Tigers roll Central-Tuscaloosa, 47-13 for first win of season
Published 12:09 am Saturday, September 4, 2010
Greenville quarterback Kent Riley scored on the first play from scrimmage, but the touchdown was called back.
Rewind. Do it again.
And Riley did.
The sophomore sprinted out on pass play, tucked the ball and skirted the sideline for a 38-yard touchdown run that gave Greenville a 7-0 lead over visiting Central-Tuscaloosa.
It was that kind of night. Big plays on offense – highlighted by Jamall Hamilton’s three touchdowns – coupled with an overmatched Falcons’ defense resulted in a 47-13 win for Greenville. The Tigers evened their win-loss record (1-1) for the season and, most importantly, earned a Class 5A, Region 3 victory.
Riley’s run came one play after Central-Tuscaloosa quarterback Vincent Davis fumbled the ball away following the opening kickoff. The next Greenville scoring drive started inside Tiger territory, but it took only five plays to cover the distance as Riley connected with Michael Watts on a pass and Patrick Bedgood carried twice to the Central 26-yard line where Jamall Hamilton scored from there.
The Tigers led 13-0.
Davis hit a wide open Kontrell Robinson for a 30-yard scoring strike that cut the Tigers lead to 13-7 with still 4:57 left in the first quarter.
After that, though, it was all Greenville.
The Tigers went 65 yards on 10 plays. Bedgood carried for four, then 13 yards. Riley ran for 11 and then hit Darius Watson for a 17-yard pass play. Riley lost five yards on a scramble, but Bedgood rushed for 15 yards on a draw play. Two plays later, the senior running back scored to give GHS a 20-7 lead.
Davis coughed up the ball again for Central-Tuscaloosa and Brian Smith fell on it for Greenville. Hamilton scored on a 10-yard touchdown run.
Tijuan Rudolph almost housed the ball on a 38-yard punt return that set GHS up at the Central 15-yard line. Riley added his second touchdown of the night from there and the Tigers led 32-7.
The next Greenville drive was all Hamilton. The wide receiver broke around left end for a 40-yard gain with 5:56 remaining before halftime. He followed that run with a 42-yard touchdown and booted the extra point himself.
The Tigers’ defense forced Davis into the endzone and was awarded a safety when Davis tried to throw the ball away and was called for intentional grounding.
Freshman quarterback Harper Vinson came in as relief for Riley following the Central-Tuscaloosa free kick and promptly did the improbable: he found Watson for a 32-yard pass completion on third and 29 to the Central two-yard line. Vinson’s touchdown run one play later put GHS up 47-7 at halftime.
GHS travels to play Paul Bryant High School next Friday night in Tuscaloosa.