Giving up 20 unanswered points in the first half was too much for Crystal Springs to overcome at home last Friday night. A second half comeback fell short and the Tigers fell to Rosa Fort from Tunica 20 – 13.
The Lions from Tunica ended Crystal Springs’ win streak at four games and dropped the Tigers’ record to 4 – 2.
Crystal Springs threatened first driving the ball from midfield on a short punt to the Rosa Fort 13 before the drive stalled with 5:25 remaining in the first quarter.Rosa Fort promptly drove down the field and hit a 25-yard completion for a touchdown on a post rout from the right side. Demonterius Kendrick broke up the extra point pass.
Dionysius Hines covered a Lion fumble at midfield, but the Tigers fumbled it back moments later. Rosa Fort went on complete a 30-yard pass, then a 20 yard pass for their second score. The Tigers’ Zack Moore foiled the lions extra point attempt when he ripped the ball out of the quarterback’s hands.
The back breaker came when Crystal Springs had Rosa Fort pinned back on the lion 2-yard line facing a third and long with just over three minutes left in the half. A desperation pass to midfield could have been knocked down by the Tiger defender but instead he went for the interception.
The Lion receiver outfought him for the football, left him lying on the turf, and cruised to a 98-yard touchdown. The two point conversion ran the Lion lead to 20 – 0 at the half.
The Tigers fought back in the second half. Job one was to stop the Lion offensive scoring barrage, and the Tigers did that. Putting 21 or more points on the scoreboard was job two, and Crystal Springs fell just short of doing it.
Jamario Benson capped a length-of-the-field drive in the third quarter with a rushing touchdown to add to his 74-yard rushing total on the night. Wanner Paiz kicked the extra point.
Adarius Benson scooped up a fourth-quarter Lion fumble at midfield and sprinted 50 yards for the Tigers final touchdown of the night. The extras point snap was mishandled.
Moore added a blocked punt to the Tiger stat sheet, and Adarius Benson and Larry Wilson both notched up an interception. Kendrick led the defense with five unassisted tackles and two assists.
Crystal Springs opens their “second season” this Friday night in Fayette with Jefferson County as their first district opponent. Jefferson County defeated South Pike 12 – 6 last Friday night.
“They (Jefferson Co.) always get up for us,” Tiger head coach Virgil Young said. “We’ve got to have a good week in practice and get focused if we are going to be successful against them.”