Mark Monosky

For The North Jefferson News



GARDENDALE — Friday night Tabernacle lost its final regular season game to Evangel Christian out of Alabaster 26-24. This game was a classic back-and -fourth contest between the two teams. Tabernacle failed to win for the first time this season, when a Evangel tackler stopped a Torches ball carrier just short of the end zone on a 2-point conversion play that could have tied the game.

With this loss the Torches final regular season record is 8-1. They will begin their run in the playoffs in two weeks.

“Good football game. That was a lot of fun. Evangel Christian is a good football team. It came down to 2-point conversions. They made one and we were 0-for-4.” Tabernacle head coach Keith Dabbs said. “Extra points makes a difference in a ball game. I am tickled to death way our kids played. I am not disappointed. We drove the ball the length of the field late to score late and give us a chance to win. I couldn’t be more proud of the kids. They did a good job.”

The scoring started in the first quarter. After the Torches recovered a fumble inside the Evangel 20-yard line, running back Matt Wade ran it in from 15 yards out to make the score 6-0. The 2-point conversion was no good.

Evangel Christian soon answered back. Quarterback Hunter Price threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to J.T. Miller to complete the drive and tie the score 6-6 at the start of the second quarter.

Later, Daniel Whaley threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Matt Wade to complete a 10-play, 70-yard drive. The pass made the score 12-6.

On the next play from scrimmage, Evangel Christian quarterback Hunter Price threw an interception to Jake Wade. Wade returned the ball 25 yards for another Torche’s touchdown. The score was 18-6 in Tabernacle’s favor at the half.

In the second half, Price found Jacob Snuggs from 20 yards out for a touchdown to complete the drive and make the score 18-12. Right before the end of the third quarter, Evangel struck again. Price threw another touchdown pass to Snuggs, this time from 42 yards out to tie the score at 18-18. Price found Snuggs for the important 2-point conversion to give Evangel a 20-18 lead going into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, Evangel Christian stuck again. After a great punt return by Hunter Price, Evangel was set at the Torches 28-yard line. Eight plays later, Price ran from 3 yards out for his fourth touchdown of night. This gave Evangel Christian a 26-18 lead.

Tabernacle answered back on the very next drive. The Torches drove the ball 65 yards in 10 plays. With time winding down, quarterback Daniel Whaley ran it in from 10 yards out to make the score 26-24. On the 2-point conversion attempt to tie the game, Tabernacle’s Landon Ingle threw a halfback pass to Whaley, unfortunalty for the Torches, Evangel Christian’s Jacob Snuggs stopped Whaley just a couple of feet short of the end zone to perserve the upset win, 26-24.