Tigers secure a second consecutive region title with a 28-21 win over Bremen
October 27, 2023
The Adairsville Tigers secured the Region 6-AAA championship Friday night in Tiger Valley by defeating the Bremen Blue Devils, 28-21.
The two rivals entered the night unbeaten in region play.
Adairsville quarterback Jonathan Gough threw three touchdown passes to Tre Winters and Jamarian Pullum added a fourth-quarter touchdown run in the Tigers’ victory.
Bremen led at halftime, 14-14.
Gough and Winters finished off a five-play, 63-yard drive at the 8:37 mark of the first quarter to give Adairsville an early 7-0 lead following the PAT kick by Cooper Souders.
Bremen answered with a pair of first-half touchdowns.
Trent McPherson scored on a 9-yard run to culminate the Blue Devils' first scoring drive with 5:15 left in the opening period. The play completed a 66-yard drive for Bremen that took seven plays.
In the second quarter, the Blue Devils drove 86 yards in eight plays to take a 14-7 lead. McPherson scored on a 15-yard run.
Back-to-back Adairsville touchdowns in the third quarter enabled the Tigers to regain the lead.
Gough, who left the game early in the second quarter with injury, returned to begin the second half and connected with Winters for a 98-yard touchdown pass just 0:50 seconds into the third quarter. The long touchdown strike tied the game 14-14.
Later in the third, Adairsville regained the lead on another long pass play from Gough to Winters. This time it was an 85-yard play with 2:39 remaining in the period. The PAT kick failed, but the Tigers held a 20-14 advantage.
Adairsville gained possession again just before the end of the third period but failed to score after missing a 34-yard field goal attempt.
Most of the fourth quarter was a stalemate, but the final minutes were filled with excitement.
Bremen took 14 plays to drive 80 yards to regain the lead 21-20 with only 2:28 left in the game. Kaleb Booker had the Devils’ 8-yard touchdown run but Adairsville was not done.
The Tigers, who started with great field position at the Bremen 49-yard line, scored seven plays later on a 31-yard touchdown run by Jamarian Pullum with 1:22 left to play. Ethan Blome ran in a two-point conversion for a 28-21 lead.
On Bremen’s final possession, L.J. Smith picked off a Blue Devils pass and the Tigers were able to run out the clock to secure their second straight region championship.
Bremen (7-2, 5-1) will be a No. 2 seed in the state playoffs and host the No. 3 team from Region 7-AAA on November 10. The Blue Devils will complete the regular season this Friday (Nov. 3) at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.
Adairsville (7-2, 6-0) travels to Coahulla Creek for the regular season finale this Friday (Nov. 3) against the Colts. The Tigers will then host their first-round state playoff game on November 10 against the No. 4 seed from Region 7-AAA.
