Tribe on the run

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: November 5, 2016

Ohatchee rushes for more than 400 yards — 229 of it from Tucker — and scores its first playoff win since 2002

Ohatchee quarterback Taylor Eubanks (14) runs through the arm tackle of Locust Fork’s Hunter Neely Friday night. On the cover, Ohatchee’s Austin Tucker breaks free for part of his 229 yards rushing. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

By Jason Katz
For East Alabama Sports Today

OHATCHEE – The Ohatchee faithful had waited on this night for a long time. It had been 14 years since playoff football had seen the lights of Roy C. Owens Field, and many in the crowd might have classified themselves as being a little, well, nervous.

Senior running back didn’t seem nervous at all. He dazzled on the field, rushing for 229 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Tribe to a 49-28 win over Locust Fork to bring a post-season win back to the Creekbank.

Tucker, a four-year starter, remembered when his team wasn’t on the winning side too often. Even though he and his teammates went through hard times, they’re seeing the fruits of their labor, which made Friday night’s win that much sweeter.

“I remember when it was really tough for us to get a win,” Tucker said. “It was a process for us to get here, but with a lot of hard work and dedication we made it, and hopefully we can continue this momentum through the playoffs.”

The seventh-ranked Indians (10-1), winners of 10 games for the first time since 2001, now travel to unranked Lauderdale County (7-4) next week.

Tucker helped set a tone for the Indians that was matched throughout the game on both sides of the ball. He scored on runs of 40 and 6 yards in the second quarter.

“My guys did an amazing job blocking for me tonight,” Tucker said. “They were opening up holes all over the place, which made my job a lot easier, and I have to give them credit for that. At the beginning of the game, we weren’t tackling as well as we should have on defense, but as the second half started, we really picked up our game and that allowed us to pull away.”

The Indians jumped out front on a Jesse Sellers 65-yard touchdown run 20 seconds into the game and Taylor Eubanks’ 76-yard fumble return. Tucker added his touchdowns in the second quarter, but the Indians allowed touchdowns late in the first and second quarters for only a 28-14 halftime lead.

“We weren’t playing with as much intensity as we needed to on defense in the first half,” Ohatchee coach Scott Martin said. “The game could have easily been much closer if we wouldn’t have come into the second half the way we did, and that allowed us to pick up where we left off on offense and then make stops on defense to put the game away.”

The key drive came at the start of the third quarter as Tucker and Eubanks, a senior quarterback on offense, combined for a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ended in a 14-yard Eubanks touchdown that extended the lead to 35-14.

After that, the hill became too steep for the Hornets as they struggled to find any offense for the rest of the night.

“We knew that Locust Fork was a very talented team and that they would not give up,” Martin said. “That drive to start the third quarter allowed us to get some breathing room and I think after that we really jelled on both sides of the ball.”

With the lead 42-14 at the end of the third quarter 42-14, the stadium started to erupt in “Roll Tribe” cheers that echoed across the field to the delight of the Ohatchee players and coaches.

The Indians finished with 471 yards of total offense while averaging a staggering 11.0 yards per play. They controlled the ball for 36 minutes.

In addition to Tucker’s production, Sellers had five runs for 72 yards and Eubanks had six carries for 70 yards and two scores. He also went 2-for-4 passing for 47 yards.

Locust Fork (7-4) had 330 total yards of offense on 13 more plays than the Indians, but only averaged 5.9 yards per play.

Running back, Drew Rogers led Locust Fork in rushing with 18 attempts for 75 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Michael Clevenger had 10 completions for 124 yards. Wide receiver Daniel Goss caught five passes for 62 yards.

The Indians have never played Lauderdale County before, but they are familiar with the Tigers, having taken the 2 1/2-hour drive from Ohatchee two weeks ago to see watch them play Brooks.

“I’ve gotten to see them on tape a few times, and I think they are going to be a real challenge for us,” Martin said. “They have a great running back, and a really efficient quarterback and they play well at home, but we seem to travel well this season so I think it will be a great atmosphere to play in and a great game.”

Ohatchee 49, Locust Fork 28

Locust Fork 7 7 0 14 — 28
Ohatchee 14 14 14 7 — 49

O – Jessie Sellers 65 run (Gage Harrell kick), 11:41 1Q
O – Taylor Eubanks 76 fumble return (Gage Harrell kick), 7:52 1Q
LF – Drew Rogers 2 run (Jose Hernandez Duarte kick), 2:37 1Q
O – Austin Tucker 40 run (Gage Harrell kick), 6:24 2Q
O – Austin Tucker 6 run (Gage Harrell kick), 4:08 2Q
LF – Drew Rogers 2 run (Jose Hernandez Duarte kick), 0:26 2Q
O – Taylor Eubanks 14 run (Gage Harrell kick), 4:52 3Q
O – Taylor Eubanks 37 run (Gage Harrell kick), 1:13 3Q
O – Domonique Thomas 2 run (Gage Harrell kick), 6:34 4Q
LF – Drew Rogers 2 run (Andrew Rogers run), 2:33 4Q
LF – Jarrett Peeples 15 run (run failed), 1:15 4Q

Team stats LF Ohat
First downs 17 19
Rushes-yds 43-206 39-424
Passes 10-13-0 2-4-1
Passing yds 124 47
Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-1
Punts-avg 4-24.3 0-0
Penalties-yds 8-40 6-45

Ohatchee’s Austin Tucker (3) tries to go over Locust Fork lineman Preston Castleberry (70) to bat down a pass thrown by Michael Clevenger. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

Ohatchee quarterback Taylor Eubanks steps inside the pylon to score one of his three touchdowns Friday night. Eubanks scored on two runs and a long fumble return. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)