By By Adam Robinson
Sports Editor
After their second straight shutout of archrival W.S. Neal in the Battle of Murder Creek, the T.R. Miller Tiger football will now look to the class 3A state playoffs this week against the Abbeville Yellow Jackets.
Abbeville finished its season with a 5-5 record after losing against Carroll Friday night 47-28.
T.R. Miller finished its regular season with a 9-1 record after defeating the Eagles of East Brewton 34-0.
T.R. Miller Tiger head coach Jamie Riggs said he was pleased to get the win over W.S. Neal.
With the first round playoff game against Abbeville this week, this marks the 26th straight season the Tigers of Brewton have made the playoffs.
The Tigers have made the playoffs every year since 1984 and made it four times before that for 30 overall trips.
Overall, T.R. Miller is 19-0 in home first round games and 26-3 overall in first round game. This is the second time the Tigers have faced Abbeville with the first time coming during the 1969 season as T.R. Miller won 41-14.
T.R. Miller’s 1969 team won the state championship for the Tigers, their first in school history, and that team was honored this season for their 40th anniversary.
This season, Abbeville is 3-3 in home games and 2-2 in away games and is averaging 21.5 points scoring and giving up 24.4. T.R. Miller is averaging 37.5 points while giving up 16.3.
Riggs said Abbeville has lost some close games this season and he thinks that they are not a typical third place region team.
The Yellow Jackets are 6-14 overall in the playoffs with 16 appearances, their last coming in 2006. Abbeville is 5-10 in first round games.
During the 2004 and 2005 seasons, the two teams were in the same region and T.R. Miller won 42-6 and 38-14 respectively and is 5-0 all-time against Abbeville.
Riggs has always said he wants his team to be good heading into the final weeks of the season—the late games in October and against W.S. Neal.
This season, he is really proud of his team considering they are now in their ‘third season.’
T.R. Miller will take on Abbeville Friday night at Brewton Municipal Stadium.