By Dave Link
sports@knoxnews.com
ALCOA, Tenn. — When the Alcoa High School football team came onto its field Friday night, senior linebacker Dee Herbert led the way carrying a sledgehammer.
It proved to be an appropriate entrance as the top-ranked Tornadoes pounded Tyner 44-7 in the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs.
“We try to come up with something every year to put the playoffs in perspective,” Alcoa defensive coordinator Brian Nix said, “that it’s a long process, a step-by-step thing. Our theme this year is ‘Pound the Rock.’”
Alcoa (11-0) will play Christian Academy of Knoxville in the second round next Friday.
Tyner (6-5), which trailed 37-0 at halftime, didn’t lose to a Class 3A team during the regular season. Its losses were to McCallie, Baylor, Red Bank and Ooltewah.
“Alcoa’s just an outstanding ballclub,” Tyner coach Wayne Turner said. “They have a lot of talent, a lot of skill people, and their offensive and defensive fronts are tremendous. They’ll make another deep run if they don’t win it all again. Forget the draw. You’re going to have to play ’em sooner or later.”
Alcoa senior receiver Daniel Rockymore scored on a 63-yard reverse on the game’s opening play.
Two plays after the kickoff, Tyner quarterback Travis Jones ran 62 yards before being run down by Darrell Warren at Alcoa’s 7. The Rams were stopped on fourth-and-goal at the 3 when Jones was pressured by JaRon Toney and threw an incomplete pass.
Alcoa moved to the Rams’ 38 and was stopped. Tyler Robinson’s punt was downed at the 1.
Jones rolled out on third down in the end zone, and with Toney attempting to make the tackle, threw an incomplete pass. Intentional grounding and a safety were called. Alcoa led 9-0 late in the first quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, Austin Tallant threw a short pass to Rockymore, who ran for a 55-yard touchdown and 16-0 lead.
“I told the team before the game we needed to take the initiative and get the momentum on our side, and that’s what we did,” Rockymore said.
Toney scored on a 3-yard run for a 23-0 lead. Tallant’s 60-yard punt return set up the next touchdown, an 8-yard run by Toney with 5:33 left in the half.
Tallant’s 18-yard touchdown run gave Alcoa a 37-0 halftime lead. Alcoa played its starters only the first series of the second half. Toney, who ran for 100 yards on 16 carries, scored his third touchdown on a 3-yard run and the starters went to the bench.
“They’re a good football team,” Alcoa coach Gary Rankin said of the Rams. “They’ve been beaten by some good teams. They’ve got tremendous speed and athletes. Overall we were just stronger inside with our line, and we weren’t making any mistakes.”
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