By Staff
Roy Jones, Enquirer Correspondent
Morale was high at Brewer as the Patriots were getting ready for their biggest test of the young season, the number two team in 5A in the state was visiting. The Russellville Golden Tigers, coached by Coach Swindall, were expected to give the Patriots a rough time.
Although Russellville came away with a solid 43-20 victory, the Patriots gave the Golden Tigers a game. Last season, Russellville defeated Brewer 50-6.
Prior to the game Pats Coach Billy Coleman said, "This game will be a yard stick for the rest of the season. Although Russellville is ranked number two in the state we hope to make a good showing. We are here to have a good time."
With less than two minutes off the clock, the Golden Tigers' running back Rodney Suggs took a handoff from quarterback Jeremy Helms and ran it in from the 3-yard line. Freddy Aburto's PAT was no good.
The first series of downs for the Patriots saw them moving the ball as quarterback Steven Thompson handed off or completed passes to Chase Moore, Joseph Burton, Blake Cloer and Zach Graham. The Pats, however, stalled at their own 48-yard line. A punt to the Golden Tigers 24-yard line left them in good position.
The Golden Tigers did not stay long in their own territory as a 74-yard reception by Michael Abernathy added another six points to the Tigers score.
The two point PAT failed, leaving the score Tigers 12 Pats 0.
With 3:30 left in the quarter Helms hit Trenton Thorne for a 21-yard touchdown.
Once again the two point conversion failed, leaving the score Golden Tigers 18, Pats 0.
The second quarter started off with the Patriots driving from their own 40-yard line to the Golden Tigers 5. With fourth-and-two, the Pats attempted a pass, which fell incomplete and gave the ball back to the Golden Tigers.
They lost no time in gaining good field position when Helms hit wide receiver Chris Trapp for 50 yards. Helms then tucked the ball under his arm and ran for another 15 yards. The next play saw Helms loft the ball to Rodney Suggs for a 30-yard touchdown.
The one point PAT by Siran Winston made the score in favor of the Golden Tigers 25-0.
The beginning of the second half started off started off badly for the Pats when a Lucas Wilson pass was picked off by a Russellville's Tone Suggs, who ran it in from the 27-yard line.
Once again the PAT was no good.
Moving the ball in a good series, the Pats advanced the ball from their own 32-yard line to the Russellville 33. A 33-yard pass from Wilson to Chris Humphries put the Pats on the board for the first time in this game. A two point PAT was no good.
On the following kickoff the Golden Tigers controlled the ball on their own 40 yard line when a long pass from Helms to Rodney Suggs put the ball on the Pats 12-yard line. A penalty moved the ball back to the 21-yard line where Helms tossed a quick pass to Michael Abernathy for the final score of half.
The Golden Tigers scored once more in the third quarter and the Pats scored twice in the fourth.
With 5:35 left in the third, Wilson handed off to running back Joseph Burton who ran it in from the 24-yard line. The PAT by Wesley Brasher was good and made the score Golden Tigers 43-13.
With time running out the Patriots got the ball one more and the team of Wilson and Burton turned in another score, running the ball in from the 16 yard line.
Again the PAT by Brasher was good, making the final score Golden Tigers 43, Patriots 20.
Coleman said he "was pleased, because some thing we did good and others not so good. I'm very proud of this team – they never gave up. We expected a tough team and we got one."
Brewer plays host to another ranked team Friday night as they take on No. 19 Athens.