RINGGOLD, Ga. - All week long, the Ringgold Tigers' fans - mostly the adult ones - talked the talk leading up to the annual head-knocking with Catoosa County rival Heritage. But come Friday night, did the Tigers ever walk the walk.
Heritage had two early chances to score, missing a chippie field goal and suffering a Braden Broome interception, and that was it. The host Tigers, playing in front of what coach Robert Akins thought was the largest regular-season crowd Don Patterson Field had ever held, put an absolute skunking on the Class AAAA Generals, coming away with a 40-0 win and a whole bunch of bragging rights.
The Tigers (1-1) can actually enjoy this one for a bit, getting an early off week before beginning Region 6-AAA play against North Murray. Heritage (1-1) is likely grateful to be playing again this week, opening its region schedule at Chattooga.
Akins thought that even though his Tigers did not play that well Monday, finishing last week's game this week worked to his team's benefit.
"I think it might have put us more at ease, if anything," Akins said. "Tuesday we didn't have any contact, and Wednesday we just did a walk-through. I thought our kids responded well to that."
First among the responders was senior quarterback Cole Kibler, who threw four touchdown passes in three quarters plus one play - and had a fifth wiped out by an inadvertent whistle that also cost Pete Brower a score. But Kibler was able to find his senior receiver on a 15-yard strike on the first play of the fourth quarter to ease the sting of that loss.
In fact, freshman running back Kori Dumas showed a knack for the dramatic, scoring on a 14-yard run one play after the goof. He also had a 27-yard scoring run in what was a decisive third quarter.
The Tigers led just 12-0 in the first half as senior kicker Mark Davis missed a short field goal and a PAT. But instead of retreating into a kicker-like shell, he spent the rest of the night booming kickoffs through the end zone and PATs into the Ringgold night.
"I got on him after the missed field goal," Akins said. "He's a tremendous kicker. He needs to get past the psychological stuff."
A pair of Kibler scoring strikes built that early lead, hitting Andre Tarver for a uncontested 7-yard slant in the first quarter and Dylan Wright on a spectacular 20-yard play that ended with Wright going airborne for a successful lunge toward the stripe. Tarver led the catching corps with eight catches for 103 yards. Dumas gained 92 yards on 12 carries.
For Heritage Jeffrey Curtis was just about the whole offense, gaining much of his 107 yards in the early going. Talented receiver Chandler Hill caught just one pass, going down without contact with an apparent leg injury.
The Tigers claimed four turnovers from the Generals while losing just one. Tarver was the leading tackler and claimed a fumble.
Contact David Jenkins at sports@timesfreepress.com.