Updated: Sept. 6, 2016 from the original version set Sept. 3, 2016 at 1:31 a.m. Correction: TRM head coach Andrew Thomas, not Andrew Taylor. Due to publishing deadline this error was unable to be corrected. 

The T.R. Miller Tigers brought home their first win of the season, defeating Cottage Hill Christian Academy 55-27 Friday.

TRM Head Coach Andrew Thomas said the Warriors brought a “tough” game to Brewton.

“We’re a team of tradition, but (CHCA’s) program is better (than what we’ve seen in the past),” Thomas said. “They pushed us back a little, but our kids answered, and I’m proud of that.”

TRM was first on the board with 9:32 in the first quarter when a Caleb Winton pass connected for the first of many touchdowns that night. With a point-after kick by Matthew Morgan, the game started with a feeling of excitement that continued through the night.

It would be late in the first quarter before Miller would score again. This time, a run by Winton and another Morgan PAT put the score at 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Morgan was six-for-seven in his point-after attempts during the game.

The Warriors would score with 1:39 left in the half; however, Miller answered strongly before the break when the Tigers found themselves with a first down and 16.9 seconds on the clock. A touchdown pass from Winton to Joshua Jolley and another Morgan PAT ended the half at 21-7 for the Tigers.

Despite striking first, the third quarter was hard-fought period for the Tigers, Thomas said. A Winton pass to DeMarquis McMillan and the PAT put the Tigers up to 28 points on the board, but the Warriors came out strong and answered with another seven points, putting the score at 28-14 with 9:34 left in the quarter.

“At this point, you could easily get discouraged,” Thomas said of the period in the game. “But in the end, we overcame things we didn’t do last week, and took over the second half.”

The Warriors would score their final seven points with 5:21 remaining in the third.

With 3:25 left in the quarter, a Winton pass to Joshua Jolly and another Morgan PAT added seven to the board. The Winton-Jolly combo would be repeated again with one minute remaining; however, Morgan’s PAT was blocked to bring the score to 41-21 at the end of the quarter.

Cottage Hill would put its six on the board with a pass to Ethan Mercer with 7:54 in the fourth.

Miller would own the fourth quarter as a Winton pass to JoJo Booker set up a touchdown by Christian Smith and another Morgan PAT to add seven.

The tally on the scoreboard would end as Cottage Hill’s quick kick punt would be blocked by Miller’s Michael Campbell, who ran it back for a touchdown. A Morgan PAT would put the night’s final score at 55-27.

Despite being proud of his team, Thomas said he knows there’s a lot more work to be done in the coming weeks. Next week, the Tigers will travel to Hillcrest-Evergreen to take on the Jaguars.

“We’ve got to get better,” he said. “There are a lot of areas where we have to get a lot better. Next week, we’ve got Hillcrest – that’s a rival and another region game. “Defensively, we have to tackle better; play better, and figure out what we have got to do all around,” he said. “Again, I’m proud of the way the kids kept fighting Friday.

“We came away with a win,” he said. “We took care of the ball. Our defense answered in the third quarter. We had the stops and the offense kept doing what they needed to do. I’m proud of them.”

Winton completed 11 of his 17 passing attempts for 144 yards and three touchdowns, while McMillan rushed for 208 yards and scored two touchdown runs, including a 75 yard run in the third quarter. Joshua Jolly had a career night with four catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Tyrese Nicholson ended the night with three catches for 42 receiving yards and a touchdown.