Reminiscent of last week’s game, Bolton won the toss and chose to defer to receive the second half kickoff. Noel Moyes received the opening kickoff for the Dragons and returned it out to the 35 yd line. QB Jason Smith kept the Wildcat defense off balance with quick hitting runs up the gut by FB Casey Shockey, nifty running by Smith and a defense loosening pass to WR Joe Crabtree who made a sliding catch down to the 16 yd line. On first down from the 10, Smith found Crabtree at the back of the endzone for the first score of the game. For the extra point, the Dragons found themselves without the services of steady long-snapper Matt Clark who aggravated a shoulder injury in pre-game and was unable to perform. The subsequent errant snap resulted in a “no kick” as holder Josh McMillon passed to Noel Moyes who caught the pass short of the goal line. With 8:34 in the first quarter, the Dragons led 6-0. (Note: Collierville missed 3 extra points in the 2003 Bolton loss).

On the following kickoff, hard-hitting Eric Burrus nailed the Bolton kick returner at the 25. With key stops by LB’s Jacob Hunter and Noel Moyes, Bolton was forced to punt from their own 43. On first down from the 33, FB Zach Palmer busted up the middle for a quick 14 yds to set the tone for the drive. With the Collierville backs tearing off chunks of yardage behind excellent line blocking, Smith mixed in the pass by hitting TE Grant Hall for a 22 yard gainer down to the Wildcat 18. Overcoming an incomplete pass and a drive killing penalty, Smith maneuvered his team down to the 6 yard line where on first and goal, Noel Moyes sprinted into the endzone behind outstanding line blocking from Joe White, Collin Ring, and Laine Halfacre.
Needing to make up an extra point, Jason Smith found Lane Maynard on a post pattern for the two point conversion. The Dragons led 14-0 with 1:37 left in the first quarter.

The next defensive series found the Dragons flying around the ball. DT Nick McClorey anchored a big second down stop and on the next down pressured the Wildcat QB into an incomplete pass to force another Bolton punt. Starting from their own 39, the Dragons were seven plays into the drive when Smith hit TE Grant Hall for a 28 yard gain down the right sideline to set up first and goal at the 6. Two plays later Jason Smith jooked into the endzone from 5 yards out. Lane Maynard’s PAT kick was good and the Dragon lead was extended to 21-0 with 7:47 left in the first half.

On first down from the 32, Bolton’s big Josh Hayslett rambled out to the 43 where Brett Roger’s determined shirttail tackle saved a much bigger gain if not a score. The Dragon defense led by Jacob Hunter, Noel Moyes, Eric Burrus, and Tyler Hammers immediately rose to the occasion and shut the Wildcats down to force another punt. The Dragon offense put together a time consuming fourteen play drive down to the Bolton 28 yd line where the drive stalled and the Dragons turned the ball over on downs. With the first half seconds ticking away, key defensive plays by Josh McMillon, Eric Burrus, and Trey Fitch allowed the Bolton offense only seven yards on three plays before the horn sounded.

The Dragons appeared to have total control of the Bolton team which surprisingly used their big senior running back, Josh Hayslett, only sparingly in the first half. With the Collierville offense and defense hitting on all cylinders, all pre-game apprehensions faded quickly into night as the music from the halftime ceremonies cranked up.

Having chosen to receive the second half kick, the Wildcat kick returner sprinted out to the 50 yd line where Lane Maynard made yet another touchdown saving tackle. On first down and before the crowd was settled back into their seats, big #46, Josh Hayslett, rambled down to Dragon 1 yd line to set up his first touchdown of the night. With 57 seconds elapsed in the third quarter, the Collierville lead was whittled to 21-7. The Bolton defense came out as fired up as their offense and manhandled the Dragon offense. On second down, Bolton snagged an interception and returned it to their 37 yd line.

Momentum had clearly changed jerseys at halftime and Big Mo was now wearing the blue and black of Bolton. After three consecutive first down plays, Bolton scored from 9 yards out to narrow the score to 21-14 with 5:54 left in the quarter. The Bolton defense was exerting its physical strength and aggressively flying around the ball on each play. The Dragons were forced to punt after garnering 12 yards in the series. Bolton put together an impressive 80 yard, fourteen play drive highlighted by the running and blocking of Josh Hayslett. Hayslett notched his second TD run of the evening to enable the Bolton kicker to tie the game, 21-21, with 8:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.

For the second time in a row, Eric Burrus returned the Bolton squib kick out to the 40 yard line. On second down, gritty senior QB Jason Smith called option right and electrified the stadium as he sprinted through the Wildcat defense and outran their secondary to the endzone. There was no PAT kick on the snap&hold and the Dragon lead was a less than assuring six points, 27-21, with 7:02 left in the game.

The Dragon kick off squad led by Chris Collins, Bart Smith, and Drew Moyes corralled the Wildcats at the 18 yard line on excellent coverage. Bolton put on the Josh Hayslett show as they rode their big man in a nine play drive that culminated in a crowd quieting 9 yard TD run by Hayslett. The PAT was good and Bolton had surged back into the lead 28-27 with 2:54 left in the game. Having squib kicked the previous two kickoffs, the Wildcats bet on their defense and chose to kick deep and force the Dragons into a longer march to the endzone. Dragon kick returner Chris Collins decided to take matters into his own hands. Fielding the ball at the 20, Collins sprinted down the middle of the field, hit a seam to the right and then turned on the afterburners as he sprinted back left across the width of the field to fly untouched into the endzone. As the Dragons lined up for two point try, WR Lane Maynard was left uncovered by a shaken Wildcat defense. On a “harder than it looks” pass; Smith tossed the ball to Maynard to complete the 2-point play. With 2:37 left in the game, the Dragons reclaimed the lead 35-28 with what appeared to be way too much time left on the clock.

The Dragon defense saved their best for last. As expected, Hayslett tore off 9 yards on first down. On consecutive plays, the Wildcats were held for no gain by outstanding individual plays by seniors Grant Hall and Casey Shockey. On fourth and one, fellow senior Josh McMillon recorded the stop for no gain to give the Dragons the ball on downs and to seal the victory. Three snaps later, the horn sounded and the Dragons recorded a huge come-from-behind victory fueled by outstanding fourth quarter plays by seniors Jason Smith, Chris Collins, Grant Hall, Lane Maynard, Casey Shockey and Josh McMillon. In an emotional and physical game in which it was harder to regain the momentum than maintain it, the Dragons picked themselves up off the mat recorded the knock out punch that can only be attributed to the heart and leadership of the Dragon seniors.

The Dragons next travel to the Memphis Fairground Stadium to play the White Station Spartans in a key Region 8 match-up. Travel and support the Dragons!