Sports

DOLLARWAY DEFEATS STAR CITY 28-24

By Sam McGhee/SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL
Friday, November 6, 2009 2:18 AM CST

On the final weekend of the regular season, with Star City sporting an 8-1 record and Dollarway coming in at 1-8, one would expect an uneventful contest.

But in a slugfest that was marred with penalties and turnovers by both teams, it was the Cardinals who came out on top 28-24 and end the season on a two-game winning streak. Star City finishes the regular season 8-2 and will host a playoff game next Friday night at Bulldog Stadium.

The game started in promising fashion for the Bulldogs as they mounted a 12-play, 66-yard drive that culminated with quarterback Sage Gasaway completing an 8-yard touchdown pass to wideout Ty Towers.

The two-point conversion attempt was stopped by the Cardinals and Star City held an early 6-0 lead.

That lead would be short-lived, though, as the Cardinals took possession at their own 37-yard line and on third-and-11, Dollarway running back Trey Daniels powered his way through the Bulldogs’ defense and sprinted 64 yards for a touchdown. The try for two failed and the score was knotted at 6. That run by Daniels was a taste of what was to come for Star City.

Star City scored again on their next possession with Gasaway converting a 1-yard sneak for the TD but again the try for two failed and Star City led 12-6.

The Cardinals took possession of the football at their own 42, and after a pair of personal foul penalties against the Bulldogs, they quickly found themselves in scoring position again. It was another heavy dose of Daniels as he displayed power and speed with his running ability. Daniels scored from 9 yards out for his second touchdown of the night. Daniels also converted on the two-point conversion to put the cardinals up 14-12 with 9:34 remaining in the first half.

After a couple of unproductive possessions by each team, Dollarway’s Tevin Threet intercepted a Gasaway pass to put Dollarway in great position at the Star City 28-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Tevin Tyson completed a 23 yard touchdown pass to Charleston Girley. The try for two was converted again by Daniels and Dollarway led at the half 22-12.

“We made some good halftime adjustment and played a better ballgame in the second half,” Star City coach Blair Brown said. “Things just did not work out in our favor tonight but we will take this game and learn from it. It may be a blessing in disguise for this team. We’ll come out and work even harder now and get ready for the playoffs.”

Star City scored first on a 13-play, 84-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard Demetri Goins TD run, but again the Bulldogs failed to convert on their two-point try and Dollarway led 22-18.

Goins came up big again for the Bulldogs, this time on defense as he intercepted a Tyson pass and returned it to the Dollarway 14-yard line.

After a personal foul penalty against the Cardinals, Star City started at the 7-yard line.

It took only one play to score and that play was made by none other than Goins on a run around the left side of the Cardinals’ defense. But for the fourth time, the Dollarway defense stiffened and denied the Bulldogs the try for two, to keep Star City’s lead at 24-22 with eight minutes left to play.

Dollarway then mounted a 7-play drive but that was stopped by the Bulldogs defense on fourth down and Star City took over the ball with 5:35 remaining and all they needed to do was run out the clock. But, on the third play from scrimmage the quarterback-center exchange was fumbled and Dollarway recovered the ball at the Star City 46-yard line.

In a drive that contained heavy doses of Daniels runs, the Cardinals marched 46 yards in nine plays and Tyson scored the game-winning touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

“We had a lot of tough ballgames this year that could have went either way,” Dollarway coach Cortez Lee said. “It is good to finish on a winning streak, and with this young team we have I am really excited about the future of Dollarway football”

Daniels had 26 carries for 139 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyson complete 4-of-8 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Tyson also added a touchdown rushing for the Cardinals.

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