Swainsboro vs. Dublin
Tigers Prevail As Luck Runs Out On The Irish
By: TROUP BRINSON
By: TROUP BRINSON
The Forest Blade
The Swainsboro Tigers used two ferocious defensive stands late in the 4th quarter to insure an important victory against the Dublin Irish, 19-15.
Two Tiger turnovers on Swainsboro’s side of the field gave Dublin’s struggling offense every opportunity to pull out a 2nd half comeback win. But in the end, Swainsboro’s defense was just too good.
The Tigers controlled the 1st half against the Irish in every way possible. Dublin could mount no threat and only muster 24 yards rushing (which is their bread and butter) as Swainsboro swarmed ball carriers and the defensive line man-handled its counterpart. Swainsboro QB Malcolm Eady (19 carries, 140 yards) scored 3 first half touchdowns, including maybe the most incredible 40 yard highlight reel run of his career to give the Tigers a 19-0 edge heading into the halftime break.
Back to Eady’s run: in one word, incredible. With just over 10 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, From the 40 yard line, Eady looked for running room off-tackle to his right. With tacklers grabbing and swarming the elusive playmaker, Eady darted one way then another. He put his hand down to the ground to keep balance and changed directions. Eady found some running room as he cut back but there were Irish all about him. Eady changed directions again, sidestepping and dodging past green jerseys every step of the way. A burst of speed left the remaining tacklers in his wake and he broke Dublin’s last attempt to bring him down inside of the 5 yard line for the touchdown.
Swainsboro Head Coach Scott Roberts expected big things from his senior quarterback on Friday night:
“Malcolm had some extra motivation for this game,” said Roberts. You could see a great deal of determination in him all week long. He wanted to prove that we were a good football team. He is a special player.”
However, the 2nd half would prove a challenge for Swainsboro. Dublin came out of the locker room determined to change momentum and they did just that when they recovered a pooch-kick to give them great field position early. Dublin converted the short field into a touchdown and cut the lead to 19-7 in the half’s first 93 seconds.
Swainsboro, unable to move in their first possession of the second half was forced to punt. Dublin’s special teams again rose up and blocked the punt, taking over possession at the Tiger’s 18 yard line. With 6:42 to go in the 3rd quarter, the Irish added a touchdown and 2 point conversion to trim the lead again, 19-15.
With momentum clearly on the side of Dublin, Swainsboro’s defense took it upon themselves to save the day. Faced three times in the second half with Dublin on Swainsboro’s side of the field (once as close as the 20 yard line) and threatening to take the lead, the rebirth of the Pain Train was clearly evident. Defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson was too quick to be blocked by the Dublin offensive line, causing havoc for runners and harassing Dublin’s QB. Likewise, defensive end David Porter punished the Irish backs with several bone-rattling hits.
In the end, Dublin didn’t run out of time as much as they ran out of downs against the swarming Tigers and Malcolm Eady kneeled behind the line as time expired in the victory formation.
Coach Roberts admitted that the win was not pretty, but he was certainly proud to take it.
“Dublin is a top-notch program and will never quit,” said Roberts. I'm proud of our kids and coaches for finding a way to beat one of the top AA programs in the state because that's all that matters.”
The Tigers move to 6-1 and are now firmly in 2nd place in the region with Laney, Dodge, and Toombs
Two Tiger turnovers on Swainsboro’s side of the field gave Dublin’s struggling offense every opportunity to pull out a 2nd half comeback win. But in the end, Swainsboro’s defense was just too good.
The Tigers controlled the 1st half against the Irish in every way possible. Dublin could mount no threat and only muster 24 yards rushing (which is their bread and butter) as Swainsboro swarmed ball carriers and the defensive line man-handled its counterpart. Swainsboro QB Malcolm Eady (19 carries, 140 yards) scored 3 first half touchdowns, including maybe the most incredible 40 yard highlight reel run of his career to give the Tigers a 19-0 edge heading into the halftime break.
Back to Eady’s run: in one word, incredible. With just over 10 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, From the 40 yard line, Eady looked for running room off-tackle to his right. With tacklers grabbing and swarming the elusive playmaker, Eady darted one way then another. He put his hand down to the ground to keep balance and changed directions. Eady found some running room as he cut back but there were Irish all about him. Eady changed directions again, sidestepping and dodging past green jerseys every step of the way. A burst of speed left the remaining tacklers in his wake and he broke Dublin’s last attempt to bring him down inside of the 5 yard line for the touchdown.
Swainsboro Head Coach Scott Roberts expected big things from his senior quarterback on Friday night:
“Malcolm had some extra motivation for this game,” said Roberts. You could see a great deal of determination in him all week long. He wanted to prove that we were a good football team. He is a special player.”
However, the 2nd half would prove a challenge for Swainsboro. Dublin came out of the locker room determined to change momentum and they did just that when they recovered a pooch-kick to give them great field position early. Dublin converted the short field into a touchdown and cut the lead to 19-7 in the half’s first 93 seconds.
Swainsboro, unable to move in their first possession of the second half was forced to punt. Dublin’s special teams again rose up and blocked the punt, taking over possession at the Tiger’s 18 yard line. With 6:42 to go in the 3rd quarter, the Irish added a touchdown and 2 point conversion to trim the lead again, 19-15.
With momentum clearly on the side of Dublin, Swainsboro’s defense took it upon themselves to save the day. Faced three times in the second half with Dublin on Swainsboro’s side of the field (once as close as the 20 yard line) and threatening to take the lead, the rebirth of the Pain Train was clearly evident. Defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson was too quick to be blocked by the Dublin offensive line, causing havoc for runners and harassing Dublin’s QB. Likewise, defensive end David Porter punished the Irish backs with several bone-rattling hits.
In the end, Dublin didn’t run out of time as much as they ran out of downs against the swarming Tigers and Malcolm Eady kneeled behind the line as time expired in the victory formation.
Coach Roberts admitted that the win was not pretty, but he was certainly proud to take it.
“Dublin is a top-notch program and will never quit,” said Roberts. I'm proud of our kids and coaches for finding a way to beat one of the top AA programs in the state because that's all that matters.”
The Tigers move to 6-1 and are now firmly in 2nd place in the region with Laney, Dodge, and Toombs
