With only two games left in the regular season, the Collierville Dragons and Whitehaven Tigers met to stay in the running for the 6A Region 8 Championship. The Dragons entered the game ranked fourth in the state, while Whitehaven was ranked ninth. Collierville went on the road and defeated the Tigers 27-6.
The Dragons took the opening kickoff down the field to Whitehaven’s one-yard line, but the Tigers’ defense held strong, limiting them to a field goal and an early 3-0 lead. Collierville continued to push the Tigers’ defense, advancing 65 yards on their second drive.
Senior quarterback Grant Troutman scrambled for a 16-yard touchdown to extend Collierville’s lead to 10-0 in the first quarter. Troutman then used his arm to give the Dragons a commanding advantage, connecting with junior receiver Emmanuel Palmer for a 56-yard touchdown to make it 17-0.
Whitehaven’s offense struggled against the Dragons’ defense, which logged three first-half sacks. Special teams, however, delivered for Whitehaven when junior defensive back Quintin Cottrell returned a botched punt for a touchdown, putting the Tigers on the scoreboard at 17-6 before halftime.
Grayson Lyton added a field goal, and John Hampton scored a final touchdown to seal the win for Collierville, 27-6. Troutman had a strong passing game, completing 16 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown. Palmer tallied 135 receiving yards, and Hampton rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Reflecting on the victory, Collierville head coach Joe Rocconi said, “Just really proud of players and coaches. It wasn’t easy to come over here and get this victory. We are happy to be going home to ring the bell.”
Christopher Tally was limited by the Dragons’ defense, rushing for 64 yards without any explosive plays. Junior Terrance Whitley provided impressive kick returns for Whitehaven, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize on his efforts.
Whitehaven head coach Rodney Saulsberry commented on the game: “Football comes down to basic things like blocking and tackling. It is hard to call plays on offense if you are not blocking. We have things to work on. The test of a man is, what does he do when adversity comes.”
Looking ahead to the final game of the season, Saulsberry added, “Everything starts up front. Football is a simple game. Games are won in the trenches. Collierville won the game in the trenches. We have to make sure we do our job on the offensive end.”
Next up for the Dragons (9-0, 6-0) will be a matchup with the defending 6A champions, the Houston Mustangs (7-2, 5-1). The winner will be crowned region champion. Whitehaven (6-3, 4-2) will face the Bartlett Panthers, with the winner advancing to the playoffs. The loser will need to wait for the outcome of other regional games. Both games are set for Friday, November 1, at 7 p.m.
