Griffin Pritchard
The Tallassee Tribune

TALLASSEE—The first drive oF the second half could prove to be the turning point of the season for this year’s iteration of the T.R. Miller High Tigers as they picked up a 17-14 victory on the road.
Trailing 14-0 at the break, Miller quarterback Caleb Winton set his feet in the “Hot” O’Brien Stadium turf and proceeded to pick the hometown Tallassee High Tigers’ secondary apart en route to the first touchdown of the season.
“We hadn’t scored yet this year,” longtime Miller coach Jamie Riggs said after the game. “We said at halftime we could change the game if we went down and scored.”
Chardian Johnson saved the drive with a 14-yard gain on a third and 10.
“If he doesn’t catch it we punt the ball,” Riggs said. “That was the biggest play of the game.
He connected with Demarquis McMillan just across the goal line for the Tigers first touchdown of the season.
Hunter Brittain added the point after and Tallassee’s lead was cut in half, 14-7, with 7:04 left in the third period.
After a Tallassee punt, Markail Mitchell, on first down, broke free on a 12 yard run.
Johnson, on the following first down, rolled left and flipped the ball to Tamerick Jenkins – sprinting to his right – on a reverse that crossed the crown of the field and went 51 yards down the Miller sideline for the touchdown.
Brittain added the point after and the game was knotted at 14-14 with 4:52 left to play.
Late in the game, Miller took over near midfield and the visiting Tigers drove to the Tallassee 8-yard line.
Brittain, on fourth and one, lined up to kick and split the uprights on a 25-yard try to give T.R. Miller a 17-14 lead.
Tallassee was unable to answer turning the ball over and a fourth and miracle pass from Peters to Rodricues Williams.
“I thought at halftime that my coaching staff did a good job,” Riggs said. “We made a few adjustments physically, but most importantly, me made some mental adjustments.
“I think they did a good job of convincing the players if we would make some good plays in the second half, we could win the game.
“I thought that was the key.”