On a chilly Friday evening in Collierville, our hometown heroes entertained us with a competitive football game that saw numerous momentum shifts.  Facing highly skilled and motivated Whitehaven, this game epitomized the Dragons’ season versus the exceptionally talented Region 8.  The good: Dragons offense put together four drives of 50 or more yards, the defense kept the game close until 3:33 remaining in the game, and special teams executed well in all but two plays.   The bad: Dragons offense was unable to convert two short fourth downs, the defense had trouble wrapping up an elusive tailback, and the two special teams miscues cost 10 points.  As Coach Paul Cox emphasized to the players all season, in a region with six strong teams contending for four playoff spots, winning required the offense to execute well, the defense to stop the run, and special teams score when given the opportunity while not giving up any returns.  In each case, our beloved Dragons fell short literally by inches, but at no point during the game did anyone give up.  Our boys gave their all the entire game, and as a fan sitting in the stands I appreciated their effort.
     The game started on a high note, starring Junior Tailback Bart Smith and Senior Back Jason Goins.  Establishing the ground game early, Smith and Goins moved the chains with solid straight ahead carries.  Behind a huge hole created by RT Laine Halfacre and RG Tyler Hammers, Smith tore off 22 yards on a perfectly executed counter.  Following three successive runs by QB Derek Pacileo and TB Jason Goins off LT Mike Mancini and LG Nathan Ring, Bart Smith displayed exceptional speed running right 8 yards into the end zone for the game’s first TOUCHDOWN.  Jeremy Adair PAT good, Collierville leads 7 - 0.
     Whitehaven would immediately answer.  In its first offensive play from scrimmage, Tigers QB Smith hooked up with receiver Rucker for a 60 yard gain, with much shorter Dragon CB Connor Simmons making a TD saving tackle.  With Monster Linebacker Eric Burrus and Defensive End Harrison Bizzell stopping the Tigers ground game on successive plays, Tigers QB Smith took to the air again hitting wideout Rucker on a 19 yard fade for a TD, despite good coverage by the Dragons much shorter secondary.  Score tied at 7 apiece with 7:00 remaining in the first quarter. 
     The Dragons offense resumed its ground game at our own 24, with FB Zack Palmer and QB Derek Pacileo runs up the middle good for a combined 9 yards.  The Dragons would not make another yard on two tries, and turned the ball over to Whitehaven at the Collierville 33 on downs.  With great field position, Whitehaven attempted a sweep but fumbled the ball.  Dragon Outside Linebacker Jacob Hunter adroitly stole the ball from a pile of players, first down Collierville!
      Seizing the momentum, Coach Cox called a play-action pass brilliantly executed by QB Derek Pacileo, who hit a streaking Craig McComsey for 37 yards to the Whitehaven 27 yard line.  TB Jason Goins found daylight behind a pulling RG Tyler Hammers for 6 yards, when Pacileo found WR Andrew Richmond open in the end zone.  Richmond was hammered before he could get his hands on the ball, with a defensive pass interference call giving the Dragons first down on the Whitehaven 11.  The Dragons could not push the ball in due to an untimely fumble resulting in an 18 yard loss, and had to settle for a long 44 yard FG try which was no good. 
     Whitehaven took over on its 20 with 19 seconds left in the 1st quarter, and promptly drove the ball on the ground primarily with long gains by extremely elusive RB Curtis Marks, who scored on a 12 yard run but the PAT was wide left, giving Whitehaven its first lead 13 - 7. 
