BY JAMES HINTE

Faced with their first road game of the season and a formidable opponent, the Collierville Dragons traveled to Whitehaven to take on the undefeated Tigers.  The Dragons put on a gutsy performance and with the exception of two long pass plays that gave the Tigers their two scores, Collierville gave Whitehaven plenty to worry about all evening.  With the opportunity to start the season on a four game winning streak and time running out, a fourth down play to keep the final drive alive came up three yards short and Collierville left with their first loss of the season, 14-10.  Not only did the Dragons lose the game, but they also saw their starting quarterback Gabe Bouldien leave the game with a broken wrist.

To start the game the Dragons’ Grayson Hinte took the opening kick off at the 18 and returned the kick 19 yards to the 37.  Eric Smith took the first down hand off for a quick burst up the middle for seven yards.  After a two yard loss on second the Tigers jumped off sides and the penalty gave the Dragons a first down at the 47.  Gabe Bouldien and Eric Smith each picked up two yards and on third and six Bouldien threw a long pass to Adam White who was interfered with during the play and the ball was spotted at the Tigers 31.  Al Burriss fought for two yards on first down and on second down Bouldien tried to connect with Andrew Richmond in the end zone.  The pass fell incomplete with a questionable no call on what appeared to be another interference infraction.  An inside screen to Richmond was enough for a first down however a holding call brought the play back.  Bouldien was dropped for a five yard loss on the next play and the Dragons punted on fourth and long.  The punt rolled into the end zone and the Tigers started their first drive at the 20.

On first down the Tigers were called for a false start putting the ball back to the fifteen.  On the next play Whitehaven ran around the right end and Richmond and Drew Moyes stopped the play after a ten yard gain.  On second and five the Tigers picked up seven with Zach Jackson making the tackle.  A fumble sent the tigers running back scrambling and he was chased out of bounds by Eric Smith and Bart Smith for a one yard loss.  A pass completion gave Whitehaven another first down and on third and short Mike Mancini and Bradley Rogers stopped the play for a two yard loss.  Moyes called for a fair catch at the 15 and the Dragons started their second drive of the night. 

Eric Smith ran consecutive plays for three and two yards and Burriss took the third down play around the left side picking up four and a half yards leaving the Dragons just short of the first down.  With fourth and short and deep in their own territory, the Dragons came to the line and Bouldien successfully pulled the Tigers off sides with a hard count to pick up the first down.  Bouldien picked up two yards on first down but the second down pass play would prove to be painful. 
Bouldien dropped back to pass and under pressure let the ball go as he was being sacked.  Attempting to break his fall Bouldien fell on his wrist and was forced to leave the game with a broken wrist.  To add insult to injury, the pass was intercepted at the Dragons 48.  The Tigers struck quickly on first down with a long completion for a touchdown.  The kick was good and the first quarter came to an end.

The Whitehaven kick went the through the end zone for a touchback.  A holding call stalled the Collierville drive and the Dragons had to punt.  A long punt return was called back for a block in the back call and the Tigers started the drive at their 38 yard line.  After a first down completion Rogers and Keaton Stigger teamed up on the tackle and a favorable spot gave Whitehaven a first down.  Jackson made a solo tackle on the next play and Moyes, Jackson and Stigger combined to make the next stop however not until the Tigers gained enough for another first down.  On the next play the Tigers threw long and the Whitehaven receiver made the catch as he stumbled and fell into the end zone.  The Tigers were up 14-0 with 7:20 remaining in the half.

The ensuing kick went out of bounds giving the Dragons good field position at the 35.  Bart Smith picked up two and on second down Hinte went around the right end slipping a tackle and spinning for a nine yard pick up and a first down.  After this play the Dragons could not pick up another first down and had to punt.  Each team had an additional possession however both were plagued by penalties and the half came to an end.

Although the Dragon defense had not played poorly in the first half, the two long completions resulting in scores put Collierville in the hole and upon their return for the second half the Dragons defense was determined to step it up.

Taylor Nelson’s kick went into the end zone for a touchback and Jackson, Rogers and Stigger stopped the first down run for no gain.  Moyes broke up a second down pass play and Stigger, Jackson and Justin Lis hauled the Tiger running back down after picking up four.  The Tiger’s punt was nearly blocked and Moyes was dropped quickly at the Dragons 41.

