crushes

Greenville

By Patrick Johnston

Eufaula Tribune

EUFAULA — Greenville coach Mike Williams said his team would have to play a perfect game to defeat Eufaula.

Unfortunately for Williams, that didn’t happen. Eufaula showed little mercy, winning 42-6 Friday in a battle of Class 5A Region 2 teams.

&uot;We’re still in the rebuilding process,&uot; Williams said. &uot;It’s not good to play a team like Eufaula this early in the season.&uot;

Eufaula jumped ahead 14-0 after one quarter, and scored on five of its first seven possessions.

Greenville did crack the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter, when junior quarterback Lynn Lewis found Alex Phifer open for an 9-yard touchdown pass on fourth down. By that time, Eufaula already had 35 points.

Eufaula coach Dan Klages was pleased with his team’s physical style of play.

&uot;Our goal regardless of who we play is to play Eufaula football,&uot; Klages said. &uot;We enjoyed this.&uot;

Greenvile picked up a first down on its initial possession, but was forced to punt after that. Eufaula started its first drive at its own 28-yard line, and used a methodical drive for its first points.

Deon Steele capped off the 9-play, 72-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Clayton Slade booted the extra point, and Eufaula (3-0) led 7-0. Eufaula ran seven of nine plays on the drive.

Greenville lost yardage on its next drive, and punted again.This time, it didn’t take long for Eufaula to strike again.

Quarterback Jerrell Jernigan scored on Eufaula’s first play of the drive, sprinting 62 yards for the touchdown. He broke a tackle at midfield and ran into the end zone untouched. Slade’s extra point gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead late in the first period.

Eufaula would add another quick scoring drive early in the second quarter. A 48-yard pass from Jernigan to tight end Blake Bryan set up Chris Williams’ 2-yard touchdown run. Slade kicked the extra point, giving the Tigers a 21-0 lead.

Junior defensive back Jimmy Scott did give Greenville fans something to cheer about later in the quarter, as he intercepted a Eufaula pass at the Greenville 2-yard line to thwart a potential scoring drive. The score remained 21-0 at halftime.

It didn’t take long for Eufaula to put the game out of reach in the third quarter, though. Eufaula scored early in the period when Jernigan found speedster Maurice Jackson on a 45-yard touchdown strike. Slade’s extra point gave Eufaula a 28-0 lead.

Greenville (0-3) couldn’t move the ball on the following possession, setting up a blocked punt deep in its territory. Eufaula’s Daniel Orr recovered the football in the end zone for a score. Slade’s extra point put the Tigers ahead 35-0.

While Lewis’ touchdown pass to Phifer ended Eufaula’s hopes for a shutout, the host Tigers weren’t through scoring. Reserve tailback scored on a 42-yard run up the middle with 5:42 left for the game’s final points.

Williams said missed opportunites early cost his team.

&uot;Fundamentally we weren’t very sound. We were lethargic, and you aren’t going to win many game playing like that…We were our own worst enemy,&uot; he said.

Eufaula outgained Greenville 374-126 in total yardage. Greenville only gained 27 rushing yards on 30 carries-less than one yard per carry.

Jernigan led Eufaula with 203 yards of total offense-110 passing and 93 rushing.