The Tallassee Tigers hit the road to take on the Selma Saints in a hard fought contest which saw them finish victorious by a score of 14 to 6.
The Tigers relied on what has become their identity this postseason, defense.
With neither team able to find the endzone in the first quarter, it was very apparent that both well coached teams were going to have to assert themselves in another fashion. Cheyann Easterling, much like she has done all year, set the tone in the second quarter with an interception setting up shop for Tallassee to score in the redzone. However, the stubbornness of the Saint’s defense would not allow it easily. The first points of the game would not come until the last few seconds of the first half were ticking down. Quarterback and leader of this stout Tiger’s team, Regan Easterwood heaved a hail-mary jump ball which was hauled in by receiver Kam Tate. This put the Tigers up by a possession going into halftime.
“Regan made some passes and timely decisions… we really have relied on her all year to be big for us when it counts,” coach Pat Love said.
The first play of the second half was a tipped ball interception by Easterling for her second on the night. This momentum carried over to the other side of the ball as Easterwood marched her unit down the field and eventually found Marlee Osborne in the endzone, to make it 14 to zip in favor of the Tigers.
Despite a final second desperate touchdown by the Saints, Tallassee’s defense was once again a calling card. Abbi Carwile had her hands all over the stat sheet by the end of regulation, finishing with 6 stops.
The Tigers will look to play a familiar foe in Marbury next week during round three of the AHSSA playoffs.
“It is going to be a good game, they are a good team, but we have already beat them at their place in a game that really could have went either way… it’s going to be a battle,” said Love.