ALCOA, Tenn. – Traveling to Alcoa to take on the Tornadoes as heavy underdogs, the Tyner Rams showed no sign of nerves on their first drive of Friday’s game.
The Rams ran 14 plays and took seven minutes off the clock as they moved the ball 79 yards to the Alcoa 1-yard line. However, the Tornadoes defense stood firm and kept Tyner out of the end zone.
The Rams were still in good position with Alcoa starting from the 1, but the perennial Class 3A state champion connected for a 98-yard touchdown pass on its second play and scored 35 points in the first half on the way to a 49-0 win.
“We had things going our way, but then we got down there and stalled out,” Tyner coach Wayne Turner said. “Then they score, and we go three and out and they run the punt back. That was the back-breaker.”
Class 3A’s top-ranked Tornadoes (5-1) hit 2A’s No. 5 Tyner with big plays, including the 60-yard punt return that put them up 14-0. Alcoa scored on a 48-yard pass right before halftime as well.
Tyner (3-2) put together multiple drives in the game, but penalties killed the threats before they could gain any momentum. The Rams had eight penalties for 62 yards.
“We knew we couldn’t have penalties and turnovers, and we made way too many mistakes in the first half against a quality team,” Turner said. “You can’t make those mistakes when you play them.”
Twelve of the 14 plays on the Rams’ opening drive were runs. Their two passes in the possession were completed for 11 and 27 yards.
On the final drive of the game, the Rams moved the ball down the field using the passing and running game. However, after they reached the 10-yard line, the clock hit zero before they could get into the end zone.
Tyner will play next Friday night at Tellico Plains.
“We just have to eliminate the penalties, and we have to execute on both sides of the ball,” Turner said. “We have to tackle better on the defensive side and maintain our blocks on the offensive side.”
Contact Rob Harvey at sports@timesfreepress.com.