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November 2, 2012

Tigers hold on for win

By RICHY SHEPHERD Princeton Times

PRINCETON — Princeton junior running back Tahj Johnson led the Tigers by scoring two first-half touchdowns Friday, Oct. 26, and the Tigers held on for a 22-17, season-ending victory over Mountain State Athletic Conference rival, visiting Greenbrier East.

The Tigers took advantage of a momentum swing at the end of the first half, after Austin Smith summed up a kicking duel by hitting good on a 38-yard field goal attempt with only 18 seconds left. The battle started when the Spartans’ Sean Myles drilled one from 37 yards out at the 1:40 mark.

Both field goal units had similar attempts blocked — one each just minutes earlier.

•••

To start the game, after a fumble on the Tigers opening possession, the teams battled back and forth on empty drives, then Johnson broke free, going 23 yards for his first score.

The Spartans fired right back, however, when Cole McClain returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards to paydirt.

Another Tiger fumble had the Spartans on top temporarily, but its defense stiffened to set up Johnsons’ second scoring sprint – this time from 55 yards out.

The second half was tough-fought for both teams, as the Tigers’ Jay Palmer managed to score once in the third quarter on a two yard plunge and then the Spartans’ Kanen Reynolds tossed a 33 yard touchdown pass to Ethan Johnson to close out the scoring in the fourth period.

The Tiger defense held the Spartans to only 127 rushing yards in the contest and piled up 322 of its own.

•••

The win is only the Tigers’ second, but also marks the end of a brutal schedule, in which each of its losses were to teams that will likely head on to state tournament competition.

The win is also a positive note in coach Randy Peeks’ first year at the helm for the Tigers.

The senior leadership of Smith, Julius Lash, Timothy DeWitt, Chad Wyrick, Derek Poszich, Justin Henley, Corey Mann, Tyler Weaver, Justice Shafer, Dylan Mckinney, Bradley Brown, Bret Tholme and Joshua Nowlin will surely be missed, but a pool of talent returns for next years team.



At Hunnicutt Stadium

Greenbrier East .........................0 10 0 7 — 17

Princeton..........0 15 7 0 — 22

Second Quarter

PR—Tahj Sho-Johnson 23 run (run failed) 5:45

GE—Cole McClain 97 kick return (Sean Myles kick) 5:31

PR—Johnson 55 run (run failed) 3:45

GE—Sean Myles 37 field goal 1:40

PR—Austin Smith 38 field goal :18

Third Quarter

PR—Palmer 2 run (Smith kick) 2:29

Fourth Quarter

GE—Ethan Johnson 33 pass from Kanen Reynolds (Myles kick) 1:24



Team Statistics

First downs: GE 19, PR 20. Rush yards: GE 127, PR 322. Comp-Att-Int: GE 9-28-0, PR 1-3-44.

Fumbles-Lost: GE 0-0, PR 2-2. Penalty-Yards: GE 9-76, PR 7-79. Punts-Avg. GE 0-0, PR 1-31.

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