ALICEVILLE, Ala. — Addison traveled to Pickens County to take on Aliceville in the region opener for both teams. A great game was marred by several disputed calls, on both sides, from the officials and Addison came out on the short end, 36-34 in overtime.
Addison surprised everyone by kicking an onside kick to open the game and recovered it at the Aliceville 41. Six plays later, QB Christian Roberts took it in from 3-yards out and Addison led 6-0 with 8:25 to go in the first.
On Addison’s next possession running back Will “The Thrill” Tuggle, who played the game of his life, scampered in from 10-yards out to put the ‘Dawgs up 13-0, still in the first.
The second quarter opened with the Jackets getting on the board on a 10-yard scoring pass. Addison led 13-6. Addison responded with Roberts hitting Tuggle on a nice 15-yard swing pass for the score. The Eli Howse extra point made it 20-6.
It didn’t take the Jackets long to respond as they struck for a 55-yard touchdown pass, to close the gap to 20-14. A fumble on Addison’s next possession put Aliceville in great shape at the Bulldog 37-yard line. A few plays later, the Jackets hit a 29-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 20.
Addison got the ball back with only 41-seconds left in the half. After a nice run by Weston “Big Game” Smith, Coach Smothers pulled out some trickeration. What appeared to be a jet sweep to wide receiver Xavier “Mr. Smooth” Barley, turned into a gorgeous Barley 42-yard pass to wide receiver Tommy Lee Daniel. Daniel got down to the 38-yard line. The Addison drive was stopped at the goal line on the final play of the half with the score tied at 20.
Addison opened the second half and relied heavily on the ground game. It was Nelson “Tank” Martin and Smith up the middle with Tuggle and Roberts going outside. Smith capped the drive off by rumbling in from 10-yards out to put Addison up 28-20 in the third.
Aliceville responded with a 1-yard run of their own to tie it at 28.
Addison then did what Addison does, they took over the ball with 11:55 to go in the game and drove 15 plays down to the Aliceville 14-yard line when a penalty and an interception killed the drive.
Aliceville then looked like they were going to win it in regulation, driving to the ‘Dawg 15-yard line before Xavier Barley picked off a Jacket pass at the goal line. The game ended and overtime and controversy began.
It only took Addison two plays to score with Martin scoring from 2-yards out. A missed two-point conversion put the ‘Dawgs up 34-28.
Aliceville took over and it took them three plays to go five yards. Facing a fourth and five the Jacket QB rolled to his left and threw a ball low to a Jacket receiver in the end zone. One official ruled it an incomplete pass and one ruled it a touchdown. After a short conference, it was determined that he caught the ball and after picking up the two-point conversion, Aliceville won the ballgame 36-34.
A tough way to lose but those things happen, and you got to get over and move on because the season is still young.
Unofficial stats. Addison had 57 rushes for 362 yards. Addison had 95 yards passing. Total of 63 total plays for 457 total yards. Aliceville had 26 rushes for 132 yards and 205 yards passing for a total of 39 plays for 337 total yards.
Individual leaders were; Roberts led Addison with 113 yards rushing with a TD, Smith had 107 yards with a TD, Tuggle had 75 yards with a td and Martin kicked in 57 yards with a TD. Tuggle had 15 yards receiving with another TD, Daniel had a catch for 42 yards and Justin Mather one catch for 26 yards.
Defensively the ‘Dawgs were led by Nelson Hernandez with eight tackles, Quentin “Fabio” Barley had five, Mather and Cannon Hiller had four apiece. Bailey Wilson pulled down a sack with Xavier Barley nabbing an interception.
Addison (1-2) will try and get back on track when they host Midfield in a region game at A.G. Hicks Stadium on Sept. 11.
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