Rabbs top Daingerfield, 41-6, in second game of the season

By Tim Emmons 
temmons@casscountynow.com

Atlanta hosted the Daingerfield Tigers last Friday night and evened their season record at 1-1 after a 41-6 drubbing of the Tigers.
Both of the talented teams entered week two searching for their first win of the year.
Before the game began local and area law enforcement officials were recognized on the field and honored by those in attendance and Rabbit players themselves.
Atlanta won the coin toss but deferred to the second half.
First Quarter
Daingerfield began their first drive from the 38-yard line and moved the ball quite well.
Nine plays and an Atlanta penalty later had the Tigers sitting on the 28.
As the running back made his way around the left side the ball popped out of his arms on a spin and the ball was reeled in by Layton Henson; giving the Rabbs possession.
Atlanta began their drive from the 16 and immediately picked up 14 yards on a pass play from Henson to Hunter Roberts.
After a short run by Nick Cooper, the Rabbs pulled off a beautiful double reverse which picked them up a nice gain but a holding penalty negated the positive yardage.
A fumbled snap a couple of plays later resulted in a punt for the Rabbs from the 9-yard line.
The Tigers set up shop at the 37 for their next drive and lost eight yards on the first play from scrimmage due to heavy pressure from the Atlanta defense.
After a pass interference play called on Atlanta, the Tigers lost 13 yards total in three plays which resulted in a punt with 3:15 left in the opening quarter.
Return specialist Nick Washington received the ball on the kick and made a spectacular run to the Tiger 11.
The Rabbs looked to score the game’s first touchdown but was denied that opportunity as they fumbled the ball away to the Tigers on the first play.
Daingerfield later lost control and the loose ball was picked up by D1 prospect Tristan Allen and returned for a touchdown.
The point after was no good but the Rabbs were up 6-0 with 1:55 left on the clock.
Daingerfield had no better luck on their next drive as they were forced to punt from the 46.
Allen once again broke through the line, batted the ball into the air and waited for the ball to come down.
Once he had control he waltzed into the end zone for another touchdown.
With the successful PAT from Zee Barfoot the Rabbs had a 13-0 lead with 13 seconds left in the first quarter.

Second Quarter
Two plays into the new quarter and the Tigers had to punt the ball away with 11:17 on the clock.
After a few plays the Rabbs faced third-and-long from the 25.
Henson hit Trin Taylor over the middle for Atlanta’s first offensive touchdown of the contest on the next play.
Barfoot hit the PAT and Atlanta was up 20-0 with 9:28 left in the first half.
The teams traded possessions for a couple of minutes before the Rabbs put the ball into the hands of the dangerous sophomore running back Jawan King who netted 37 yards in two plays.
Cooper added 13 yards on the drive along with another Henson to Roberts pass play for 10 yards before Henson barged across the goal line from three yards out.
Barfoot’s successful PAT boosted the score to 27-0 with 5:13 left in the seemingly long first half.
After another quality stand by Atlanta’s defense Daingerfield punted the ball away with 4:12 left on the clock.
It only took one play for the Rabbs to hit pay dirt as Henson found Greg Young on a 38-yard touchdown pass play.
Barfoot’s PAT made the score 34-0 with 3:50 left in the half.
Daingerfield faced  third-and-long on their next drive at one point and finally got on the board after Daingerfield’s QB connected with his receiver who slipped through a few Rabbit defenders and blazed into the end zone for a 51-yard TD.
The PAT failed but the Tigers were on the board down 34-6 with 1:51 left in the second stanza.

Third Quarter
Atlanta opened the second half with the ball but coughed it up on the first play of the drive, and the Tigers took over on the Rabbit 13-yard line.
After a penalty and three incomplete passes, including one on fourth down, the Tigers turned the ball over.
Atlanta set up shop at the 17 and went back to work.
To begin the drive Henson kept the ball on the quarterback keeper for eight yards followed by a grinding run from Cooper who scratched out five yards on the ground before Henson hit Ken Butler for a 46-yard pass play down to the Tiger 24.
Henson ran for 16 more yards in three plays to bring the Rabbs within 10 yards.
Dontay Casey took the ball down to the three on first down, Henson lost a yard on second down, Casey gained three back on third down and Henson finished off the 12-play drive with a 1-yard lunge into the end zone.
The PAT was good and the Rabbs exhibited a commanding 41-6 lead with 5:27 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers fumbled the ball back to Atlanta on the first play of the next drive, but the officials ruled it to be a forward pass.
Five plays later and the Tigers had to punt anyways with 3:41 on the clock.
With the game in hand Atlanta inserted senior Grant Harrell into the QB position.
Harrell handed the ball off to Kelton Young on the first play of the next drive and the senior carrier took the ball 11 yards to the Daingerfield 49.
Harrell hit Kelton Young on the next play for three yards before King galloped several yards down the field on the ensuing play only to have it called back on another holding call.
King did pick up five yards on the next play followed by Cooper who picked up 15 yards in three plays, but the Rabbs turned the ball over after an interception with three seconds left in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter
Daingerfield put together a nice run at the end zone to open the quarter, but fumbled the ball away to the Rabbits seven plays into the drive with 8:45 left in the game.
Atlanta’s job was to simply eat the clock and that’s exactly what they did.
Cooper, King and Casey amassed 25, 20 and five yards rushing respectively on the drive, but the drive died after the Tigers stopped the Rabbs on fourth-and-one with 2:49 left in the game.
Daingerfield took control but lost it a few plays later with the Rabbs coming up with an interception at the 59 second mark.
From there the Rabbs kneeled the ball and sealed their first win of the season.
The Rabbs are off this upcoming Friday night but will resume play on Sept. 16, when they travel north to play longtime rival Liberty-Eylau.