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By Michael V. Hannigan/HCN
Tim Howard and I live streamed (audio only) Malakoff Homecoming Friday night as the Tigers beat Groesbeck, 49-14, to improve to 5-0 and 2-0 in district play.
We hand out 10 awards from the night.
THE BOW TO ROYALTY AWARD
Congratulations to Homecoming Queen Ari Tart and Homecoming King Adonia Dixon-Thomas. I love the fact that both of them are members of the Pride of Malakoff Band.
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THE COMPLETE BEAST AWARD
During the broadcast, I couldn’t help but say Zee Bailey was going Beast Mode after several of his runs, including a three-yard touchdown blast up the middle. But Bailey isn’t only an offensive weapon, he is also a very physical linebacker who blew up Groesbeck running backs multiple times.
THE MINI BEAST AWARD
Late in the game, wide receiver Ethan Snow took a short kick off and flat ran over a Groesbeck defender on the return. The hit brought a chorus of “oohhhs” from the sidelne.
THE SCOOP AND SCORE AWARD
Linebacker Parker Busch had a big game including an appearance in the end zone after he picked up a Groesbeck fumble and rumbled untouched for a score in the third quarter. He nearly added an interception later in the game.
THE TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME AWARD
R.J. Carr must have covered more than 100 yards with his sideline-to-sideline run on third and long in the third quarter. Statistically, it went down as a 49-yard gain to the Groesbeck 4 and Carr got the chance to finish what he started a couple of plays later with the first of his two touchdown runs.
THE PERFECT PASSES AWARD
Quarterback Judd Miller had two “wow” throws on the night that electrified the crowd. On the Tigers first possession, Ethan Snow got behind the Goat defense and Miller hit him in stride with a 50-plus yard TD strike. Later in the half, Miller was forced out of the pocket and scrambled right. With the defense closing in, he calmly floated a beautiful throw down the right sideline to Jake Lee for a first down.
THE TOWERING TWINS
Big players have to make big plays and Judd Miller and Zee Bailey did just that in the third quarter to put Groesbeck away. After going up 21-0, Bailey recovered a Goat fumble setting Malakoff up on the Groesbeck 30. Miller converted the opportunity on a long scamper up the middle for the TD to go up 28-0 and end any real chance of a Groesbeck comeback.
THE GREAT CALL AWARD
Groesbeck jumped offsides as Malakoff lined up for the extra point after its first touchdown, moving the ball to the one. Coach Jamie Driskell immediately called his kicking team off the field and went with his “jumbo” package for a two-point attempt. Zee Bailey walked into the end zone untouched to make the score 8-0. While the call didn’t mean much this week, it has in the past. Driskell did the same thing against Rusk earlier this season and it turned out to be the deciding factor in a 29-27 victory.
THE BIG TIME BAND AWARD
Not only did the band supply the Homecoming King and Queen, the Pride of Malakoff Band put on a sizzling halftime show that had a sea of cellphones taking video in the stands. Good luck to the band as it heads to competition at the Mesquite Marching Festival and the Sunnyvale Invitational Saturday.
THE GREAT HOMECOMING TRADITIONS AWARD
Malakoff has some awesome homecoming traditions, including alumni awards from the Malakoff Ex-Student Association. Friday there was also an induction into the Malakoff Sports Hall of Fame. But my favorite tradition is when the cheerleader alumni come down and are recognized.
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