A smothering second half defense and big special teams plays rallied the No. 1 ranked Tucker Tigers to a 20-12 Class 6A quarterfinal playoff victory over the Allatoona Buccaneers on Friday night at Adams Stadium.

The Tigers (12-1) trailed the Buccaneers (9-4) 6-0 at the half being held to just three yards rushing and no points.

Tyler Hughley set the tone in the second half for the Tigers as he fielded the third quarter kickoff at his own five-yard line, weaved across the field through the Allatoona defenders breaking tackles, and breaking lose one final time about the Tucker 40 to race into the end zone. Kyle Wright’s extra point gave Tucker a 7-6 lead and the Tigers would not trail the rest of the way.

Tucker’s defense would force a three-and-out against Allatoona following the kickoff as Terrell Paxton sacked quarterback Dante Marshall for a four-yard loss. Trevon Flowers would then make the second big special teams play of the game for the Tigers as he reached out while being blocked on the punt to deflect the punt and recover it at the Allatoona 19.

The Buccaneer defense would hold and force a field goal by Wright who connected from 33 yards to give Tucker a 10-6 lead with 8:21 to play in the third quarter.

Allatoona would stop a Tucker drive at the Buccaneers’ 26, but a sack of Marshall for a 9-yard loss by Jalen Jefferson helped to force another three-and-out by the Tigers’ defense with 1:52 left in the third quarter.

Tucker would get a 43-yard run from Taurean Taylor down to Allatoona’s 15 just before the end of the third quarter. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Tucker’s quarterback Travon Ford dropped back and scrambled under pressure to his right and threw into the back of the end zone.

Sophomore receiver Isaiah Dunson made a leaping grab and came down just inbounds at the back of end zone for the touchdown. Wright made it a 17-6 advantage with his extra point with 11:01 to play.

Two possessions later Antonio Showers blew threw the Allatoona lineman for his second sack in five minutes of the fourth quarter to put Allatoona in a fourth and 13 from their own three.

Taurean Taylor fielded the Buccaneers punt at the Allatoona 40 and returned it to the Buccaneers’ 10-yard line. Allatoona would step on defense to force a 26-yard field goal by Wright as the Tigers’ lead expanded to 20-6 with 3:12 left in the game.

The Buccaneers would put one last score as a 45-yard pass from Marshall to Asante Doss set up what would be a one-yard sneak into the end zone by Marshall to close the gap to 20-12. A bad snap on the extra point caused a two-point attempt that fell incomplete with 1:16 to play.

An onside kick attempt was touched before it went 10 yards and the Tigers were able to run out all but 8.2 seconds following a punt down to the Allatoona 13. An 11-yard pass from Marshall to Adrian Boyd would run out the clock as the Tigers held for the victory.

Tucker’s defense allowed Allatoona just 19 yards rushing (-9 in the second half) and just 130 yards (111 passing) for the game. Tucker managed 99 yards rushing in the second half after managing just three in the first half.

The Tigers move into the Class 6A semifinals for the second consecutive season and host the No. 4 ranked Coffee Trojans (9-3) on Friday at Adams Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 pm. Coffee defeated No. 6 Alpharetta 28-14 to advance to the semifinals.

No. 1 Cedar Grove shuts out Pike County 28-0

The Cedar Grove Saints earned a third consecutive trip to the Class 3A semifinals with a 28-0 shutout of the Pike County Pirates at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night.

The first of two interceptions by Jadon Haselwood set up the Saints’ first score. The interception led to a 15-yard touchdown run by Darrell Neal for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Pike County turned the ball over on downs at its own 37 to set up the Saints’ next score. The Saints would make it 14-0 at the half as Xavier Dennis tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Haselwood.

Pike County drove down inside the Cedar Grove 10 when the Saints defense held. The Pirates lined up for a field goal, but faked and threw pass towards the end zone where Haselwood intercepted and returned it 99 yards for an apparent touchdown. A clipping call brought the ball back to the Pike County 43.

Dennis would finish off the possession with a four-yard touchdown run to make it 20-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

Chevon Wright’s 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter closed out the scoring. Haselwood scored the two-point conversion for the final of 28-0.

The Saints move into the Class 3A semifinals as they play hosts to the No. 4 ranked Calhoun Yellowjackets (12-1) at 7:30 pm at Godfrey Stadium on Friday.

DCSD ELITE 8 PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 24
Class 6A
Tucker (12-1) 20, Allatoona (9-4) 12

Class 3A
Cedar Grove (13-0) 28, Pike County (9-4) 0