For Douglas County, Friday night at rival Alexander, No. 55 was in the building. Again.
The Tigers (5-0, 2-0 in 6A-Region 5), ranked No. 10, outmuscled their county and region rivals, 35-20, a point total that totaled 55 – the jersey number of their teammate, senior lineman Tyler Fairley, who passed away in August from COVID-19.
On several occasions in this young season, 55 has been present. For example, the Tigers won their season opener over another county rival, Lithia Springs, 55-27.
“He’s our ‘why,’” Douglas County head coach Johnny White said. “A lot of the time, people have different whys for doing what they are doing. Getting a college scholarship as a player, or as a coach, becoming a head coach or putting yourself in position to have another opportunity.
“But for every person in our program, all of us, every coach and every player, Tyler is our why,” White said, his voice full of emotion. “I am a better coach, a better father and a better man for knowing and coaching Tyler Fairley.”
The game already had a high degree of emotion as both teams came into the contest undefeated. In the end, the Tigers simply overwhelmed the Cougars, and the drive that essentially put the game away was a microcosm of the contest.
Alexander closed the first half with a bit of momentum, turning an interception by senior safety Chandler Harris into points with a 33-yard field goal as the horn sounded to cut Douglas County’s lead to 21-10.
But the Tigers came out of the locker room and marched 80 yards in 16 plays. Sophomore quarterback Sire Hardaway was masterful on the drive, deftly handling a few high snaps, while completing 7-of-8 passes for 63 yards. The final toss was a perfect strike on a 9-yard slant to junior speedster Monte Gooden for a touchdown that pushed the Tigers’ lead to 28-10.
The drive also featured Douglas County’s two-headed backfield monster, senior Jirah Douglass and junior Latrelle Murrell, and the Tigers’ punishing offensive line.
But Alexander (3-1, 1-1) wouldn’t go away. The Cougars started their next offensive possession on their 12-yard line, after a penalty negated a good kickoff return. Quick passes from sophomore quarterback Jared Echols to junior Eric Singleton and to lightning quick senior T.J. Foster, who also ran the ball effectively, led to a 40-yard field goal to trim the margin to 28-13.
The Cougars made it even closer late in the fourth quarter when they capped a 14-play, 89-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper up the middle by Echols, to make the score 28-20 with 1:11 left in regulation.
But after Alexander’s onside kick attempt was recovered by Tiger senior Jamarion Love, Murrell darted up the middle on the second play of the drive and sprinted 50-yards to make the score 35-20 for the game’s final point total: 55.
“We really wanted this one. This was a big one. But we have bigger fish to fry and bigger things to play for,” White said, again referencing Fairley’s presence and impact on the team this season.
Alexander jumped up first, as Foster darted home on a 25-yard run to put the Cougars ahead early, 7-0.
But Douglas County countered with the next three touchdowns, two in the first quarter. Murrell tied the score at 7-7 on a 55-yard run, and on the Tigers’ next drive, Douglass scored from 15 yards out to give Douglas County the lead at the end of the period, 14-7.
The Tiger defense set up the team’s next score. The Cougars went from first-and-10 on their 30-yard line, to fourth-and-37 after two negative running plays, two penalties (false start and illegal substitution) and a sack by senior captain Mitchell Moultrie. A 22-yard punt gave Douglas County the ball at the Alexander 25.
Five plays into their offensive possession, Hardaway hit senior Tayshaun Bolton perfectly in stride on a fade pattern down the far sideline for a 14-yard touchdown to push the Douglas County lead to 21-7 midway through the second quarter.
With a little more than two minutes left in the half, Alexander’s defense set the offense up deep in Tiger territory when Harris intercepted Hardaway’s high throw over the middle and returned it to the Douglas County 18-yard line. But the Tiger defense held firm and made Alexander settle for a 33-yard field goal as time expired to make the score 21-10 at the half.
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