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Luke Burdette with the sack
Photos by Kyle Thornton

Tigers drop region opener

By Michael Butler

After a two-week break between games, Tallassee got back on the playing field with its first region opponent on Friday. The Tigers lost 35-33 at Sylacauga despite overcoming a two-touchdown deficit in the first half.

"This puts us in a hole," THS head coach Mike Battles said. "We are playing about 90 percent really well, but we are doing several stupid things and they cost us big."

Tallassee fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter but outscored the Aggies 26-7 in the second quarter to take a 26-21 lead into the locker room.

"We didn't play well in the first quarter," said Battles. "We looked like a team that didn't want to be out here."

Tyler Ellis scored the Tigers' first touchdown on a fourth-down run of 10 yards emerging from a pile of would-be tacklers early in the second quarter. Jalyn Daniels followed suit with the next three scores of 24, 10 and 90 yards - all in the second quarter. Daniels had 216 first-half yards and finished the night with 235 yards rushing on 35 carries.

Sylacauga took control of the game in the second half with two more touchdown drives. Tallassee's attempt at a fourth-quarter comeback came up short. After Ellis' 24-yard touchdown pass to Clayten Gough, the onside kick was covered by the Aggies.

Gough with the TD catch late in the 4th

Tallassee outgained Sylacauga 392-327. Ellis was 14-for-29 for 162 yards.

"I thought Tyler threw the ball well. We made a lot of clutch plays," Battles added. "Our kids battled back. We're doing almost everything to win ball games - not everything. That's uncharacteristic of our teams. Hopefully, we can get it out of us and get ready for Elmore County."

The Tigers (1-2) host the Panthers (0-4) on Friday at 7 p.m. 1300 WTLS/106.5 FM will have live coverage on the radio as well as Spectrum Channel 340 and the TuneIn app. Live video streaming will be available through Tallassee Times TV on YouTube. Airtime is 6 p.m.

*View Photos by Kyle Thornton