The Dragons made several key mistakes in a very tightly contested game. The offense that had been one of the area leaders entering the game never got untracked against the experienced Red Devil defense. The Dragon defense that has not been effective turned in a very solid performance against one of the top teams in the state. The key game between the two neighborhood rivals was set on a very wet field, thanks to over 6 inches of rain in the 24 hours before kickoff. The wet field certainly added to the problems of the passing game for both teams and made for a very slow field. The first two possessions spelled disaster for Collierville.
The Dragons took the opening possession on the twenty yard line. Three running plays left the Dragons one yard short of a first down and put them into a punting situation. The Red Devils with a great rush were able to block the punt of Robbie Seahorn and took possession deep into Dragon territory at the 18 yard line. On the very next play the Red Devils, ran it up the middle, broke several tackles and scored. This silenced the heavily partisan Collierville crowd as the hometown team trailed 7 - 0 in the opening minutes.
The next possession for Collierville had very similar results. The offense went three and out which set up another punt. The Red Devils punt returner with the assistance of a questionable block returned the punt deep into Dragon territory at the 11 yard line. The Red Devils needed 4 plays this time to score putting the Dragons quickly into a 14 point hole.
The third possession could have started a landslide. An errant pass was intercepted by Germantown near the fifty yard line. Showing a tremendous amount of character the Dragon defense stiffened and held. Jake Storz had a crushing tackle at the line of scrimmage on third down. Facing a fourth and long, Germantown's pass was intercepted by Taylor Brashear, which he returned into good field position.
Solid runs by Brian Hall and Brashear put the Dragons inside the Germantown 30 yard line. A sack and a dropped pass lead to a quick kick by Josh Smith to the Germantown 24. This time it is Germantown's turn to go three plays and out as the Dragon defense had a point to prove by forcing them to punt.
Collierville finally had the ball with momentum at the Dragon 29. A solid drive featured solid running by James Smith and Brashear. After a pass from Smith and an exciting run by Rogers Thweatt Collierville had a first down inside the Germantown 20 yard line. An incomplete pass, a sack and a delay of game penalty probably put the Dragons out of field goal range. Worthy of a try, the attempt of 45 yards by CJ Passmore was short, giving the ball back to the Red Devils at the twenty yard line.
Germantown on their possession was stopped and had to kick it back to Collierville. The Dragons responded with a quick drive of their own but a fourth down pass was dropped turning the ball back to the Red Devils. The Germantown Quarterback wanted to pad the score before the half ended. However a long pass attempt was nearly intercepted on a fine play by Rogers Thweatt.
The second half started with the Dragons firmly in control of momentum. The Red Devils committed two major penalties in their first drive and had to kick on fourth down. Starting with great field position at the 41, yard line, the Dragons drove the field highlighted by a neat pass play. James Smith made finger tip catch on the pass from Josh Smith. A desperate diving lunge by the safety snagged and ankle which brought down James at the ten yard line. A great run by Brashear put the ball with a 2nd down on the two line. A fumble in the backfield and a failed sweep backed the ball out to the four yard line. The fourth down play a pass to Brashear ended just inches short of the goal line, and disappointed a standing room crowd.
Germantown in need of a solution went to what they know best, the inside running game. They retired the wide receiver for the night and brought in an unbalanced line in the form of another 300 plus pound lineman. The Red Devil fix was not pretty but it was effective, as they controlled the ball and ate up large amounts of the clock. The Dragon defense yielded but was able to stop the charge. The Red Devils punted the ball to the Dragon 32 yard line.
Needing to score quickly, Collierville was intercepted on the 42 yard line. Germantown made the Dragon's pay again for their mistake with a touchdown 8 plays later and now led by the score of 21 - 0. The next possession by Collierville also provided an interception but the game ended before the Red Devil's could score again.
The Dragon defense had a very solid outing allowing just over 50 yards rushing in the first half and no passing yards for the entire game. The Dragon running attack was again led by Taylor Brashear who finished with 77 yards but was well below there season average. The Dragon passing attack also faired poorly. Trailing by 14 points the passing attack was hampered by the wet conditions and a Red Devil defense that applied a lot of pressure on quarterback Josh Smith and the receivers.

2001 Germantown Game