With touchdowns in each quarter, the Alliance 8th grade football was able to defeat Mitchell 50 to 24 in action on Saturday. The Dogs finish the year with a 2 and 4 record. Alliance’s big period was the second in which the Bulldogs scored 24 points in a contest played at home. Big scores via the ground game and through the air helped Alliance grabbed an early 22 to 0 lead and were never threaten.
Mitchell got the ball first and were quickly turned away. Alliance’s James Scriven began his big day with a strong tackle on a third down play as the Tigers were forced to punt. On offense, the Bulldogs offense was ready. A big pass from quarterback Tripp Johnson to receiver Israel Garcia that went 28 yards got Alliance close. Another pass to Scriven later in the drive that covered 13 yards got the Bulldogs inside the 10 yard line. The period closed with Scriven scoring on the final play of the quarter from the one yard line. After one, AMS led 6 to 0.
The scoreboard was in for a big workout in the second as Alliance tallied 24 points. Bulldog defensive players Grayson Dibrito and Kylar Adams were key with big stops that forced another Tiger punt on Mitchell’s next possession. Starting at midfield, a reverse running play by Garcia netted another Bulldog score. The play went 59 yards and with 5:16 on the clock, the Dogs increased their lead. Johnson then connected with Garcia on a successful PAT that put the Alliance advantage at 14 to 0. The big plays would continue for the Bulldogs on the ensuing kick when Dibrito covered the ball that gave Alliance a chance at the 40. At the 4 minute mark, AMS scored again on a 52 yard pass from Johnson to Garcia. The extra point was good on a pass from Johnson to Dibrito that put the score at 22 to 0. Mitchell answered right back with their first touchdown that went 4 yards and with 2 minute left in the half, the Tiger deficit stood at 22 to 8. Alliance then went into their bag of tricks right before half. The Dogs used a double pass to found the end zone. Johnson threw a pass behind the line of scrimmage to Garcia who then tossed it down field to a wide open Casyn Nelson who scored the Dogs’s fourth td. The play covered 38 yards. Alliance’s lead then grew as Johnson connected with Kyler Hamel for a good point after try. At half, AMS was up 30 to 8.
Both team’s offenses found success in the third. A good kick return by Bulldog Wyatt Hardy that went 21 yards got the hosts off to a hot start. Johnson then found receiver Cormic Stark for a big gainer as the Bulldogs drove deep into Mitchell territory. The pass covered 29 yards. Alliance then went to their ground game with big gains by Scriven. With 5:15 showing on the clock, Scriven scored from the 15 that put the Dogs ahead 36 to 8. Mitchell responded with a nice series of offensive plays. The Tigers overcame a tackle for a loss by Alliance’s Remington Turman to sliced into the Dog lead. With under 2 minutes left in the period, the guests scored on an 11 yard run which made the score 36 to 16. The quarter came to an end with Hamel connecting with Adams and then Dibrito as the Dogs marched into the Mitchell territory. After three periods of action, AMS led 36 to 16.
At the 7:15 mark, the Dogs scored again on a 5 yard td pass to Dibrito from Hamel. The extra point was no good and the Alliance’s advantage stood at 44 to 16. It would take the visitors just one play to draw close. A 64 yard touchdown run with 6:57 left on the clock pulled the Tigers to within 20 at 44 to 24. The final touchdown then came on a 62 yard TD run by Hardy seconds later that made the score 50 to 24. Alliance’s defense that made the game’s final big plays. A fumble recovery by Bulldog Joe Collins denied a Mitchell threat. Following an AMS turnover, defensive plays to Alliance’s Esai Trejo, Nelson, and Garcia foiled any comeback plans by Mitchell. Final Alliance 50 Mitchell 24
MITCH 0 8 8 8 24
ALL 6 24 6 14 50