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Tigers hold on to defeat Sabine
Troup's sophomore sensation Derrikk Thompson did the honors Saturday, racing 93 yards down the field at Gladewater's Jack Murphy Stadium and putting a damper on the Sabine Cardinals' shortlived celebration. The opening-drive score was Sabine's only lead of the evening as they eventually fell to the Tigers in a hard-fought 28-21 non-district contest. Both teams were test-driving new offenses, and both had reason to be optimistic about the night's events. Thacher Riddle and Derrik Thompson each scored twice and gave the Tigers a solid ground attack with 330 yards. With 206 yards on 14 carries, Riddle averaged 14.7 per run. Quarter back Chance Steele was 2-for-3 on the night, with 29 yards. The Cardinals' attack was more balanced, although the emphasis was definitely on the air game as Sabine racked up 239 passing yards for a total of 325. Despite the loss, it was a better result than last year for the Cardinals, who were winless in 2006, including a 53- 12 loss to the Tigers.
With Sabine fans still buzzing, Thompson took the kickoff deep in Tiger territory and gave the Troup fans something to talk about, tying the score at 7-7 with 6:40 left in the first quarter. The teams traded possessions before Troup fumbled deep in Cardinal territory. Sabine couldn't capitalize on the mistake and was forced to punt from its own end zone, giving the Tigers the ball at the Cardinal 38. Thompson took a hand-off from quarterback Chance Steele and scored his second TD with seconds left in the first quarter. Both teams were scoreless in the second quarter, with each fumbling deep in the opponent's territory to end potential scoring drives and giving the Tigers a 14-7 halftime advantage.
Starting on their own 35, the Cardinals moved the ball into Tiger territory, but were penalized for an illegal block in the back. Faced with a fourth-and- 13 situation from Troup's 46- yard line, Sabine turned the ball over after a failed pass attempt. The Tigers set up with three receivers and lone back Chris Lepelley, who picked up 15 yards and a quick first down as the defense sagged to cover the pass. Following an illegal motion penalty, the Tigers failed to make another first down and turned the ball over on downs at the Sabine 38. The Cardinals put together their second scoring drive, mixing running and passing to work their way down to the Tiger 21. An illegal motion penalty backed them up five yards for a first and 15. The Sabine QB connected on a short pass the broke open for a TD with 3:16 left on the clock. The Tigers blocked the extra point, preserving a 21-13 lead. Troup's Raymond Wavrusa recovered the Cardinals second onside kick attempt, giving the Tigers the ball at their on 48. Riddle needed just one carry to advance the Tigers to the Cardinal 26, spinning and breaking tackles for a 26-yard gain. In between a holding penalty and a near fumble, Thompson added a 16-yard run. Steele also picked up five on a QB keeper, and then a personal foul gave the Tigers a first down on the 10-yard line. Riddle punched it in on two tries to give the Tigers a 28-13 lead as the third quarter ended. Building on a good kickoff return, the Cardinals launched an impressive drive from their own 41 to open the fourth quarter. Staving off a couple of nearfumbles and a sack by Jeremy Richardson, the Cardinals found themselves with a first and goal mid-way through the quarter. A strong defensive stand by the Tigers, with stops by Jordan Jackson and Chris and Cody Lepelley, forced the Cardinals to come up empty handed. With five minutes remaining, Troup took over on its own 5- yard-line. Thompson gave them breathing room with a 16-yard first down carry. Thompson's next run, a 9-yard gain, was nullified by a penalty forcing the Tigers back to their own 15. Facing a third-and-11, Steele hit his second completion of the night, finding Thompson for an 18-yard pickup. The Tigers picked up another first down, reaching the Sabine 45 with 2:45 left to play. Three plays later, the Tigers faced a fourth-and-13, although Childress' punt was delayed by a long delay to a Cardinal injury. Sabine managed a 25-yard return on Troup's kick, giving them a first and 10 from their own 46. A quick pass earned the team a new set of downs and a clock stoppage at 1:34. Operating from the Troup 42, the Sabine QB handled a bad snap and got another pass off for a gain of 29. With heavy pressure from Riddle, the Cardinals completed a screen pass but failed to gain any yardage. Facing a second and 10, with just over a minute left to play, Sabine had to put it in the air and scored the final TD despite good coverage by the Tigers. The two-point conversion was good, narrowing the Troup lead to 28-21 at the minute mark. Facing their third onside kick of the night, the Tigers special teams rose to the occasion with Riddle coming up with the ball. Troup (1-0) hosts White Oak (0-1) Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Key Statistics First downs: Troup 12, Sabine 17 Rushing: Troup 34-330, Sabine 36-86 Passing: Troup 2-3 29 yards, Sabine 18-28 239 yards Total yardage: Troup 359, Sabine 325. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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