Tigers win ‘close one’ in Troy
Published 12:01 pm Wednesday, September 18, 2024
As the final seconds tick down on the scoreboard, Luverne players and fans begin to celebrate their decisive victory over Pike Lib, marking another memorable win for the Tigers. Photo courtesy of Luverne Athletic-Club.
By Gary Thomas
The Luverne Tigers took full advantage of the week before their Pike Lib Patriots contest, and came away with a 22-14 victory Friday.
The game was a nip-and-tuck affair that went down to the wire. With only 58 seconds left in the game, Tiger sophomore defensive back Jayden Laird picked off a Russell Bradford pass to end the scoring threat to seal the win, their first in a young 2024 gridiron season.
Luverne got a score on the board early on a 69-yard, 13-play drive and took over six minutes off the clock on a 10-yard run around left end by Alijah Hurst. Elliot Harris had a two-point run on the PAT was good and the visiting Tigers were up 8-0.
Pike Lib quickly answered the Tigers’ score on a four-play, 51-yard drive of their own with quarterback Bradford hit wideout Jackson Mitchell on a 10-yard play to give Pike Lib the score. Dalton Jordan’s PAT kick was true as they trailed by one point, 8-7.
On their second possession of the first half, the Tiger backfield drove six plays 29 yards. With 27 seconds left on the clock, Harris blasted into the Pike Lib end zone.
With the score standing in the Tigers’ favor, 14-7, the Patriots drove 70 yards in a 12-play scoring drive as Bradford hit Mitchell with an 18-yard pass. That play ended scoring in the half with both teams heading into the locker room deadlocked at 14-14.
To start the second half, the third quarter was a defense standoff as both teams failed to score. With 10:40 left in the game, the Tiger offense took control of the game when quarterback Kane Smith and his running back teammates drove 70 yards in 14 plays. They took 5:49 off the clock when Harris notched his second touchdown of the game. Hurst ran for two points on the PAT play, putting the visiting Tigers up, 22-14.
The Patriots had one last chance to win the game, but the Tigers would have no part of that. Laird picked off a pass deep in Tiger territory for the win.
Coach Bobby Hudson’s straight-T offense showed up last week to roll up 254 yards on 51 totes, controlling the time clock for 28 minutes. This was a key region win against Pike Lib as they are 1-2 overall and 1-0 in region play.
The Tigers will hit the road Friday when they go to Jack to take on Zion Chapel in 2A Region 2 play.
