With less than 3 minutes in the game, the home team scored to tighten the contest 33-32. Because the Whitehaven’s kicking game had missed 2 XP’s and a flubbed punt resulting in a Dragon TD, the Tiger coach went for 2 and the victory. Collierville was hit with a penalty which moved the ball to the 1.5 yd. line. The Tiger’s “up the gut” run was stuffed by Sr’s Nash Jackson, Scott Eller, & Garrison Smith and the rest of the interior Dragon defensive players. The game was sealed and the celebrating began.

Whitehaven took the opening kickoff and drove downfield with sweeps. Big plays from DL Ben Huff and Garrison Smith wasn’t enough to halt the drive. Whitehaven missed the XP kick to open a 6-0 lead.

On the next series the Dragons were unable to move the ball. Brock Merryman’s punt went 41 yards to the Whitehaven 19. The Tigers couldn’t get anything going due to a penalty, a solo stop by DL Jordan Whitten for no gain, and another solo by Cody McMeans on a reverse. Punting with his feet on the goalline, the snap sailed high. The kicker juggled it and DB Tyler McMillon pounced on the ball in the end zone for a Dragon TD. The score was 7-6 after Brett Caldwell’s XP kick.

On the kickoff Caldwell’s put it in the end zone for a touchback. Unable to move the ball, Whitehaven was forced to punt. The Dragons took over at their 35 yard line but couldn’t get a 1st down. Lining up in punt formation, upback Jonathan Abel spotted wide out Taylor Walker with no defender and audibled the fake. Walker flashed down the left sideline and caught the Abel pass. Untouched he went the 49 yards for another Dragon TD. Collierville took the lead. The XP failed with the score 13-6 Collierville on top.

Whitehaven took over with more bad luck coming their way. DL Scott Eller had a big tackle at the line of scrimmage. MLB Andrew White sacked the Tiger RB for a 3 yd. loss and CB Brock Merryman recovered a fumble. Momentum was all Dragon’s. Behind a leveling block by LG Jordan Whitten, RB Noel Moyes romped 51 yards to the Whitehaven 44. QB Brian Hall went to work. Following another big block by RG Andrew White, Hall took it to the 13 on an option right. He then optioned left and followed the block by DE Grant Hall for the TD. The 2 pt. conversion failed but the Dragons lead 19-6.

Whitehaven returned the kickoff to their 41 and drove downfield in spite of Andrew White and Garrison Smith combining for a sack. On a controversial call, the Tiger QB found his receiver on the goal line. The fans thought he was out of bounds but the referee saw it differently signaling the TD slowly. He was in doubt as well. DL Scott Eller blocked the XP kick and the teams went into the half with the Dragon’s leading 19-12.

To open the 3rd quarter, All-State, All Purpose player Brian Hall took the kickoff 82 yards to the Whitehaven 3 before stepping out of bounds. He almost had his 2nd TD return of the year. Coming into the game Hall was averaging 41 yards per return. The Tiger defense held strong and forced a 4th down decision by Ch. Cox at the 1 ½ yard line. Going for 2, the Dragons were lined up double tight in a wishbone. Hall handed off to RB Cody McMeans who went over the top for the score. Brett Caldwell kicked the XP and the Dragon’s were up 26-12.

Whitehaven took the next series and drove it down the field for another Tiger TD. LB Casey Shockey and DE Brett Rogers had big tackles on the drive but it wasn’t enough. The XP kick was good and the score was tightened to 26-19. The Dragons couldn’t answer and had to punt. Again Whitehaven drove and threw another TD strike to tie the game 26-26.

The next Dragon offensive series was successful. Hall ran a QB draw for 22 yards. McMeans picked up 4 behind blocking from Scott Eller. Hall got 3 more following Tackle Nash Jackson through the hole. Moyes gets a 1st down on a short run. And Jason Smith threw a pass to Hall for an 8 yd gain. Then a strong running McMeans carried several defenders as he barreled ahead for 6 yds. RB Jordan Pedron followed on a counter for another 1st down. Hall ran an option left down to the Tiger 3 yard line. On 3rd down, Hall faked a dive to Pedron, tucked it on his hip, and bootlegged untouched into the end zone for the last Dragon TD. The Caldwell XP was good and the score was 33-26 with 5:40 in the game.

Whitehaven took the kickoff out to their 45 yard line. They drove down the field scoring with less than 3 minutes to go. Deciding to go for 2 and the win, Collierville was flagged for too many men on the field which moved the ball to the 1 ½ yard line. The Tigers had success all night running sweeps but decided to go up the middle. Clogging the goal line was Eller, Jackson, Garrison Smith, and the rest of the interior line. The XP was no good and the Dragons held a 33-32 lead.