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The Commerce News Sports CONTACT US: Brandon Reed / brandon@mainstreetnews.com / (706) 367-5233 or (706) 335-2927 Tigers Head To The Playoffs Inside 14th In Class AA EJCHS’ competition cheerleaders made the state and came in 14th in their first season. PAGE 3B 1B THE COMMERCE (GA.) NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2007 Game Plan: No Turnovers, No Penalties Coach Steve Savage watches his Tigers run a passing play as they prepare for Gordon Lee. Leave Early — It's A Long Drive Tiger fans had best leave early if they plan to make the 7:30 kickoff, because Gordon Lee Senior High School is darned near in Tennessee. Directions Take Interstate 85 south to I-285, turn north (toward Chat tanooga). Turn north on I-75. About 91 miles later, take Exit 350 for Battlefield Parkway (Hwy. 2) toward Fort Oglethorpe for about 6.4 miles. Turn left at U.S. 27 (Lafayette Road), go five miles through Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Battlefield and turn right at Lee and Gordon Mill Road. The road changes to Five Points Road, then Lee Avenue (Ga. 341), then Cove Road, a total of about 2.5 miles. Turn right at Lee Circle. The drive is approximately 173 miles from Commerce. The Commerce Tigers will travel almost 175 miles Friday to open the Class A state football playoffs against Gordon Lee, the second- place team in Region 6-A Game time is at 7:30. The game plan is simple: in con cept if difficult in execution: elimi nate the turnovers and penalties. The Trojans are 5-5, having fin ished the regular season with a 15-0 shutout of Trion. The Tigers and Trojans have never met on the gridiron. The winner of Friday’s game will advance to play the winner of the Wilkinson County/Fellowship Christian contest. “They’re a well-coached, hard- nose fullback-oriented team,” ex plained coach Steve Savage. “They play sound defense and have a good kicking game.” The Trojans utilize three differ ent fullbacks — Paden Harris and Jacob Groce, who also play at linebacker; and Michael Tillison. When they’re not devising a way to get the ball in the hands of one of those, they’ll throw the ball to wide receiver Jordan Afman, who also handles safety duties on defense. Typically, Gordon Lee throws the ball fewer than 10 times a game, “but they are effective when they do throw it,” said Savage. “They’ve got better than average size, about 235-250 on the line,” Savage commented. Commerce averages about 200. Gordon Lee works out of the Wing T on offense and runs a 50 defense. Commerce is coming off a rare two-game losing streak following losses to Athens Academy, 27-24, and Jefferson, 42-7. “We’ve had a couple of good practices,” Savage commented. “They’ve had a good attitude. Please Turn to Page 4B East Jackson Football Eagle Inaugural Season Ends 5-5 By Brandon Reed The East Jackson Eagles had hoped to top off their first season on the football field with a victory during the school’s first homecoming game. But it wasn’t to be, as the Eagles went up against a stronger West For syth team than they had faced earlier in the year, and in the end, East Jackson lost to the Wolverines 41-21. That gave the Eagles a final record of 5-5, with back-to-back losses at the end. Good Start Things started out well Friday night as the Eagles scored early. Ricardo Zaraguza picked up a West Forsyth fumble, ran it back in for a touch down, and the extra point put the Eagles up 7-0 with just over eight min utes left in the first quarter. But four minutes later, the Wolverines answered with their own touch down and extra point, tying the game with just over four minutes left in the quarter. Another drive by West Forsyth early in the second quarter put the Wolverines ahead 14-7. From there on, the Eagles worked hard to stay within shouting dis tance of a stout West Forsyth offense, but time and time again, the Wol verines’ defense held East Jackson at bay. West Forsyth again found its way into the end zone, this time with 6:20 remaining in the half, going up 21-7. But East Jackson started looking for a rally, and with 41 seconds re maining in the half, it seemed they had found it. After marching deep into Wolverine territory, Zach Gilbert broke into the end zone for the second East Jackson touchdown of the night. The PAT was no good, however, and East Jackson trailed 21-13. Please Turn to Page 4B Tory Lamb arrives too late to stop a West Forsyth touchdown Friday night. Lamb had two kickoff returns for 32 yards. Cheer Tigers Win Third At State Meet A fall during a stunt cost the Commerce Competition Cheer leaders a shot at their sixth state Class A championship last Satur day, but the Tigers finished third out of 16 teams. Trion won the Class A crown, with Bremen taking second. “With the routine only lasting two and a half minutes, it does not allow for any mistakes,” ob served Coach Dianne Cotrell. “You only get one shot for the title. We had a good season, and I’m very proud of the girls. They worked hard and have nothing to be ashamed of. We’ll be back next year, ready to go.” On Friday evening, before the tournament, Mayor Gary Fuller of Opelika, AL, honored the Cheer Tigers with a proclamation naming them “honorary citizens of the City of Opelika.” The pre sentation took place at a banquet at an Olive Garden restaurant. A hotel’s snafu last year left the 2006 squad without a place to stay in Columbus, so they crossed the river and stayed in Opelika, AL. This year, instead of booking rooms in Columbus for the state finals, the Tigers re turned to Opelika. Opelika, AL, Mayor Gary Fuller, right, presented the Commerce High School Cheer Tigers with a proclamation declaring them “honorary citizens of the City of Opelika.” The Commerce High School Cheer Tigers placed third in Class A at the state tournament last Saturday in Columbus. A fall dur ing a stunt doomed their chances of winning a sixth state title. TangerTown Centre Value Shopping NIBBED SPORTS * S5 CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE • WE SI POINT HOME * OLD fTAVY . AND WORE! Commerce, Georgia * 1-85, Barks Crossing. Exit 149 * 706-335-3354 ■ Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 12-6 www.tafigerOJtiet.com * buy direct Irani ever 100 brand name outlets Paper Factory - - out lit f-a rrv (tom S5 OFF your purchase of $25 or more Some restrictions apply. See store for details, Valid St the Tanger Town Cenire location only. 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