The 1st home game of the season was a welcome site for loyal Dragon fans.  The smell of fired up grills and tailgating tents littered the grounds around Herman Osteen Stadium.  Students, Parents, Cheer & Pom Squads packed the home side.  This is not an exception but a Dragon Football Tradition.

The warm night began with the Central Warriors winning the toss and electing to receive. The 1st offensive series lasted 5 plays before a poor punt allowed the Dragon offense to start around their 40 yd. Line.   Key defensive stops were made by Eric Smith and Zack Palmer. 

The Dragons were unsuccessful in moving the ball and gave it back to Central at about mid-field. Another Warrior series ended quickly. On the 1st play, the Warrior QB was pressured by NG John Huffman.  DB Conner Simmons broke up a pass play and LB Jacob Hunter put a bruising hit on the RB at the line of scrimmage.

After the punt, the offense took over again around mid-field. Going right and up the gut, QB Derek Paliceo gave the ball to Jason Goins over left tackle. Following great blocking by Guard Tyler Hammers & Center Joe White,  Goins scampered into the endzone from 21 yards out for the 1st score.  Kicker Jeremy Adair split the uprights for the XP  and the home team was up  7-0.

In what appears to being a routine part of the kicking game, Adair, a 1st year Sr. soccer player, buried the kickoff deep into the endzone. During the next 3 series, both team were unable to advance the ball, however, key defensive plays were made. Nose Guard John Huffman had a QB sack for a 7 yard loss.  DB Conner Simmons covered the receiver like a glove on a deep pass, and DL Steve Brown had a solo tackle after running the ball carrier down around right end.  Chris Bossert had a stop behind the line of scrimmage as well

Late in the 1st half, Collierville took control of the ball around the Warrior 40 yard line. Zack Palmer busted up the middle for a 10 yard gain behind blocking from Joe White. Pacileo ran the option for a long gain.  With the ball at the 6, Pacileo optioned left, cut behind LT Laine Halfacre and scored. The Jeremy Adair XP was good and the Dragons went into halftime 14-0.

At the beginning of the 2nd half, Central was unable to move the ball and gave it back to the Dragons around mid-field. After running off-tackle on several plays, QB Pacileo dropped back and found Eric Smith over the middle at the Warrior 13 yard line.  Then Goins, running a counter left. He cut between cross-blocking linemen Nathan Ring & Michael Mancini and bulled his way into the endzone for the 3rd Dragon TD of the game. End Garret Bizzell also contributed by driving a Warrior defender out of the play. Adair’s XP kick was good and the Dragons were up 21-0.

For the rest of the game, Central made big plays and scored 2 times, closing the gap to 21-14. Collierville drove downfield and RB Zack Palmer scored from 5 yards out. The XP failed giving a 27-14 Collierville lead.

In the last series of the game, controlling the ball, the Dragons drove down inside the 5 and were poised to score again. On a fluke play, Collierville threw an interception at the goal line and the Warrior defender ran 96 yards untouched into the endzone. The game ended with a 27-21 Dragon victory.  RB Jason Goins finished the game with 2 TD’s rushing 93 yards on 13 carries.  Sr. LB Jacob Hunter & DE Nick Reed lead the night with 8 solo tackles each,  followed by LB Eric Burrus’ 7.  The Dragons recorded 4 solo sacks when DE’s Harrison Bizzell & Zack Jackson dropped the Warrior QB for 7 yard losses on 2 separate plays. NG John Huffman recorded 2 solo sacks for -14 yards. 

Come and watch the Dragons play rival Houston.