Kirby began the game with a long kickoff return that was called back due to a penalty. Not being able to move the ball, the Cougars tried throwing on 3rd down with no success when Jr. CB Tyler McMillon knocked down the 10 yd pass. McMillon has been injured most of the season and finally worked his way into the starting rotation.

Kirby punted and the Dragons “O” started at their own 21 yd. line. Quickly, the big offensive line, lead by Sr.’s Matt Fields, Scott Eller, Nash Jackson, & Jr. Grant Hall opened a seam for Sr. RB Jordan Pedron. After clearing the line of scrimmage, Pedron was tripped but caught himself before hitting the ground and ran untouched for a 76 yd. TD . Sr. Brett Caldwell kicked the XP giving Collierville a 7-0 lead. Caldwell was perfect again on the night hitting all 5 XP’s.

On the ensuing kickoff, Caldwell kicked into the end zone for a touchback. Because of his consistency this season, Kicking Ch. Robert Billings expects this from his Sr. kicker. Starting at their 20, the Cougars were quickly corralled and had to punt. Starting at DE So. Brett Rogers had a 2nd down solo sack for a 5 yd. loss and another solo stop at the line of scrimmage on the next play.

With 3 minutes to go in the 1st qtr. starting from their 27 yd. line, Sr. QB Brian Hall marched the offense downfield. Hall quickly threw a strike to Sr. RB Cody McMeans near the right sideline for a 12 yd. gain. Jr. RB Noel Moyes then took a handoff around the rt. side for a 20 yd. gain. McMeans went left for a 9 yd. gain. The drive ended when Hall threw a perfect 21 yd. pass to wide open Sr. SE Jonathan Abel for the TD. With Caldwell’s XP, it was 14-0.

Kirby, already hit with 3 penalties, were again unable to move the ball and had to punt. Tyler McMillon had a big 3rd down play when the Cougar QB rolled right and threw back across the backfield to a loan WR. McMillon came up and made the solo stop short of the 1st down.

On the next series, Collierville was unable to move the ball. On a 43 yd. high spiraling kick, Sr. punter Brock Merryman put the Cougars back to their own 33. Kirby was unable to move the ball again. After a facemask penalty against the Dragons, Jr. CB Jason Smith broke up a long pass down the left sideline. On 3rd down, DE Rogers had another sack for an 11 yd. loss. The Cougars attempted a fake punt and were stopped at the line of scrimmage by special teams So. #7 Conner Simmons.

The Dragons took over at midfield and were driving for another score. After 7 yd. run from McMeans and a 10 yd. gain by Moyes, the offensive fumbled at the 34 yard line. The Kirby offense took advantage of the mistake when the Cougar’s Tarvis Grandberry zig zagged through the Dragon defenders for a 66 yard TD. Going for 2, Dragon’s Sr. DL Garrison Smith stopped the RB short of the goal. The score was 14-6

After the kickoff, the Dragons were again unable to move the ball and were forced to punt. The Cougar return man fielded Merryman’s 40 yarder but ran into Sr. Taylor Walker for no gain at the Kirby 17. On the next play Kirby was pushed back to the 6 by a 15 yd. penalty. With 48 seconds in the half, the Cougar QB rolled back but found Tyler McMillon blitzing from the corner. McMillon’s hard hit dropped the QB for a safety. It was now 16-6 Dragons on top.

After the safety, Collierville returned the short kick to their own 40. Hall started what appeared to be a great drive by throwing a 31 yd. strike to SE Jonathan Abel. Abel was heading down the left sidelines and made a great catch falling out of bounds. Penalties stalled the drive and the half ended with the Dragons holding a 16-6 lead.

To begin the 2nd half, Trey Fitch fielded the short kickoff and returned it to the Dragon’s 40. On the 1st play from scrimmage, RB Moyes followed LT Scott Eller’s block for an 8 yd. gain. Then RB McMeans followed C Matt Fields blocking up the middle for a 1st down. Then it was QB Hall’s turn. Using great blocks from Eller and TE Grant Hall the All-State QB ran an option left for a 23 yd. gain down to the Kirby 23. With 10:04 in the 3rd, McMeans took a handoff behind Fields block and scored. Caldwell’s kick was good and Dragons were now up 23-6.

Caldwell’s kickoff landed in the hands of Kirby kick returner Tarvis Grandberry at the one. Grandberry headed up the middle then turned to the left sideline and went the 99 yard distance for a TD. Grandberry is leading the Shelby Metro area in kickoff return TD’s with 7. Going for 2 on the XP, Kirby was penalized and pushed back 5 yards. The QB ran a sweep right heading for the corner but came up 1 yd. short when Tyler McMillon buried him into the sidelines. The Dragons were now up 23-12.

Hall took the kickoff 51 yds. to the Kirby 34. Lining up with double TE’s and in wishbone formation, RB Moyes ran a counter left for an 11 yard gain and a 1st down. On the next play, Hall dropped back, looked right and found McMeans in the flat moving the Dragons to the 8 yard line. After punching it down to the 2, Moyes went over LG for the score. Again Caldwell’s kick was good and the lead was now 30-12.

On the kickoff, Caldwell kicked it deep as usual but a face mask penalty against the Dragons moved the ball out to midfield. Kirby’s offense was unable to move the ball much due to penalties and great plays by the Dragon defense. Tyler McMillon had another solo stop on a reverse to his side. LB Andrew White forced an incomplete pass with perfect pass coverage. DL Ben Huff had a huge stop catching the QB while he was scrambling in the backfield. On 4th down, the Cougar running back caught a screen pass to the left but was dropped short of the 1st down by LB Casey Shockey.

The Dragons took over at the Kirby 22. RB’s McMeans and Moyes moved the ball 18 yards but the drive was stopped by a fumble. Kirby took over at midfield. On 3rd down, 1st Team All-Region DL Scott Eller caught the QB in the backfield for a sack. Collierville held on the 4th down conversion and took over at the 50.

With 4:55 left in the game, RB Jordan Pedron took another handoff behind OL Jordan Whitten. Pedron stumbled again, found his balance and outran everyone to the endzone. Again Caldwell split the uprights and the lead was 37-12.