Tigers build confidence going into state playoffs
BY AGAN TANKERSLEY

DERRICK SMITH SHAKES OFF A METTER TIGER

It's not wise to count your chickens before they hatch, but this past Friday night the Swainsboro Tigers were almost certain to win. Swainsboro faced off against the Metter Tigers. Metter's overall season record was 0-9 going into the last game of the season against Swainsboro. Metter has had a offyear with having a really young team, but in the next few years Metter should be one of the top teams in AA football. After four short quarters, Swainsboro took the victory, 55-14. "It was a good way to finish out a regular season and helps us get started into the playoffs," said Head Coach Shane Williamson.

The Metter Tigers kicked the ball off to Swainsboro to start the first half. Swainsboro drove down field easily to enter the red-zone. Rashad James kept the ball and squeezed in for a 1 yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good and Swainsboro was up by 6.

Shawn Riddles is one of the main defensive linebackers on the "crew." When Riddles got the opportunity to run the ball, he took it. Riddles slammed through Metter's defensive line for a 6 yard touchdown. Swainsboro tried a 2 point conversion but it was no good. Derrick Smith would score his last touchdown for the night with a 7 yard run. Pablo Silva tacked on the extra point giving the Tigers the lead, 19-0. Derrick Smith had rushed for 109 yards in the first quarter.

MALCOLM EADY COMPLETES A PASS DOWN FIELD

Metter would get to score one time before halftime. Metter punted the ball and the ball hit a Swainsboro player down field and then bounced into the end-zone only to have a Metter Tiger to jump on the ball for the touchdown. The PAT was good and now Metter had 7 on the board.

Nigel Cason scored for Swainsboro to begin in the second half. His first run was a 67 yard touchdown run. Later in the quarter James completed a pass to Byron Foots for a 2-point conversion. His second touchdown run was for 32 yards, Pablo completed the extra point putting Swainsboro up 34-7.

Before the half-time buzzer sounded James completed a 16 yard touchdown pass to Byron Foots. Pablo completed the extra point. Going into half-time, the score was Swainsboro 41, Metter 7.

Kawaskie Coleman started off the second-half right with a 21 yard touchdown run and Pablo came through with the extra point. At this point in the game Swainsboro started rotating their first string out. Metter took advantage of this and snuck in the end-zone with a 23 yard pass. The extra point was good but this would be the last time Metter would score. Before everything was said and done, Gerrie Brown broke a 20 yard touchdown run for Swainsboro. Pablo kicked the ball through the uprights giving a final score of Metter 14 and Swainsboro 55.

"It was a good game and the second string played hard at the end," said Hunter Gay. The Swainsboro Tigers had 463 yards rushing and 54 yards passing for the night. Swainsboro did not have to punt the ball the entire game. Swainsboro had two players that had over 100 yards rushing, Nigel Cason and Derrick Smith. The offense came out hard in the first half," said Cason.

The Swainsboro Tigers will host the Savannah Christian Raiders this Friday night. Savannah Christian placed third in their region with an overall record of 8-2 and 5-2 in region play. The Tigers are now in the state playoffs and this game is the first round.

Statistics provided by Ken Mercer, Zach Denny, and Danny "Stat Cat" Henry.

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