By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Tigers I won the 9/10-Year-Old Morgan County Football Association Championship with a 13-0 shutout of the West Morgan Rebels. Hartselle finished the season 10-0 and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 178-18. Hartselle finished the year with 2,354 yards of total offense and limited its opponents to 614 yards.
In the championship game, Hartselle showed its quick strike offensive power when Jorden Robinson scored from 56 yards out on the game's third play. He raced around the right end behind blocking from Trent Vaughn, Jamo Maxwell, Toby Swims and Kyle Kulick. Prestyn Wallace ran in the one-point conversion to make the score 7-0.
Though the Rebels threatened on their first possession, the Hartselle defense rose up and took control of the game. After West Morgan moved the ball into Tiger territory, the defense stiffened to take over on downs. Justin Gamble, Trent Vaughn, Zac Pershin, Waid Miller and Michael Kent combined to stop the Rebels on fourth down.
On the Tigers' third possession of the first half, Robinson scored his second touchdown. This time Robinson raced 69 yards around the left end. Waid Miller, Zac Pershin, Kent, Carter Harrison, and Connor Shelton cleared the path for Robinson to run in untouched. The conversion failed leaving the score 13-0.
The defense maintained pressure on the Rebels for the rest of the game. They limited the potent West Morgan offense to 102 total yards.
Tyler Legg and Justin Gamble played the contain positions to perfection. They forced the Rebel backs into the middle where many Tigers waited to deliver punishing hits.
For the game, the Tiger offense finished with 299 total yards. Robinson finished with 172 yards on 15 carries. Shelton ran for 89 yards on 12 attempts. Prestyn Wallace ran for 11 yards and completed one pass to Pershin for 17 yards and a key first down. Waid Miller grounded out 10 tough yards in the second half to secure the Tiger win. The Tiger offensive line played to near perfection. Ben Hall and Kade Chaney helped clear the path for the Tiger offense in the second half.
On defense, every member of the Tiger team helped stop the Rebels. Shelton and Harrison finished with 11 total tackles each. Pershin delivered nine tackles while Miller, Maxwell and Legg finished with seven tackles each.
Robinson added 6 tackles and one interception. Wallace and Gamble generated five and four tackles respectively.
Vaughn provided three hard tackles while Kulick and Colton Burks added two each. Kent, Tyler Lawrence, Justin Mayfield and Tyler Morgan added one tackle each.
The Tigers I team was coached by Johnny Hall, Scott Shelton, Jay Stewart, James Maxwell, Bart Mayfield, Brian Wallace, Bryan Liverett, Tim Harrison and Michael Robinson.
Players for the Tigers I team are Justin Gamble, Jacob Stewart, Ben Hall, Tyler Morgan, Waid Miller, Colton Burks, Tyler Lawrence, Tyler Legg, Connor Shelton, Jorden Robinson, Kyle Kulick, Dakota Liverett, Trent Vaughn, Prestyn Wallace, Zac Pershin, Kade Chaney, Carter Harrison, Justin Mayfield, Michael Kent, Toby Swims and Jamo Maxwell.
Hartselle Finishes Regular Season Undefeated
Hartselle's 9/10 Tigers I won the 2005 Regular Season Championship with a 22-6 victory over their friends from the Hartselle II team. The win moved Tigers' I record to 8-0. The Tigers II finished the season with a 4-4 record. Both teams begin the playoffs this week.
Hartselle I gave a strong offensive performance by putting up 327 rushing yards and scoring three touchdowns. The Tiger I defense provided a safety and limited the Hartselle II offense to 58 total yards including only eight yards rushing. The Tiger I defense also intercepted three Tiger II passes.
The lone Tiger II score came on a fumble return by E.J. Turner.
The Tiger I offensive line, led by Carter Harrison, Jamo Maxwell, Kyle Kulick, Toby Swims and Michael Kent, controlled the line of scrimmage and eased the way for the Tiger's running backs. Zac Pershin, Waid Miller, Trent Vaughn, Ben Hall and Kade Chaney consistently blocked on the corners to clear the way for the Tiger sweeps.
Tyler Morgan, Colton Burks, Justin Gamble, and Dakota Liverett also provided several key blocks for the Tiger I offense.
Prestyn Wallace and Waid Miller directed the Tiger I offense from the quarterback position and provided 12 yards rushing each. Both provided consistent ball handling and excellent reads to put the Tiger I backs into position to reel off big runs. Jorden Robinson scored two touchdowns for the Tigers I and totaled 131 yards on 13 carries. Connor Shelton scored one touchdown and led all ball carriers with 161 yards rushing on 13 attempts. Zac Pershin added 11 rushing yards in addition to his excellent blocking. Justin Mayfield provided seven rushing yards and Tyler Lawrence added three yards.
Prior to twisting his ankle and leaving the game, Trent Vaughn delivered two key plays for the Tiger I defense. He produced a touchdown saving tackle on the game's first play and then intercepted a pass on the second play to stop a Tiger II threat.
Harrison, Maxwell, and Burks pressured the Hartselle II backs from their defensive line positions.
Each delivered several big stops in the offensive backfield and controlled the line of scrimmage to frustrate the Hartselle II rushing attack. Harrison delivered seven tackles, while Maxwell and Burks provided five tackles each.
Tyler Legg and Kyle Kulick consistently contained Tiger II sweeps. Legg finished with five tackles while Kulick added three. Kulick was playing the contain position for the first time this year. Illness and injury to other Tiger players forced him to move from his normal defensive line position. His play was key to the Tiger victory.
Shelton intercepted two Hartselle II passes and led all Tiger I tacklers with nine total tackles.
Robinson followed with eight total tackles including several open field tackles. Pershin, Miller and Wallace provided seven tackles each for the Tigers. Their heads up play against a potent Tiger II offense was crucial to the Tiger I defense.
Tyler Lawrence, Justin Mayfield, and Dakota Liverett played strong defensive games for the Tigers.
Each played their positions perfectly and provided key solo tackles.