Tucker, led by tailback Davis, hammers Hillgrove

Tucker’s Jonathan Davis had just one thing to say following his team’s 48-15 drubbing of Hillgrove Friday night at Adams Stadium.

“We want a state championship,” Davis said. “I want to get a ring before I leave here.”

If Davis continues to play like he did in the fourth-ranked Tigers’ second-round playoff game, he can go ahead and get the ring sized. The Tucker senior rushed for four touchdowns and 198 yards as his team jumped to a 48-0 lead before Hillgrove scored a point.

Tucker (11-1) won its seventh consecutive game and will make its second straight trip to the state quarterfinals. The Tigers broke the game open with 34 second-quarter points, including a 27-yard fumble recovery for a score by James Vaughters and two of Davis’ touchdowns.

The Tigers senior wasn’t even wearing shoulder pads by the fourth quarter.

“I don’t know if we’ve ever had a back rush for four touchdowns in a game,” Tucker coach Franklin Stephens said. “I’d have to think about it. He’s not our only option. That’s the scary thing.”

Tailback Devin Scott added two scores just before the half.

Hillgrove (8-4) was making its first trip to the postseason. The Hawks, in their program’s third season of existence, held Tucker at bay and trailed just 7-0 entering the second period.

Then it was one thing after another: Scott scored on a 30-yard burst, Vaughters scooped up a fumble for score, a Hawks’ fourth-down attempt fell just inches short.

Even when Hillgrove got a breath of life, Davis took it away. The Hawks recovered a Tucker fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half. However, Hillgrove managed to move the ball only to the 1-yard line. Three plays later, Davis broke off a 97-yard scoring run for his final minutes of the night.

“We did a lot of good things in this game, but we still can learn from it,” Stephens said. “Hillgrove has a lot of young skill players, and they were able to move the ball on some third-and-longs. We can’t do that next week and win like this.”

HILLGROVE 0 0 7 8 - 15

TUCKER 7 34 7 0 - 48

T — Jonathan Davis 25 run (Ricky Peacock kick)

T — Devin Scott 30 run (Peacock kick)

T — James Vaughters 27 fumble return (conversion failed)

T — Davis 7 run (Peacock kick)

T — Scott 24 run (Peacock kick)

T — Davis 50 run (Peacock kick)

T — Davis 97 run (Peacock kick)

H — Ian McCune 16 pass from Synjin Days (Brennan Clark kick)

H — Days 2 run (Days run)