LORENA—The playoffs are still on the table for this Rockdale Tiger team that never lets up. Big Blue did lose another game Friday night but they will press on towards what’s ahead because that’s what they’ve done all year long.
The Tigers are 2-5 for the season and 1-2 in district play but you really wouldn’t know it. The way they approach their work you might think they are 5-2 and 2-1. If anyone needs a lesson on tenacity I think our coaches and our team could hold a clinic. These guys can play with anyone and they do, as they play some of the toughest teams in the state every week. If we do make the playoffs, it will just be another day in the office for these Tigers.
The final score of the Friday contest was Lorena 27, Rockdale 17. If it makes any of us sleep better at night the Tigers did have two touchdowns called back because of penalties. At the end of the day, that doesn’t change our win and loss record but a good’s night’s rest is worth something, right?
The Lorena Leopards scored first on a rushing touchdown in the first quarter but the Tigers came right back in the second quarter with a senior kicker Daniel Romero 28-yard field goal making the score Lorena 7, Tigers 3 at the half.
After halftime the Leopards pushed down the field and scored from nine yards out. This made the score Lorena 13, Rockdale 3.
The four th quar ter brought both teams to life. Both Rockdale and Lorena scored 14 points each. The Leopards put it in the end zone on a 35-yard touchdown pass. This started to make the game look lopsided, Lorena 20, Rockdale 3.
The Tigers struck back however on a 65-yard touchdown reception by junior running back Sawyer Chalk. This two-way starter has been spectacular on both sides of the ball all year long and the scoreboard welcomed these points to keep Rockdale in the ballgame. This score wasn’t done by Chalk alone, senior record holding quarterback Blaydn Barcak threw this strike and he continues to impress with his ability to make plays both with his legs and his arm. The score was now Lorena 20, Rockdale 10.
The Leopards then made a quick two-yard dash into the end zone making the score 27-10. Soon after that Tiger sophomore wide receiver De’Andre Stephens showed off his skills by catching a touchdown pass by Barcak for 15 yards. Romero made the extra point kick and the score was Leopards 27, Tigers 17.
The Tigers tried with very little time on the clock to kick a long field goal to set up an onside kick so they could maybe score a quick touchdown but it was not meant to be. Give these coaches credit for working hard until the clock had no time left on it.
Again, the final score was Lorena 27, Rockdale 17.
The Tigers need to win two out of the next three games to stay in the playoff h unt. R ockdale A thletic Director and Head Football Coach Hunter Hamrick is optimistic and confident in his team’s ability to win games and he shared, “The team knows they can win. They just need to put it all together. The effort and talent is there.”
THIS WEEK— The Tigers now play rival Cameron in the Battle of the Bell. This game will be played at Tiger Stadium against the Yoemen who have a 2-5 record overall and a 1-2 district record. Kick off is 7:30 p.m.
Game stats on page 3B.
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