Graceville loses heartbreaker to Bonifay, 12-6

A Graceville player carries the football during a game earlier this season.

By: Dustin Kent | Jackson County Floridan
Published: October 06, 2011

The Graceville Middle School Tigers football team suffered a heartbreaking loss Tuesday night at home, falling to Bonifay 12-6.

The go-ahead score came when Graceville fumbled the ball at its own 2-yard and a Bonifay player scooped it up and took it into the end zone on the final play of the game.

It was a valiant effort by a Tigers team that had been blown out and shut out in its previous three games, and hadn’t won since the opening game against Vernon on Sept. 6.

Graceville coach Phillip Haynes said he couldn’t have been more pleased with what his players gave him on Tuesday.

“I told our team that no coach on Earth was more proud of his team than I was,” he said. “We played football for the first time in several weeks. That was by far the most intense and physical middle school football game I’ve ever been a part of.”

The Tigers changed things up for the game, abandoning the spread formation for a more traditional power attack, and tried to attack Bonifay up front.

It worked to the tune of 211 rushing yards on the night, with fullback Chris Oliver leading the way with 64 yards on 11 carries, and quarterback Preston Nichols adding 57 yards on six carries.

Eric Watford added 46 rushing yards, and Deangelo Bell had 44.

Oliver and Brandon Pippen led the Graceville defense, as Oliver had seven total tackles and three tackles for loss, and Pippen had five solo tackles and four assists.

AJ Davis also contributed four solo, four assists, and two tackles for loss.

Haynes said he felt his team made a breakthrough Tuesday night, and was regretful that the season is going to end after next week’s game against Grand Ridge.

“As a coach, I wish we had a few more games because I feel like this team is finally beginning to come together,” he said. “But we will use this last week to focus on getting better as a team and ending our season on a high note.

“Grand Ridge is a well coached team. Ken Granger is a great coach for them, and I know that he will prepare his team to play at their highest level. We realize that this game is going to be a challenge, and we are hoping to end things on a positive note.”