The catch by Jaden McKenzie

THS mounts comeback win

By Michael Butler

For most of three quarters, Tallassee's long-awaited home opener was pretty miserable. After a pre-game ceremony honoring the seminfinal teams of 1984 and 1999, visiting Bullock County had built an 18-0 lead.

Thank goodness the game is 48 minutes. Tallassee rallied late and put up one of its biggest comebacks in a 21-18 Class 4A/Region 3 victory at J.E. "Hot" O'Brien Stadium.

The win-clincher was a nine-yard touchdown pass from Trent Morris into the outstretched hands of Jaiden McKenzie with 46 seconds on the clock that put Tallassee on top for the first time. It culminated a nine-play drive that included two fourth-down conversions.

Chumley with the pick

In that final possession, Tallassee was facing 4th and 19 from their own 43 yard line and dialed up pass play from Morris to a wide-open Jaiden Gordon for 35 yards. They moved the chains on another fourth down from the Bullock County 17. Needing four yards, they picked up eight on a completion from Morris to Jordan King. After spiking the ball to stop the clock, the Tigers scored the game's final TD on the next play.

The Hornets had one final shot inside the final minute, but Chase Chumley intercepted a Tye'kelis Wallace pass to seal the victory.

"It feels good to be able to win one of those," said THS head coach L.A. O'Neal, "when you get beat all over the field but you win on the scoreboard."

Tallassee's first score of the night was set up by a 52-yard completion on a slant route from Morris to King. On the next play, Tiny Green found the endzone from five yards out as time expired in the third quarter. That made it 18-7 after the Yuren Rodriguez extra point.

Perhaps the biggest play of the night came on a 50-yard fumble recovery scoop and score by Joseph Hooks on a Wallace turnover that cut the lead to 18-13 early in the fourth quarter. Tallassee had no turnovers in the game after five in the previous week's loss to Booker T. Washington.

Hooks takes it to the house

The win brings Tallassee's record to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in region play with an off week ahead. Tallassee's two defeats have been one-score games like Friday with contrasting results.

"We've been beating people on the field but losing on the scoreboard," O'Neal continued. "Our guys found a way to win this game."

Morris finished the night with 151 yards passing on 8 of 18 attempts and one touchdown. He has thrown for 802 yards this season with 8 TDs and 4 INTs. King had four receptions for 87 yards. He has 22 receptions for 390 yards and 6 TDs this year.

Tallassee goes back on the road on Oct. 4 in region play against Cleburne County. Kickoff will be 7 p.m.

*Go-ahead TD pass from Morris to McKenzie

Photos by Kyle Thornton

GAME STATS
Bullock County vs. Tallassee Football
9/20/24, 7:00PM
Regular Season