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Golden Eagles take more mature offense into rematch with Tigers By REX W. GREENE rex@athensnews-courier.com When Athens High met Russellville just over a month ago, the game seemed to turn in the second quarter. After building a 10-7 lead, the Golden Eagles gave up a go-ahead touchdown to the Golden Tigers and went down by four. Then they continued to go down. The Golden Eagles didn’t score again for the remainder of the half while the Golden Tigers tagged on two more scores for a 28- 10 halftime lead on the way to a 35-17 vic tory. Tonight at 7 when the two meet in the semifinals of the Class 5A state playoffs, the Golden Eagles (8-5) believe they will be bet ter equipped to keep scoring. “Our biggest improvement is that we are able to run a balanced offense and get the ball to everybody,” Athens head coach Allen Creasy said. “We are able to throw it. We're able to run it inside and outside. “You can’t just take away one phase of our game. In the past, we've been a little one dimensional, and people could take away the one phase and shut us down. Now we're able to spread the ball around.” Sophomore quarterback Rob Ezell has come of age in the last three weeks. In the first round of the playoffs, he threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final five minutes to rally the Golden Eagles past Pinson Valley. Last week in the final 1:46, Ezell directed the Golden Eagles to a game-wining drive in their quarterfinal win over Fairfield. “He’s grown up a lot,” senior tailback Jeremie Slaughter said of Ezell. “He listens to other players. He listens to coaches. “Last week, he did fumble a few times, but he came back. He’s grown up a lot and never lost his head.” Slaughter is part of a 1-2 running punch for the Golden Eagles along with fullback LaRantae Richardson. Seniors Jamaal Jude and Jonathan Johnson give Athens a couple of go-to receivers, and with Ezell create a pack that is hard to defend. “They are throwing the ball a lot better,” Russellville head coach Perry Swindall said. “They are more proficient in the throwing game and are taking more chances by throw ing it. “Ezell is a goal quarterback and will get even better. He makes great decisions and keeps his head. He’s won two playoff games for them.” See Athens, Page 2B News-Courier/ Kim Rynders Athens High’s Jeremie Slaughter (1), here running against Scottsboro, is just one of the offensive weapons the Golden Eagles hope will make tonight rematch with Russellville difference that the first match up a month ago. The Golden Tigers beat the Golden Eagles 35-17 last month to clinch the Class 5A, Region 8 title.
Newspaper Details
Athens News Courier
Athens, Alabama, US
Fri, Dec 03, 2004
Page 28
Full Page
Clipped by
Chaneka C.
USA 19 Sep 2026
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