|
Lil' Josh Griffin scored all four SMS touchdowns
|
SMS wins title
By Michael Butler
The Southside Middle School Tigers completed a perfect season with a 28-6 district championship win over Pike Road on Monday at J. E. "Hot" O'Brien Stadium. The Tigers finished the 2020 season with a 6-0 record.
It was sweet revenge for SMS, which fell to the Patriots in last year's title game.
Lil' Josh Griffin scored all four touchdowns in the victory. Griffin ran for 277 yards on 11 carries.
"We've got a bunch of experienced eighth graders that are coming off of losing the championship last year to this same group," SMS head coach Adam Clayton said. "I think our experience showed in the second half. We kind of imposed our will offensively. It helps to have great athletes. (I'm) very proud of them."
It was a 6-6 stalemate at the half and 14-6 after three quarters, but Bryson Rigsby's interception at the SMS five thwarted a Pike Road threat. Joseph Hooks picked up a first down on the next series. Then Griffin went 70 yards to paydirt to make it a two-possession game.
"We struggled in the first half," Griffin said. "We made up for it in the second half."
Griffin had touchdown runs of 40, 78, 70 and 11 yards.
"We did this as a team," Hooks added. "We got our revenge from last year."
SMS put up 318 yards of total offense to Pike Road's 174.
"We played a great game," Slade Clayton said. "Coaches prepared us great. Great coaching, great teammates."
SMS Football 2020 Results
Pike Road W 30-16
Holtville W 28-10
Catholic W 22-6
Eclectic W 36-0
Eclectic W 60-20
Pike Road W 28-6
*Photos by Kyle Thornton
*Video on Tallassee Times TV
|
