Sports: Malakoff fights back to snap finals berth

Dec. 8—Quarterback Mike Jones' heave seemed right on target, but as it neared the receiver, Doc Renberg had to reach and extend his fingers to make contact with the football.

After what seemed like an eternity, with the pigskin dancing on his fingertips, the tight end secured the ball and raced into the end zone to send the Malakoff Tigers ahead of Brock in the fourth quarter.

In a way, that play was the whole game in a snapshot. It took every ounce of effort for Malakoff to surpass Brock, but whatever it took, the Tigers were able to do just enough to get it done.

There were more dramatics after Renberg's catch before Malakoff could secure a 38-31 win, but after that play that put Malakoff up, 31-24, it seemed Brock was the team trying to stay afloat.

The game didn't start out that way. Brock's ground game and timely passes, teamed up with a hard hitting defense enabled the Eagles to have the edge at halftime.

The Eagles moved briskly on their first drive, before the Tigers forced a field goal try. Caiden Riddle boomed it over the bar from 35-yards out to give Brock a 3-0 lead with 7:31 left in the first.

Following the kickoff, Malakoff quarterback Mike Jones fired a pass to the sideline that was picked off by Colt Matlock who had nothing but the green, artificial surface of the Ford Center between him and the goal.

Brock was up 10-0, with half of the first quarter remaining. Brock had already scored more points than most teams managed against the Tigers this year.

Brock stopped the Tigers on their next possession and took over hoping to go up by three scores. The Tigers cut into the lead when junior linebacker Parker Poteete scooped up a fumble and dashed more than 50 yards to score with 2:15 left in the first quarter.

Later, still down 10-7, the Tigers went for it on fourth and 12 but were stopped by the Eagles' defense that held six opponents to a touchdown or less this season. After the turnover on downs, Brock running back Brett Tutter stuck quickly for Brock ,running 61-yards for a score and a 17-7 lead.

Malakoff again squelched the Brock momentum with a scoring drive. Jones found the end zone on a 52-yard run that cut lead to 17-14 with 8:08 remaining in the second quarter.

After the Jones score, the defensives kept their opponents at bay until the end of the half.

Malakoff got the first third-quarter points when Landon Boswell hammered home a field goal knotting the score at 17-17 with 4:38 left.

The Tigers' good fortune continued on the following kickoff when a Brock fumble was returned for a touchdown. Malakoff had their first lead with 4:25 left in the third.

Down 24-17, the Brock offense engineered a determined drive that included a conversion on fourth-and-four at the Malakoff 22. Brodie Woods delivered a pass to Matlock that moved the ball to the six. On third down, Tutter rolled in from the four-yard-line to even the score at 24-24.

That's when Jones threw his rainbow the Renberg, pulling the Tigers ahead. Brock answered with a march that ended with a 12-yard run by Woods. The Eagles mounted up a defensive stand on Malakoff's next possession and took over with a chance to take a late lead.

Woods moved his team into Malakoff's territory and appeared to be on their way to the winning score.

But the Tigers turned up the heat on Woods, who was hit as he threw. The ball fell into the arms of defensive lineman Daneil Norrell who set sail with his 265 pound frame into Brock territory.

He reached the 16, setting up the Tigers in range of a game-winning field goal. The Tigers' offense plowed through the Brock defense for a key first down, then Jones powered in from a yard away.

The score, putting the Tigers on top 38-31 came with only 19 second remaining.

When the final Brock pass fell harmlessly to the turf the celebration began, as Malakoff earned a spot in the state Class 3A Division 1 final against defending champion Franklin.

Ultimately, the difference in the game was turnovers. Malakoff got four and turned them into points.

The win advanced Malakoff (15-0, 6-0) to the state championship game where it will meet the 2002 state champion Franklin.