-yard drive culminated in Sprayberry's last points, the Tigers had held the Jackets to 23 yards in the second half.
"It was extremely important to re-establish our offense," Tucker head coach Franklin Stephens said. "I think we did a great job on the first series of getting points, however, we did have a little lull right there. Our kids persevered and we made some plays on offense."
Quarterback Juwaan Williams and running backs Yusuf Minor and Dallas Rivers all ran for two touchdowns apiece for Tucker.
"They (Tucker) just have some really, really talented guys," Shackelford said. "They found a hole or two and against a good football team your angles have to be right on defense. We missed some tackles and they converted that into some big plays."
The Yellow Jackets had a chance to make the game a one possession affair late in the second quarter and Stephens said Sprayberry has had a knack for scoring points right before the half all season.
"I talked with our kids all week about how we could not allow them to steal points from us right before the half and get momentum regardless of how the game was going," Stephens said. "At that point we were a little shaky defensively, but we were able to hold."
Stephens said his mindset was on running out the clock and getting to halftime, but Minor had other plans. Minor busted a touchdown run for 80 yards to give Tucker a 30-7 lead heading into halftime.
"Our offensive line did a great job of blocking on one of our base plays and then Yusuf did the rest," Stephens said. "He had an extremely fast run."
Minor had the 80-yard run plus a 79-yard touchdown run. Rivers had touchdown runs of 34 and 31 yards and Williams found the end zone from 30 and 22 yards out.
"I think it was the fact that they were putting so many people in the box that if we could get past the linebackers that we had a chance to score," Stephens said. "We knew we would have the chance for some long runs if we could get into the secondary."
Neither team turned the ball over. Tucker compiled 468 yards rushing and nearly 500 yards of total offense. Minor led all rushers with 185 yards on the ground.
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