The Maplewood Panthers scored the first two times they laid hands on the pigskin, setting the tone on their way to routing the DeKalb County Tigers and unceremoniously bouncing them from the playoffs in the first round, 56 to 7.
Things went bad early for the Tigers who had battled their way into the playoffs last week by beating Cumberland County 42-0, entering post-season with a 3-7 record and traveling to Nashville to challenge the fifth-ranked Panthers. After a three and out on the first possession of the game, a bad snap went over the punter’s head and rolled into the end zone. The ball was picked up by James Mason. A two-point conversion made it 8-0. The Panthers would go for two after each touchdown on the night and make it.
The Tigers next went on a five play drive but had to punt. Makell Smith took the first hand off, which was the first offensive play of the game for Maplewood, running 79 yards for pay dirt, giving his team a 16-0 lead.
It didn’t take long for the next Maplewood score after Tre Ladet fumbled a handoff on the first play of the resulting drive, giving the Panthers the ball just 24 yards away from the endzone. It took just two plays for Maplewood to convert with a 11-yard pass to Makell Smith and take a 24-0 lead at the 5:34 mark of the first.
Another three and out by the Tigers put the ball back in the hands of quarterback Bobo Hodges who took it himself, running for a 52 yard touchdown with 3:06 left in the first, making the score 32-0. Hodges had already thrown for over 2,300 yards on the season and more than 30 touchdowns coming into the game.
The Tigers were able to avoid giving up another score in the first but just barely. An Axel Aldino interception left the Panthers a short field; however, it appeared the Tiger defense might rise to the occasion as they were able to sack Hodges twice, leaving Maplewood with a third and 26. The down and distance didn’t matter as Hodges hit Kendrell Scurry for the touchdown on the first play of the second, making it 40-0.
The next drive saw Tre Ladet dash for 12 yards only to fumble on the next play. This time Maplewood wasted no time as Hodges hit Scurry with a 51 yard bomb and a 48-0 lead with 8:30 left in the second.
The score became 56-0 after the Tigers went three and out and punted the ball. The punt was returned for a touchdown by Jamontay Kinnard.
Things went bad to worse on the Tigers’ next possession as sophomore quarterback Axel Aldino who has been the squad’s starter all season was injured on a scramble. Wide out Grayson Redmon replaced him at signal caller for the rest of the game. Redmon was able to lead the Tigers to a score in the early fourth, handing the ball off to Brady Hale four-yard touchdown. Starting back Tre Ladet went down in the third to injury while the Tigers workhorse back, David Bradford did not play Friday night after aggravating his shoulder injury during the Cumberland County game.
In all, the second half went mercifully quick as the running clock allowed the Tigers to escape Nashville with no further damage as Maplewood put in their second string. The Tigers finished their season at 3-8, finishing fourth in their district.
