Cold Springs shuts out Meek in season opener

ARLEY   - The Eagles had Tigers for prey in the season opener of the Meek Tigers and Cold Springs Eagles which shut out the home team 25-0 in their season opener on Thursday, Aug. 22, at beautiful Tiger Stadium.
The home team had a strong first quarter, dominating control of the ball and making bigger plays, but penalties and other mistakes kept them in negative yardage, as the Eagles took opportunity.
“Just drive killers,” Tiger Head Coach David Norwood stated after the game. “Penalty here, bad snap there, throwing an interception, drive killers.”
Overall, much can be learned from the season’s first game, as Norwood said the Tigers needed to get in better shape physically as the season progresses.
“We have to do a little more conditioning,” he said. The first games of the season played in August and into September mix in heat time outs for the players to take water breaks due to the area’s more intense heat that time of year.
Although those breaks were utilized at Tiger Stadium, the humidity was not as high as has been the case in the past.
“We got to get a lot of things fixed,” Norwood said. “We haven’t picked up a blitz yet, so we definitely got to work on that.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff setting up play from their own 25 yard line.
The Tigers depended on sturdy footwork from running back Matthew Clark, with the single #1 on the back of his jersey, as he attempted gains both left and right  of scrimmage.
The Tigers were met on each snap by a host of Eagle defenders, as they struggled to reach midfield.
To make matters worse, a pass sailing from the grip of quarterback Stuart Waldrep was picked off by Lawson Burgess of the Eagles who gained ground on the return deep to the Tiger 5 yard line.
Ayden Alexander then found space up the middle to the uprights with 9:03 left in the opening quarter. The first PAT attempt resulted in the Eagles being stepped back five yards, making the second attempt no good. The score was 6-0.
Clark used quickness to return to the ball out to the Tiger 35-yard- line. Waldrep tried the keeper at left but was down near the line of scrimmage.
Waldrep connected a pass to Ory but the play met  an Eagles offsides call, moving the ball across midfield.
Clark had footwork to progress farther into Eagle territory but a Tiger offsides call subtracted five.
The Tigers made up the difference and then some, when Clark’s carry and Waldrep’s keeper meaning back-to-back first down plays.
The Tigers’ momentum was again shaken on a holding call backing them up to near midfield.
Clark attempted to bring the Tigers out, but was piled upon by a host of Eagle defenders.
Waldrep sailed the ball deep and complete to Ory, resulting in an Eagle late hit call as Ory was being run out of bounds.
The penalty gave the Tigers a first down, and they appeared to be threatening from the opponent 20-yard-line.
Waldrep’s keeper went deeper into foe territory at the 13-yard- line, but Waldrep overshot a ball fired toward the end zone intended for Bryson Hudson.
The Eagles took over on downs from their own 15-yard-line.
Meek showed strength on the opposite side of the ball to break up Alexander’s momentum for the Eagles, but the Eagles answered the play with a deep and complete pass to Burgess for a big first down play at midfield.
The second quarter began with the Eagles carrying the ball farther into Tigerland. After a  complete pass to Burgess, the Eagles were threatening from the Tiger 7-yard-line.
Tiger defenders pulled down Neyemiah Tolbert in the backfield, forcing a loose the ball on which the Tigers pounced, and the Tigers took possession from their own 8- yard-line.
The Tigers were showing momentum with Clark finding space enough for a first down, but a fumble on the snap was recovered by Johnson in the backfield for a loss.
A Tiger facemask call put the ball deep at their own 2-yard-line. After a carry attempt was met at the line and an incomplete pass, the Tigers were forced to punt.
The Eagles, however, did not keep possession long with a fumble on the return being recovered by the Tigers at midfield.
Waldrep could not connect with Ory, and Waldrep on the next play faced defender danger, being taken down on his keeper attempt.
Since the Tigers couldn’t make it on downs, the Eagles took over from their own 45 yard line. Their next play was  a deep pass complete to Burgess who darted to the endzone with 6:07 left in the second quarter.  Alexander was down on a carry attempt, so the two point conversion failed, and the score was 12-0, Eagles.
The Tigers had possession from their own 35, and once again showed momentum  off a connection between Waldrep and Ory taking the ball to midfield.
After a couple of more plays, a Tiger pass was intercepted by Roberto Ayala. The Eagles had the ball at their own 31-yard-line, when Alexander broke through on a big play, which again landed the ball back at midfield after an Eagle penalty.
The Tigers put on the pressure, with Bryson Hudson nearly picking off an Eagle pass.
The Eagles picked up their own momentum flying towards the end zone and landing near the five yard line of the Tigers.
Jordan Lacey then broke through to score with 2:27 left in the second quarter. Quarterback Brodi Williams could not connect with Izaiah Estell, so the two point conversion failed, leaving the score 18-0.
The Tigers started off strong on their next possession with Johnson bringing the ball out to their own 32 on the return.
Hudson pulled down a complete pass for a first down and Clark showed strength on the ground in a nice mix of plays taking the ball to near midfield.
A pass sailed deep and complete to Tommy Daniel for another first down, but the Tigers were penalized for an ineligible receiver downfield.
Waldrep’s keeper attempt was taken down in the backfield and the Tigers were losing momentum as the third quarter expired, forcing them to put it away.
After a couple of more swapped possessions, the Eagles took over on downs at their own 45 yard line.
After a couple of incomplete passes, the Eagles opened up, airing out the ball to Ayala for a first down at the Tiger 30-yard-line.
After Tiger defenders pressured the Eagles with James Brown nearly picking off a pass and defenders  pulling down  Alexander in the backfield, the Eagles had the final word.
A pass sailed complete to Burgess deep at the Tiger 5, and the Eagles were threatening yet again.
Although Tiger defenders kept Alexander out of the end zone on the first attempt, the second attempt sent him marching proudly across with 3:35 left in the game.
Ayala toed the PAT which was good, setting the final score 25-0, Eagles.
After an open date Friday, Aug. 30, the Meek Tigers will host the South Lamar Stallions on Friday, Sept. 6.