Nov. 9, 2009

Tigers squeak by Victory Christian, 33-26

By Roy Mitchell

CEDAR BLUFF — The history of the football program at Cedar Bluff and Victory Christian couldn't be more different.

Cedar Bluff's storied pigskin tradition reaches back generations and includes three Birmingham News state championships, 55 winning seasons, a 92-31 record since 2000, and a state finals appearance in 2006.

Located in Pell City, Victory Christian, by contrast, didn't sport a football program until 2000, and lost all but 20 of their first 79 games. Finally, in 2008 Victory began living up to its namesake with an 8-3 campaign, followed by a 9-1 regular-season effort this year.

Could the upstart program topple the perennial power in the first round of the playoffs?

Almost.
A goal-line interception as time expired sealed Cedar Bluff's 33-26 first-round playoff win over the Lions. Quick scoring strikes, a playoff atmosphere, and the dramatic ending made this gridiron clash one to remember.

“It was a great, great game,” said Victory coach Scotty Smith. “I thought our kids played hard, and it just didn't work out in our favor.”

Victory struck first. Alex Jernigan's mid-quarter fumble recovery on the Tiger 35 led to a six-play scoring drive, capped by senior Zach Johnston's two-yard end-zone plunge. After a failed PAT, the Lions led 6-0.

Cedar Bluff quickly retaliated with a 6-play, 66-yard scoring march. The drive was topped-off by a 19-yard Kyle Crane pass to freshman D'Angelo Hardy. The PAT made the score 7-6.

Streaking down the field like loose electricity, Victory needed only a minute to advance 75 yards for a touchdown on its ensuing possession. On his 18th birthday, Lion quarterback Michael Kirby hit Johnston on a 42-yard scoring strike to give Victory a 12-7 1st quarter lead.

Cedar Bluff would push across the only scores of the second and third quarters. Senior quarterback Kyle Crane, who would throw for 287 yards and five touchdowns, tossed scoring strikes to junior Marcus Reese (9 yards), junior Tyric Scales (8 yards), and Hardy (30 yards) in the game's middle frames for a 26-12 Tiger advantage.

The Lion offense re-awakened on the first play of the fourth quarter, when junior Cody Ramsey rumbled 41 yards on a reverse to close Victory's deficit to 26-19.

After alternating possessions, Victory marched the ball 90 yards, knotting the score at 26-26 with 2:08 remaining with Kirby's 1-yard touchdown run.

The Tigers responded dramatically. Junior Zach Taylor's 79-yard touchdown reception closed the scoring with 1:06 remaining.

The ensuing kickoff kickoff return heightened the drama and took the Lions to the Tiger 38. In the next 36 seconds, Victory Christian drove 18 yards closer to a game-tying touchdown, but the Lions fell short of a first-ever playoff victory, as Hardy's pass was intercepted at the goal line as time expired.

Tiger coach Jonathan McWhorter referenced the efforts of Coach Scott Clifton as well as Coaches Mitchell, Welchel, and McFry.

“In the playoffs, you can't rely upon one person,” said Cedar Bluff coach Jonathan McWhorter. “It has got to be a team effort. We made one more play than they did. It took 48 minutes to win the game tonight. If we'd have played only 47, we'd have gotten beat.”

Cedar Bluff travels to Appalachian Friday for a second-round rematch from a year ago. Last season, the Tigers lost to the Eagles, 7-0.