The Dragons offense could not pick up a first down and had to punt.  A block in the back call on Whitehaven during the punt return put them on their own six.  Chandler Carr, Moyes, Rogers and Stigger all contributed with outstanding tackles and once again the Tigers went three and out.  A terrible punt gave Collierville excellent field position at the Whitehaven 37, however the offense could not capitalize on the opportunity and once again the Dragons had to punt.  Whitehaven started at the 18 and the Dragons defense came up big on this series.  Austin Laine made a solo tackle on first down and on second Moyes, Stigger and Andrew Richmond made another stop for negative yardage setting up third and six.  The Whitehaven quarterback rolled to his left and Josh Simpson came flying through the line and hit the quarterback as he released the ball.  Richmond intercepted the pass at the 50 and returned it to the Tiger’s 39.  This big defensive play not only gave the Dragons good field position but more importantly injected life into the offense.  Burriss picked up two on first down, Bart Smith added three on second and John White hit Adam White for a four yard reception on third down.  On fourth and one Burriss fought for six yard and a crucial first down.  Burriss picked up two more on the next play and then John White found Richmond in the end zone for a 22 yard touchdown catch.  Nelson’s kick was good and with a minute remaining in the third quarter the Dragons trailed by seven.

Nelson’s kick was taken at the goal line and after eluding several Dragon tacklers the Tiger return man was forced out of bounds at the 31.  True to form for the second half, the defense forced another punt and the offense took over at their own 47.  John White rumbled for 13 yards on the first play and Eric Smith and Burriss picked up four and three.  John White was dropped for a loss of five and he then hit Eric Smith for a short completion setting up fourth down and three.  White handed off to Hinte up the middle but the Whitehaven defense made a huge surge and the play was stopped in the Dragon back field.  After another Tiger punt and a 15 yard return by Moyes the Collierville offense was back on the field.  John White’s first down pass was knocked down then Eric Smith took the second down hand off  and went 33 yards down to the Whitehaven 23.  Three successive plays for no gain gave the Dragons a fourth and 10 at the 25 and on came the field goal unit for the first time this year.  Nelson knocked the ball through from 42 yards out and the score was now 14-10 with just over five minutes left in the game.

Nelson squirted a squib kick that was recovered by the Tigers and a personal foul penalty on the Dragons put the ball on the Tigers 47.  For the fourth time in the half the Collierville defense stopped Whitehaven.  John Huffman and Simpson made the first down stop and after a false start penalty moved the ball back five yards, Stigger shot through the offensive line to make a tackle for a two yard loss.  The third down pass was incomplete and another bad punt by the Tigers gave the Dragons the ball on their own 38 and one more chance for victory.  After a loss of one on first down, it was White to White again and Adam White took the pass 23 yards down to the Tigers 40.  John White carried on the next two plays gaining twelve and eight yards and the Dragons had a second down and eight at the twenty.  There was a fumble on the second down play and Eric Smith jumped on it for a short gain.  On third and one John White carried the ball up the middle for an apparent first down but  there was another holding call on the play and Dragons faced third and nine.  White’s pass to Richmond fell incomplete and on fourth and nine White hit Burriss on a crossing pattern who was dragged down as he fought for first down yardage coming up three yards short.  The Tigers took over on the change of possession and killed the clock for the win.

The Dragons had several opportunities to gain the win however untimely penalties killed several drives and despite a outstanding defensive effort in the second half, the Collierville players, coaches and fans were left wondering what if.  Bouldien’s injury was confirmed to be a broken left wrist and he will be out for four to six weeks.  Stepping up in his place, John White played three strong quarters and nearly led the team to victory.  He had several long gains on the ground picking up 69 yards on 16 carries and connected for his first passing touchdown of the season hitting Andrew Richmond for a 22 yard score in the third quarter.  Eric Smith picked up 60 yards on six carries for the night.

On the defensive side Drew Moyes, Keaton Stigger, Bradley Rogers and Zach Jackson made big plays all night.  Chandler Carr came in and made two big plays on one drive.  Josh Simpson forced a poor throw that Andrew Richmond picked off for an interception that eventually led to the Dragons first score.

The Dragons special teams continued to be a strong part of the Dragons game as Taylor Nelson is now 19 for 19 on PAT’s and hit his first field goal of the year from 42 yards out. 

Next week the Dragon’s return home and face another strong opponent in the Millington Trojan’s.  Both teams are strong defensively with the Dragons ranked second and Millington ranked third in the Shelby-Metro area.