The Tigers come out with a win for homecoming on Oct. 9 by defeating the Pine Tree Pirates 38-16. This extended their winning streak to three games.

The Pirates opened the game at the their own 25, but was forced the punt at their 32-yard line. Three minutes into the game, Tigers’ running back J’Kardi Witcher ran for 15 yards, bringing the Tigers to the Pirates’ 48. Two minutes later, Tigers  quarterback Cade Pearson connected with Markese Martin one a wheel route for a 40-yard touchdown, putting the Tigers on the scoreboard, 7-0.

On the kickoff return, a scuffle between the players ensued. Along with a Pine Tree player, the Tigers starting cornerback and team captain Jacorien Walker was ejected.

“I got hit in my back and he kept on driving me so I threw him over my shoulder then we both landed on the ground,” Walker said. “I tried to get up, but he grabbed me by my jersey and then my neck and he kept pulling me down. I started shaking my leg, trying to get him off me very fast.”

Walker said he tried to get up but the opposing player continued to pulling on his jersey. Walker palmed him in his face mask to attempt at getting him off.

“I went off thinking I thought that I was still going to be playing because I thought he was going to get ejected actually, and then next thing I know, I got ejected because they said I punched him in his face mask,” Walker said.

The Pirates advanced down the field on their next drive only to eventually punt the ball again on fourth down from the Tigers’ 45. The Tigers failed to get anything going on their next drive and punted the ball from their own 30 to the Pirates’ 24.

Once again, Pine Tree’s drive ended with a punt from their 35. Tiger quarterback Cade Pearson and wide receiver Jaylen Rhone connected on a 21-yard pass that put the Tigers at their own 43 by the end of the first quarter.

The Tigers turned the ball over on downs, letting the Pirates take possession at their 26 yard line. Pirates quarterback Daniel Bonamy completed a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Jordan Phillips, putting the ball on the Pirates’ 38. The Pirates advanced down the field with a 13-yard pass from Bonamy to wide receiver Trey Pruitt. Within seconds, Pruitt received another pass from Bomany and scored a 20-yard touchdown, putting the Pirates’ on the scoreboard 7-7.

“We could watch the ball more and continue blocking better and getting off the ball,” safety Jacoby Block said. “We could just step up and [catch] picks.”

Witcher brought the Tigers to their 38-yard line from the kickoff. Wide receiver Jacoby Block caught a 19-yard pass to bring the Tigers to the Pirates’ 25. With five minutes remaining in the first half, Witcher scored a 10-yard touchdown and put Tigers ahead 14-7.

Pirates’ defensive back J’Kevian Evans returned the kickoff to the Pirate 39-yard line, but the Pirates ended another drive with a punt. Wide receiver Jacoby Block then connected with Pearson for a 12-yard pass, pushing the Tigers to the Pirates’ 32. Pearson threw a 10-yard pass to Rhone for a touchdown, ending the half at 21-7.

“I feel like we played well,” Rhone said. “We played hard.”

Both teams started the second half by trading punts. Rhone caught a 27-yard pass midway through the third quarter to put the Tigers at the Pirates’ 32. Pearson ran for 9 yards on a keeper to get the Tigers closer into the end zone at the Pirates’ 13. Senior Ethan Montez then capped off the drive with a 7-yard field goal, increasing their lead, 24-7.

The Pirates started their next drive at their 30. Running back Malik Owens ran for 35 yards to bring the Pirates to their 21. With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Pirates ended their drive with a 21-yard field goal and cut the Tigers lead 24-10 by the end of the third quarter.

The Tigers ended their next drive with a punt to the Pirates’ 20-yard line. Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Owens ran the ball 31 yards to the Tigers’ 44-yard line. Pruitt then continued the momentum by completing Bonamy’s 23 yard pass, putting the ball on the Tigers’ 15 yard line.

As the Pirates’ threatened to score, Rhone recorded an interception at the Tigers’ 17-yard line. However, the Tigers later failed to score and elected to punt the ball. The Pirates then chipped their way into the end zone and finished their drive when Owens rushed a 5-yard touchdown, putting the score at 24-16 with three minutes left in the game.

The Tigers quickly scored again when Witcher exploded on the the side of the field for a 70 yard touchdown, expanding the lead 31-16. Pine Tree failed to score again and punted the ball quickly after. Tigers Tight End Kip Williams then put the nail in the coffin for the game when he caught a 41 yard touchdown pass with less than a minute left in the game. The final score of the game was 38-16.

“We’re a good football team but we make too many mistakes and don’t make enough plays,” Pine Tree head football coach David Collins said. “We should have a chance to win games like this because we’re a good enough football team to win these games, but we make way too many mistakes and that’s on me as a head coach and I got to do a better job.”