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Photos by Kyle Thornton

Tallassee holds on to win in Holtville

By Michael Butler

Tallassee got a defensive stand in the final seconds to escape with a 21-14 Class 5A/Region 4 win in Holtville on Friday.

The Bulldogs took advantage of a botched punt attempt on Tallassee's 40 with 3:13 to play and drove down for a first-and-goal from the Tigers' three with under a minute to play.

After spiking the ball to stop the clock with 38 seconds remaining, Holtville was penalized for illegal procedure on second down and a sacked by the Tigers' Luke Burdette on third down setting up the final play from the 19. Dalton Yarroch's pass fell incomplete on the goal line as Tallassee (5-2/4-1) picked up its fourth straight win - all in region play.

THS head coach Mike Battles talked about winning on the road again for the third straight week.

"We were able to come up with a couple of big plays," said Battles. "It wasn't pretty. Their coaches did a good job with the game plan. I thought when we got up 21-7 we might have something, but they never gave up. Our kids fought hard though."

Jalyn Daniels surpassed 1,000 yards for the second straight season. The senior rushed for 1,168 yards last year and has 1,052 to date in 2021. Daniels got the scoring started with a four-yard run in the first quarter, his 15th touchdown of the season, to give Tallassee a 7-0 lead.

Holtville (5-3/3-2) took advantage of a Tallassee turnover with an interception and return by Cooper Mann to the Tigers' 10 in the second quarter but committed four straight penalties for a first and goal from the 45 and a second and goal from the 49 after a sack by Burdette. A 39-yard pass completion from Yarroch to John Williamson was followed by a 10-yard pass to Michael Forney to get the Bulldogs on the scoreboard knotting things up.

On the ensuing drive, Tallassee's Zavion Carr capped a 15-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run on fourth down to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter. Tyler Ellis scored the Tigers' other touchdown on a seven-yard run midway through the third quarter.

Holtville's Shawn Brackett was responsible for the Bulldogs' other TD - a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.

"Everybody likes it when you win 50-0. Sometimes they're not easy," Battles added. "I'm proud of our kids. They got through this. Now it's time to get ready for Clay Central."

Central of Clay County (7-1/5-0) comes to J. E. "Hot" O'Brien Stadium for Senior Night on Friday in sole possession of first place in the region. Tallassee and Sylacauga are now tied for second with the Aggies holding the head-to-head tiebreaker. A win by THS would create a two- or three-way tie for the top seed in the playoffs.

Game time is 7:00. 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.

*Tallassee/Holtville Final Two Plays (WTLS Radio Broadcast)

*View Photos by Kyle Thornton