By Joe Crowe, For the Tribune
HARTSELLE – The Center Point Eagles put on a thrilling back-and-forth contest against the Hartselle Tigers, but the Tigers sealed the deal to move to the second playoff round, 28-18.
The Eagles’ Cortez Pollnitz came in hot, completing a 45-yard pass to Mekhi Brown, making it 6-0 Center Point only about three minutes into the game.
The second quarter’s first minutes and last minutes belonged to Center Point’s Therman Deon Moore, who led several drives to around the half-field mark.
Hartselle’s Witt Crisler then intercepted a Center Point pass and got the ball to Center Point’s 25.
Center Point’s defense held into the second quarter, where a two-yard Hartselle touchdown run and point after put the Tigers on top 7-6. With about three minutes to go in the half, the Tigers’ Noah Yates kicked a 37-yard field goal through the uprights to put Hartselle into double digits, 10-6.
Moore then rocketed a 70-yard pass to Brown for a Center Point touchdown, putting the Eagles on top 12-10. A two-point conversion failed, but Center Point stayed the course into the half.
Not long into the third, Hartselle’s Ri Fletcher put the Tigers up again with a 21-yard rushing touchdown. A two-point conversion put the Tigers up 18-12.
Moore took to the air again about six minutes into the third quarter, and his 22-yard pass found Brown for a tie ball game, 18-18.
Another attempt at a Center Point two-point conversion failed and the score remained tied.
Center Point’s Kemarius Horne intercepted a Hartselle pass, setting up the ball on their own 24-yard line.
Thomas Deon Moore made a couple of runs to march down the field – then Hartselle pulled away with a pick 6 and a point after.
#21 Jace Preuitt of Hartselle made the 60-yard return, breaking the tie. Noah Yates added the point after, putting Hartselle ahead, 25-18.
With around five minutes left to play, Hartselle’s Noah Yates put the game out of Center Point’s reach with a 27-yard field goal, putting Hartselle up 28-18.
Center Point kept the battle going, but a turnover on downs with around three minutes to go decided the Eagles’ fate.
Next week Hartselle heads to the second round of playoffs, where they will take on the Oxford Yellow Jackets, who scored a commanding 45-27 win Friday Night over Athens High’s Golden Eagles.