     The Dragons gained good field position thanks to an Eric Burrus kick-off return to the Collierville 42.  TB Goins ran left for 6 tough yards, then followed with a 41 yard counter behind excellent blocking of Halfacre and Hammers! First down Collierville on the Whitehaven 21.  Another untimely fumble caused a 5 yard loss, and facing 3rd and long, QB Pacileo was sacked for an 11 yard loss, keeping the Dragons out of scoring position.  Andrew Richmond boomed a beautiful 40 yard punt, which was amazingly fielded by Whitehaven at its own 1 yard line and nearly brought back for a TD - credit special teamer Austin Laine with a saving tackle.  But an illegal block brought the ball back to the Whitehaven 2 yard line.  Outside Backer Eric Smith stopped the elusive Marks for a short gain, and following an incompletion, the heart of the Dragons defense held Marks for no gain.  Whitehaven punted out of its end zone and gave the Dragons great field position at the enemy 23 yard line.  The Dragons could only muster 2 yards, but were close enough to bring in ace Kicker Adair, who converted a 39 yard FG straight through the uprights, putting Collierville down by only 3 points, 13 - 10, with 3:39 remaining in the half.
     The Tigers moved the ball with a combination of passes, runs, and a reverse despite excellent tackles registered by CB’s Connor Simmons and Bart Smith.  Moving all the way to the Collierville 16, the Dragons defense stiffened, with LB Zach Jackson, NT Tyler Hammers, and LB Christian Bossert each making exceptional tackles for short or no gains.  With time running out, Whitehaven took to the air, but was stymied by great coverage, first by Connor Simmons breaking up a sure first down pass, then twice by CB Jamaireus Roach, who deflected certain touchdown passes on consecutive plays against much taller receivers.  The Dragons took over on downs with 28 seconds remaining, but an interception brought the ball back to the Collierville 12 yard line with 14 seconds on the clock.  The defense thwarted another Tigers scoring opportunity, with CB Bart Smith and CB Riyaz Manjiyani breaking up the final pass attempts.  Halftime score in an extremely exciting game had Whitehaven up 13 - 10.
     The second half began on a down note as Whitehaven returned the kickoff 99 and ½ yards for a score, putting Whitehaven up 20 - 10 with a successful PAT.  With Collierville’s situation demanding a score, the Dragons answered in a big way.  QB Pacileo kept on an option for a 16 yard gain behind an excellent block by TB Goins.  Following a 4 yard Pacileo run straight ahead behind C Joe White, Goins ran another superb counter for 27 yards, giving the Dragons first down at the Whitehaven 33.  Grinding out short yards and facing 3rd down and 2 yards to go, Pacileo executed his best play of the evening, bouncing off 2 tacklers for a 7 yard gain giving Collierville first down at the Whitehaven 14!  Stuffed on first down, Bart Smith broke free behind RT Halfacre and TE Harrison Bizzell for a 16 yard TOUCHDOWN!  Adair PAT good, Collierville closes the gap 20 - 17 with 7:53 remaining in the 3rd quarter. 
     The Dragons would get no closer, as Whitehaven put together a long drive all the way to the Collierville 12 yard line.  LB Burrus made a huge stop at the Collierville 10 and teamed with LB Hunter on the 7.   CB Bart Smith broke up a 3rd down pass attempt, but on 4th down Whitehaven’s QB Smith hit his tall receiver Rucker for another TD pass, putting the Tigers up 26 - 17 with 1:16 remaining in the 3rd quarter. 
       Facing elimination, the Dragons summoned up all its strength and sustained yet another drive.  Hard runs through traffic by Zack Palmer, Derek Pacileo, and Jason Goins moved the ball all the way to the Whitehaven 32 yard line.  The Dragons were stopped on 3rd and 4th down for no gain, turning the ball over on downs when a score was needed to keep the game in reach and to give the defense much-needed rest.  Whitehaven drove the ball down for another score, putting them up 33 - 17 with 3:33 remaining.  The Dragons were unable to move the ball, and the Tigers RB Marks broke off several long gains until Whitehaven scored its final points, providing the final margin on a broken tackle 34 yard run with 13 seconds remaining and a 39 - 17 lead. 
     Jason Goins led the offense with 92 yards on 15 carries.  The loss eliminated Collierville from playoff contention, dropping our overall record to 4 - 4 but the more important region record to 1 - 4.  As I head back to sea, I want to thank Head Coach Paul Cox for putting together another competitive football team, the players for giving everything they had each game this season, and the parents and booster club members for your friendship and comraderie.  I will miss Collierville with all my heart and wish you well in the games and years to come.