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Tigers come up short in O'Neal's opener
By Michael Butler
The L.A. O'Neal era has begun. Unfortunately for Tiger fans, it ended in a loss. Tallassee kicked off the 2024 season at Montgomery Academy with a 22-16 defeat. Turnovers plagued the Tigers on Friday night at McLemore Field.
"You turn the ball over five times, you're not supposed to win the game," said O'Neal. "That's the tale of the game."
Depsite the miscues, Tallassee found themselves in a position to win after falling behind 22-0 in the third quarter. That chance slipped away in the final minutes on a fourth-and-goal interception by the Eagles' Jarrett Friendly.
From the Academy 43, Trent Morris' fourth-down and 3 heave found Jaden McKenzie at the 15 on the Tigers' final drive, but they were unable to cash in - one of three times deep in MA territory where Tallassee was turned away.
After falling behind by three scores in the third quarter, Tallassee mounted its comeback bid behind its sophomore quarterback. A 32-yard bomb to Chase Chumley set the Tigers up for the first score, an 8-yard run by Morris. Morris connected with Jordan King for the two-point conversion to make it 22-8.
Tallassee's second scoring drive got kickstarted on a 39-yard pass and catch from Morris to Chumley. The next play went for 41 yards to paydirt on a swing pass to King. Morris hit Chumley for the conversion to cut the lead to six, but it was as close as the Tigers would get.
"I'm proud of the way the guys fought back in the second half," O'Neal said. "I hate it we had to give the ball to them five times."
Morris was 12-for-23 for 211 yards with one TD pass and two interceptions. King had five catches for 92 yards with a touchdown. Chumley had four grabs for 85 yards. McKenzie made two catchs for 34 yards.
Tallassee (0-1) travels to rival Elmore County (1-0) for the 63rd meeting in the series on Friday, Aug. 30 with a 7 p.m. kickoff. WTLS - Score 94.7/Hit 106.9 will have the broadcast with the video webcast on Tallassee Times TV on YouTube. Air time will be at 6.
GAME STATS
Tallassee Football vs. Montgomery Academy
8/23/24, 7:00PM
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Tallassee Football |
0 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
16 |
| Montgomery Academy |
14 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
22 |
SCORING SUMMARY:
1st Quarter
MA: Jarrett Friendly 10 yd Pass from Reid McBride (TD) 0-6
MA: Mac Benefield 3 yd Rush (CNV) 0-8
MA: Kingston Nelson 23 yd Rush (TD) 0-14
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
MA: DJ Vinson 61 yd Pass from Reid McBride (CNV) 0-20
MA: Mac Benefield 3 yd Rush (CNV) 0-22
TLS: Trent Morris 8 yd Rush (TD) 6-22
TLS: Jordan King 3 yd Pass from Trent Morris (CNV) 8-22
4th Quarter
TLS: Jordan King 38 yd Pass from Trent Morris (TD) 14-22
TLS: Chase Chumley 8 yd Pass from Trent Morris (CNV) 16-22
| Game Summary |
Tallassee Football |
|
Montgomery Academy |
| First Downs |
14 |
|
|
16 |
|
| Rushes-Yards |
24 |
78 |
|
37 |
166 |
| Recep-Yards |
12 |
211 |
|
12 |
155 |
| Passing Yards |
211 |
|
|
155 |
|
| Comp-Attempts |
12 |
23 |
|
12 |
20 |
| TD-INT |
1 |
2 |
|
2 |
0 |
| Fumbles-Lost |
3 |
3 |
|
0 |
0 |
| Penalties-Yards |
15 |
102 |
|
11 |
79 |
| 3rd Down Conv |
2 |
14 |
|
6 |
12 |
| 4th Down Conv |
1 |
2 |
|
0 |
10 |
| FG Made-Att |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
| Tackles |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
| Sacks-Yards |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
| Time of Possession |
20:45 |
|
|
21:05 |
|
| RUSHING LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Rushes |
Yards |
TDs |
Fumbles |
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Rushes |
Yards |
TDs |
Fumbles |
|
|
| 2 |
Joseph Hooks |
7 |
35 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
Mac Benefield |
24 |
91 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
| 16 |
Trent Morris |
12 |
28 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
23 |
Kingston Nelson |
7 |
63 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
| 4 |
Jordan King |
3 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
26 |
Lewis Benefield |
3 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
| 33 |
Mason Henderson |
2 |
-1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
0 |
David Whisenhunt |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 |
Reid McBride |
2 |
-9 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
| |
| PASSING LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Comp |
Att |
Yards |
TD |
INT |
|
|
No. |
Player |
Comp |
Att |
Yards |
TD |
INT |
|
| 16 |
Trent Morris |
12 |
23 |
211 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
12 |
Reid McBride |
12 |
20 |
155 |
2 |
0 |
|
| |
| RECEIVING LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Rec |
Yards |
TDs |
|
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Rec |
Yards |
TDs |
|
|
|
| 4 |
Jordan King |
5 |
92 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
DJ Vinson |
6 |
108 |
1 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Chase Chumley |
4 |
85 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
4 |
Braden Gordon |
5 |
37 |
0 |
|
|
|
| 8 |
Jaiden McKenzie |
2 |
34 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
13 |
Jarrett Friendly |
1 |
10 |
1 |
|
|
|
| 5 |
Jaiden Gordan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| FIELD GOAL LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Made |
Att |
Avg |
Long |
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Made |
Att |
Avg |
Long |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 |
Rob Ashworth |
0 |
1 |
0.0 |
0 |
|
|
| |
| PAT LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Made |
Att |
|
|
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Made |
Att |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 |
Rob Ashworth |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
| |
| PUNTING LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Punts |
Avg |
Long |
|
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Punts |
Avg |
Long |
|
|
|
| 24 |
Hudson Timmerman |
1 |
39.0 |
39 |
|
|
|
|
22 |
Rob Ashworth |
1 |
37.0 |
37 |
|
|
|
| 30 |
Yuren Rodriguez |
1 |
20.0 |
20 |
|
|
|
|
12 |
Reid McBride |
4 |
33.0 |
40 |
|
|
|
| |
| KICKOFF RETURN LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Ret |
Yards |
TDs |
|
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Ret |
Yards |
TDs |
|
|
|
| 5 |
Jaiden Gordan |
1 |
15 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
David Whisenhunt |
3 |
48 |
0 |
|
|
|
| 88 |
Kevin Mason |
1 |
15 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Bryson Rigsby |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
Jordan King |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| PUNT RETURN LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Ret |
Yards |
TDs |
|
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Ret |
Yards |
TDs |
|
|
|
| 5 |
Jaiden Gordan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
DJ Vinson |
1 |
7 |
0 |
|
|
|
| 4 |
Jordan King |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
David Whisenhunt |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
| |
| DEFENSIVE LEADERS: |
| No. |
Player |
Tackles |
Sacks |
Yards |
INT |
|
|
|
No. |
Player |
Tackles |
Sacks |
Yards |
INT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
DJ Vinson |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
1 |
|
